Seattle Public Schools Enrollment
Welcome to Seattle Public Schools! Seattle Public Schools has award-winning neighborhood and option schools where families find great educators, strong academic programs, and engaged community.
The Admissions Center at the John Stanford Center will be open this week!
The John Stanford building for all enrollment services will be open one day a week on Mondays starting November 16, 2020 from 9am – 3pm through December 31, due to Governor Inslee’s statewide restrictions. The rest of our admissions staff are still available and working from home Monday through Friday 8am – 430pm. You can reach us by phone at 206-252-0760 or by email at our Contact Us webpage.
–Thank you, Admissions Team.
No appointment is required.
Parent/guardians will need a photo ID or passport, two pieces of address verification, certificate of immunizations, and birth certificate or passport (for students entering kindergarten or first grade only).
Information for visiting the John Stanford Center of Educational Excellence (JSCEE) during the COVID-19 response:
- To protect our staff and your family, please do not come to the JSCEE if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: fever or chills; cough or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing; muscle or body aches; vomiting or diarrhea; new loss of taste or smell
- Only two families will be allowed to enter the JSCEE lobby at a time
- Only two people per household should plan to come to enroll
- To allow for social distancing, only five families can line up at a time, please stay in your car until called into line.
- Face coverings that cover the nose and mouth must be worn at all times.
- SPS staff will be wearing masks and will sanitize their stations between each visitor.
For directions to the John Stanford Center, visit our map and directions page.
Fall 2020-2021:
All registered SPS students will participate in remote learning with their assigned school. During the remote learning period, all student assignment policies and procedures will remain in effect. This includes but not limited to enrollment practices and procedures, address changes, and waitlist moves. For more information about our student assignment policies please review the Student Assignment Plan 3130 and Superintendent Procedure 3130 SP.
Kindergarten Enrollment through 12th grade for the 2020-21 school year is still open. School begins September 4 for grades 1-12, September 8 for Kindergarten. It's not too late to enroll. Students are assured a seat at their neighborhood ("Attendance Area") school. Enter the child's home address on the Address Lookup tool to find out their school. School registration is complete online at www.seattleschools.org/admissions/registration.
Help is available: in English, Spanish, Chinese, Amharic, Somali or Vietnamese. Just call (206) 252-0760, all other languages please contact a bilingual specialist directly:
- Ahmharic/Oromo: 206-445-3848
- Chinese: 206-475-1860
- Somali: 206-430-2494
- Spanish: 206-471-2414
- Vietnamese: 206-471-9386
To View Current and Next Year Assignment Information
- Using the District Website: Visit the assignment lookup tool webpage and enter your student's identification number and birth date. Go to the Assignment Lookup Tool webpage
Where will my student go to school? Students are initially assigned to an attendance area school based on where the student lives. Use our address lookup tool and find attendance area maps on our About Our Schools webpage.
Can we choose a different school? Students may apply for assignment to a different school (or program) through School Choice. Read more about Open Enrollment and School Choice.
How do I enroll my student? Parents and guardians can enroll their students for the current school year online with the links below or in person (from Sept. 8th-11th) with the computers designated in our lobby at the John Stanford Center. For directions to the John Stanford Center, visit our map and directions page.
Enrollment Timeline
- Non-Seattle Resident Enrollment: June 1-Aug. 31, 2020
- Foreign Exchange Students: March 1-Aug. 15 (extended from July 31 due to COVID-19)
- Waitlists active: April 21-Aug. 31, 2020 (after the deadline, waitlists are dissolved)
- 20-21 Transfer Appeals: June 1-June 20, 2021 (Appeals will not be accepted during the summer closure)
- 2021-22 General Admission: January 4, 2021
- 2021-22 Open Enrollment: February 1-12, 2021
Enrollment 2020-21 School Year
What do I need to register?
Parents/ guardians will need to complete the online registration for each student and submit the following documentation:
- Photo ID or passport
- Two pieces of address verification (dated within the past eight weeks)
- Acceptable verification: current telephone, utility or cable bills; mortgage information; insurance documents; or documents from public agencies such as courts or the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Lease or rental agreements can be used if you include the first page and the signature page
- Not acceptable: Copies of envelopes are not acceptable for address verification.
- Certificate of Immunization Status or Certificate of Immunization Exemption. Visit our Immunizations webpage for more details.
- Birth Certificate or Passport: This only applies to students who are entering kindergarten or 1st grade, or are applying to our Special Education Preschool program.
Families Experiencing Homelessness: Students experiencing homelessness are not subject to provide address verification or required documents. Visit our McKinney-Vento Program webpage for more information.
Have you moved?
If you still live in Seattle and have recently moved it is important to update your address with Seattle Public Schools. If you do not update your address with the Admissions department, it may result in your student(s) being dropped at the end of the school year. Please use this form to change your address with the district.
How do I withdraw my student?
If you are currently registered or have pre-registered for the next school year, you may use the Not Attending for 2020-2021 form to request a cancellation of your student's assignment. Use the Assignment Lookup Tool to cancel a next year assignment and/or waitlist.
Will my student change schools?
Your student may have to change school assignments based on when you move and where your new home is located. In general, students must change to their new attendance area schools if they are assigned to their
attendance area school, are not grandfathered, and they move to a new attendance area.
- If they move before the school year starts, they must change schools for the new school year.
- If they move during the school year, they may finish the year at their current school, but they must change schools the next year.
In all cases, reassignments are subject to any special education services a student may require.
Detailed move rules are available in the Superintendent’s Procedures for Student Assignment 3130 SP. Visit the policy and procedure webpage to read the procedure.