Every Seattle Public Schools student is assigned to their attendance area school based on where they live. Families can also apply to request that their student attend a different school through the Open Enrollment for School Choice Process.
School Choice results and waitlist information will be available on April 18, 2023 by 9 am online through the Assignment Lookup Tool. To use the Assignment Lookup Tool, please enter your student’s ID number and birth date.
Parents/guardians may submit a School Choice Inquiry Form if they believe that the district made an error in processing the choice application and would like to request a further investigation to be made.
School Choice Process
If you are interested in having your student attend a school that is not their assigned school next year, please submit a School Choice form. Forms must be submitted via email or mailed to the John Stanford Center.
Applications received by Tuesday, Feb. 28 will receive priority. SPS will continue to accept School Choice forms until Wednesday, May 31. These applications are prioritized based on the date the application is received.
If there are more applications than seats available for a particular school and grade, then certain tiebreakers are used to determine assignment and waitlist status.
All Seattle Public Schools choice assignments are subject to space availability.
Submitting the form does not guarantee an assignment.
Please review the Linked School and Programs as some programs or support services may not be offered at your preferred school.
New students must first register on the Enrollment webpagebefore participating in the open enrollment.
Non-resident and Early Entrance Kindergarten students are not eligible to participate in the Open Enrollment School Choice process.
If there are more applications than seats available for a particular school and grade, then certain tiebreakers are used to determine assignment and waitlist status.
K-12 students may transfer to their attendance area school after Open Enrollment through May 31, as long as the services the student needs are available at that school. Transfers to their previously assigned choice school is not guaranteed and requires a new School Choice Form subject to availability or placed at the bottom of the waitlist.
Students who apply for and receive a choice assignment will receive a new assignment to that choice school (or program). Students with a choice assignment will be continued at that school through the highest grade served, as long as the school offers the services the student needs.
Families with students enrolled in Seattle Public Schools may submit school choice applications for the following school year.
If there are more applications than seats available for a particular school and grade, then certain tiebreakers are used to determine assignment and waitlist status.
Standard Tiebreakers for available seats after assignment of attendance area students
To return to your neighborhood school from a choice school. Students are guaranteed a seat at their neighborhood school if students apply by May 31, and Special Education service needs can be met at their neighborhood school.
If your student is currently in a dual language immersion pathway and is rising to middle school or high school.
All current dual language immersion students entering their sixth or ninth grade next year who want to stay in their dual language immersion pathway must apply through School Choice during the Open Enrollment period. These students will be guaranteed an assignment.
If your student is eligible for Highly Capable (HC) services.
Kindergarten-7th grade students with a new HC decision for the 2023-24 school year who want to attend a pathway school.
Students eligible for HC services entering ninth grade who did not attend an HC Cohort Pathway School in eighth grade—and—students with an HC designation currently attending their attendance area or option high school who want to attend an HC Pathway High school:
Will have a guaranteed HC Pathway seat at their HC Pathway High School (Garfield, Lincoln, or West Seattle), but a Choice Form must be submitted during Open Enrollment.
Please note: Currently enrolled eighth graders attending an HC Cohort (HCC) Pathway are guaranteed admission into their HC Pathway High School (Garfield, Lincoln, or West Seattle) in ninth grade based on where they live, and DO NOT need to apply during Open Enrollment.
All students/families, please email or mail the completed School Choice PDF form to schoolchoice@seattleschools.org or Enrollment Services, John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence 2445 3rd Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98134.
New students to SPS must first register by visiting the Admissions page before submitting the school choice form.
Students must be at least 3 years old by May 31, 2023 with a current IEP to be eligible.
All Seattle Public Schools Experimental Educational Unit assignments are subject to space availability. Completing this form does not guarantee an assignment.
This form is used only for Pre-K and Kindergarten eligible students who are applying to the EEU as their only choice.
Need more information on which school your student will attend next year?
You can review school assignments in the SPS Assignment Lookup Tool. All you need is your student’s date of birth and student ID number. If you are unsure of their student ID, contact SPS Admissions at 206-252-0760 or log into your account on The Source.
Students currently attending an option school or a school that is not their attendance area school: These students can stay at their school until the highest grade offered without having to apply during Open Enrollment.
Unsure which program to apply for?
If your student is not receiving special education services, then you should apply for General Education. The following programs are for students who are receiving special education services:
Extended Resource
Focus
Distinct
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
If your student’s service model for special education is SM1, you should apply as General Education. Dual Language Immersion students should also apply as General Education. If you are seeking the HCC program for your student, select HCC. If you are applying for K-12 Virtual Option at Cascade, select Cascade Parent Partnership – Virtual.
Please review below Linked School Charts for programs and service availabilities.
Option Schools with Continuous Enrollment
Cascade Parent Partnership Program – General Education
Interagency Programs
Middle College High School
Nova High School
Seattle World School
Skills Center
Alan T. Sugiyama High School
All option schools with continuous enrollment are considered upon request. Please contact us online if you are interested in attending any one of our option schools with continuous enrollment. Some schools require capacity reviews or additional enrollment procedures. Read more about schools with continuous enrollment.
Note: Seats for the K-12 Virtual Option at Cascade are subject to availability.
Historical Choice Data
Would you like to know how many students applied for school choice in recent years? Or the number of students who were waitlisted?
