Search: School Choice, 2024

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High School Specialty Programs

Overview

Thank you for your interest in Sacramento City Unified School District’s high school specialty programs. Our high school specialty programs offer students the opportunity to dive deeper into an area of interest that may support a future career pathway. These free public education programs give students a chance to learn about industries outside of standard core subjects, like culinary arts, digital media, criminal justice, construction and more.

Application Process
for the High School Specialty Program Application

Overview

The High School Specialty Program application will be available from November 4, 2024 at 8:00am to November 22, 2024 at 5:00pm for students living within the Sacramento City Unified School District (¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ) boundaries.

Create a Parent/Guardian SchoolMint Account

Before applying for a specialty program, all families must create a . Once your parent/guardian account is created on SchoolMint, add your student(s) to the account.

Open Enrollment for Grades K-8

Overview

Thank you for your interest in Sacramento City Unified School District’s Open Enrollment Application for Grades K-8. 

The application window for the 2025-2026 Open Enrollment will be February 3, 2025 at 8:00am – February 21, 2025 at 5:00pm. Information on schools and/or programs that will be participating and the application process will be available in January 2025. 

Application Process

Overview

This year, families that live within our school district boundaries will create an account on  to apply for Open Enrollment. 

Once your parent/guardian account is created on SchoolMint, add your student(s) to the account.

Intra and Inter-District Permit Request Process for All Grade Levels

Overview

Learn about District Permits

Intra-District Permit Requests

Intra-District Permits are for families who currently live within the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundaries to request a transfer to a school that is not their neighborhood school (school of residence). Visit our to find your neighborhood school. 

Permits are approved based on space availability at the requested school or specialty program.

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District Permit Frequently Asked Questions
2024-2025

What is the difference between an Intra-District and Inter-District Permit?

Intra-District Permits are for families who currently live within the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundaries to request a transfer to a school that is not their neighborhood school (school of residence). Visit our to find your neighborhood school. 

Inter-District Permits are used to transfer in and out of the Sacramento City School District. 

Do all district schools and specialty programs participate in the District Permit Process?

No. Not all district schools or specialty programs participate in the District Permit process. Some schools reach their grade level enrollment capacity prior to the District Permit time period. See our list of participating schools and programs in the 2024-2025 District Permit process here

My student is currently on an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist. Can we apply for an intra-district permit?

If your student is on an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist, your intra-district permit application will be marked ineligible. 

If you would like to remove your student from an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist prior to applying for a district permit, you can log into your SchoolMint account and withdraw the application or email Becky Petrie at becky-petrie@scusd.edu

How many schools or specialty programs can my student apply to?

Students may apply to one school or specialty program. 

Which schools have additional requirements for admission?

  • C.K. McClatchy VAPA Program - submit a portfolio or audition based on specialty. Instructions are included in submission notification. 
  • Camellia Basic (Grades 1-6 only) - take an assessment at the school and bring a copy of student’s latest report card (Grades 1-6) and standardized test results (Grades 4-6). The school will call you to let you know the date to bring your student for an assessment.  
  • Elder Creek Dual Immersion Program (Grades 1-6 only) - take an assessment at the school. The school will call you to let you know the date to bring your student for an assessment.  
  • Susan B. Anthony Hmong Immersion Program - fill out a survey administered by the school. Call the school at (916) 395-4710 to schedule.
  • West Campus High School - new students to the district must upload transcripts to the application. Incoming 9th grade applicants must submit 7th and first quarter 8th grade transcript, and incoming 11th and 12th grade applicants must submit their high school transcript. 
  • William Land Mandarin Dual Immersion Program - take a language screener at the school. Call the school at (916) 395-4890 to schedule

What schools that are participating do not have an attendance area boundary assignment?

  • A.M. Winn Public Waldorf
  • Alice Birney Public Waldorf
  • Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions
  • Camellia Basic – Grades 1-6
  • New Joseph Bonnheim
  • The Met Sacramento High School
  • West Campus High School

Can I make a change to my student’s application?

Yes, changes can be made to a submitted application anytime during the application window, between April 15 – May 3, 2024. Make sure to resubmit the edited application by May 3, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once you successfully submit the district permit application, there will be a confirmation screen and notification confirming the submission. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering. Families can log into their at any time to see the status of their application(s).

What is the Annual Update and how do I fill it out?

If your student is currently enrolled in ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, you must also submit the Mid-Year Annual Update through your by May 3, 2024 for your application to be eligible for the District Permit lottery. View directions on how to complete an Annual Update form to verify your address and contact information. 

If you do not have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, request an activation key from your student’s current school office to . Once you have an active Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, follow the steps to complete the Annual Update form.

If my student is new to the district, when do we register them?

When applicants are accepted into their school or specialty program, they will have to submit an online registration form and provide the following information by their offer deadline to finish the registration process. 

Upload one of the following options listed under (Ed. Code 48204.1):

  • Utility service contract, statement, or payment receipts
  • Property tax payment receipts
  • Rental property contract, lease with payment receipts
  • Voter registration
  • Correspondence from a government agency
  • Pay stubs

A link to the registration form will be included in the offer notification.

Should I register my incoming kindergartener in their neighborhood school before I apply for an intra-district permit?

It is recommended that you register your incoming kindergartener in their neighborhood school ( i.e. school of residence) before or after you apply for an intra-district permit in case your child is not selected through the lottery. Learn how to register for Kindergarten.

Will my TK student continue at the same school for kindergarten?

For students living within Sacramento City Unified School District boundaries

If your student lives within Sacramento City Unified School District boundaries, they will be automatically enrolled in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 School Year at their neighborhood school. Find your neighborhood school(s) by using our . 

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is only available at 39 of Sacramento City Unified School District schools, so all TK students* living within district boundaries are transitioned back to their neighborhood school for traditional kindergarten enrollment. Each neighborhood school has a defined geographic boundary and is intended to serve the students who live within that geographic boundary. 

Students that apply for enrollment at the school they attended for transitional kindergarten will be given priority in the Open Enrollment lottery for kindergarten. Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 School Year will begin in February 2025. 

* TK students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.

For students living outside the Sacramento City Unified School District boundaries

All students* that live outside the Sacramento City Unified School District boundaries, will be required to reapply for a district permit to enter kindergarten after students living within the district boundaries have registered for kindergarten at their neighborhood school.

* TK Students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.)

My student will turn 5 after June 2, 2025. Can I apply for transitional kindergarten (TK)?

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ can only accept applications for under-age TK applicants that:

  • have a sibling at the school site they are applying to
  • has an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Applicants will be required to provide documentation on both these requirements during the application process for verification. 

All other under-age applicants can apply for a waiver to be placed after school begins for the 2024-2025 school year.  Please fill out and the Enrollment Center will contact you if space is available after school starts. 

I want my student to be enrolled into transitional kindergarten (TK) even though they would qualify for kindergarten. Can I still apply for TK?

If your student’s date of birth falls after 9/2/2019, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the District Permit Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, May 10, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request by Friday, May 10, 2024. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the District Permit lottery. 

I want my student to be enrolled into kindergarten even though they would qualify for 1st Grade. Can I still apply for kindergarten?

If your student’s date of birth falls before 09/2/2018, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the District Permit Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, May 10, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request by Friday, May 10, 2024. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the District Permit lottery. 

Is transportation provided by the school district to my District Permit School?

No, transportation is not provided for students on a district permit. Parents are responsible for transporting their students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply?

The Sacramento City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

  1. A parent/guardian is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address.
  2. Since our district utilizes addresses for placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll in the neighborhood school associated with the work address. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must enroll in California Middle School (IF) the school has space for the student. If the school does not have the space, the student cannot enroll.
  3. Once this is complete and the student is attending, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP), Open Enrollment (OE) or an Intra-District permit.
  4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP, OE or an Intra-District permit if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
  5. Residency is established by enrolling.

Can I turn in a late application for my student?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00 p.m on May 3, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notification will be sent to families through SchoolMint on May 20, 2024. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

My family is moving outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary, it will void your student’s acceptance offer. You must register your student with the new school district. You can apply for an inter-district permit after you get an approved Inter-District Permit Transfer form by your new district of residence. 

I live within the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply through an Intra-District Permit?

Yes. 

I live outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary and one of my students already attends a ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ school. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

Yes, the student(s) applying will receive sibling priority for inter-district permits.

I am a ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ employee and live outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary. Does my student have preference to attend the school I work at?

Yes, the student applying will receive parent employment priority for inter-district permits.

How does the lottery work?

The District Permit application is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place eligible students at their school or specialty program. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

  1. Your student is selected for their school or specialty program and receives a notification communication to accept the placement through SchoolMint. 
  2. If your student was not selected, they will be notified that they have been placed on a waitlist* and then be notified if a spot opens up.
Waitlists do not apply for the district permit process. Applicants are either offered a spot or receive a notification that the program has reached grade capacity. 

What happens if my student doesn’t get offered a spot at the school or specialty program?

You will receive a notification from SchoolMint that the school or program you have applied for has reached space capacity.

Students who apply to a school or specialty program, and have not met the admissions requirements will become ineligible and not be included in the lottery.

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

1st Priority* – Intra-District Incoming TK Students Only

  • Intra-District Permit applicants applying for a school that is their neighborhood school or the closest TK program to their residence.

2nd Priority

  • Intra-District Permit applicants with a sibling already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

3rd Priority

  • Intra-District Permit applicants whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

4th Priority* – Current ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ TK Students Only

  • Intra-District Permit applicants who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK. 

5th Priority

  • All other Intra-District Permits

6th priority

  • Approved Inter-District Permit applicants with a sibling already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

7th priority

  • Approved Inter-District Permit applicants whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

8th Priority* – Current ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ TK Students Only

  • Approved Inter-District Permit applicants with students who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK. 
*Does not apply to schools without attendance boundaries. 
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Open Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions
2024-2025

What is Open Enrollment?

Open Enrollment is an opportunity for each student who resides permanently within the boundaries of Sacramento City Unified School District to apply for enrollment for schools (Grades TK-8) within the district, when space is available. 

Who is eligible to apply?

Only those students who reside within the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ attendance area are eligible to participate in the Open Enrollment process.

How many schools can my student apply to?

Students may apply to up to two school programs. 

Which schools have additional requirements for admission?

What schools do not have an attendance area boundary assignment?

Can I make a change to my student’s application?

Yes, changes can be made to a submitted application anytime during the application window, between February 5 â€“ February 23, 2024. 

Please be sure to:

  • update the Rank Choices (Step 4) if a change is made to the Program Selection (Step 3) in order for the application to be processed correctly.
  • resubmit edited applications by February 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. to be considered.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once you successfully submit the open enrollment application, there will be a confirmation screen and notification confirming the submission. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering. Families can log into their  at anytime to see status of their application(s).

What is the Annual Update and how do I fill it out?

If your student is currently enrolled in ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, you must also submit the Mid-Year Annual Update through your by February 23, 2024 for your application to be eligible for the Open Enrollment lottery. View directions on how to complete an Annual Update form to verify your address and contact information. 

If you do not have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, request an activation key from your student’s current school office to . Once you have an active Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, follow the steps to complete the Annual Update form.

Should I register my incoming kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school before I apply for Open Enrollment?

It is recommended that you register your incoming kindergartener in his/her neighborhood school ( i.e. school of residence) before or after you apply for Open Enrollment in case your child is not selected through the lottery. Learn how to register for Kindergarten.

My student will turn 5 after June 2, 2025. Can I apply for transitional kindergarten (TK)?

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ can only accept applications for under-age TK applicants that:

  1. have a sibling at the school site they are applying to
  2. has an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Applicants will be required to provide documentation on both these requirements during the application process for verification. 

All other under-age applicants can apply for a waiver to be placed after school begins for the 2024-2025 school year.  Please fill out and the Enrollment Center will contact you if space is available after school starts. 

I want my student to be enrolled into transitional kindergarten (TK) even though they would qualify for kindergarten. Can I still apply for TK?

If your student’s date of birth falls after 9/1/2019, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the Open Enrollment Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must request a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, March 1, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the Open Enrollment lottery. 

I want my student to be enrolled into kindergarten even though they would qualify for 1st Grade. Can I still apply for kindergarten?

If your student’s date of birth falls before 09/2/2018, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the Open Enrollment Lottery for kindergarten. 

  1. Parent/ Guardians must request a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, March 1, 2024.
  2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request. 
  3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the Open Enrollment lottery. 

Do all schools participate in the Open Enrollment?

No. Not all district schools participate in the Open Enrollment process. Some schools reach their grade level enrollment capacity prior to the Open Enrollment time period.

What happens if I am interested in a school that doesn’t participate in Open Enrollment?

Parents can apply for an intra-district permit and will be contacted if/when space becomes available. 

Is transportation provided by the school district to my Open Enrollment School?

No, transportation is not provided for Open Enrollment Students. Parents are responsible for transporting their Open Enrollment students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply?

The Sacramento City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

  1. A parent/guardian is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address.
  2. Since our district utilizes addresses for placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll in the neighborhood school associated with the work address. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must enroll in California Middle School (IF) the school has space for the student. If the school does not have the space, the student cannot enroll.
  3. Once this is complete and the student is attending, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP) or Open Enrollment (OE).
  4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP or OE if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
  5. Residency is established by enrolling.

Students who live outside the district boundaries may apply April 15, 2024 – May 3, 2024 to schools or specialty programs that still have openings. 

Can I turn in a late application for my student?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00 p.m on Wednesday, February 23, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notification will be sent to families through SchoolMint on March 11, 2024. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

If my TK student is registered for their Open Enrollment school, will my student continue at the same school for kindergarten?

Students will be automatically enrolled in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 School Year at their neighborhood school. Find your neighborhood school(s) by using our . 

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is only available at 39 of Sacramento City Unified School District schools, so all TK students* living within district boundaries are transitioned back to their neighborhood school for traditional kindergarten enrollment. Each neighborhood school has a defined geographic boundary and is intended to serve the students who live within that geographic boundary. 

Students that apply for enrollment at the school they attended for transitional kindergarten will be given priority in the Open Enrollment lottery for kindergarten. Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 School Year will begin in February 2025. 

* TK students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.

Does my student have the right to return to their original neighborhood school after registering in Open Enrollment?

After accepting placement, the open enrollment school becomes your student’s neighborhood school for grades K-12. When the student reaches the next school segment (elementary to middle school, middle school to high school), they will be enrolled back into their neighborhood school based on their residence. 

In order to return to their original neighborhood school, you must apply for an intra-district permit through the Enrollment Center April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. Intra-district permits are requests and not a guarantee for placement.

My family is moving outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary, it voids all open enrollment and you must register your student with the new school district. 

I live within the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply through Open Enrollment?

Yes. Learn more at /oe-application-process

If my student is attending a ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ School on an inter-district permit (i.e., you live outside the district boundaries) can I apply through Open Enrollment?

No. Students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply for a permit April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. 

I live outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary. Can my student apply through Open Enrollment?

No. Students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply for a permit April 15, 2024 – May, 3 2024. 

I live outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary and one of my students already attends a ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ school. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

No.

I am a ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ employee and live outside of the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ boundary. Does my student have preference to attend the school I work at?

No. However, students who live within our district boundaries whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is at the selected school are given lottery priority. 

How does the lottery work?

Open Enrollment is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place students at their specialty program of choice. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

  1. Your student is selected for their first school of choice and receives a notification communication to register. 
  2. If your student applied to only one school of choice and was not selected, they will be placed on a waiting list.
  3. If your student applied for two schools of choice and was not selected for their first choice, the computer will look for their second choice. Note: Second choice selections are placed behind all first choice selections.
  • Your student is selected for their second school of choice and receives a notification communication to register.
  • Your student is not selected for their first or second specialty program choice. They will be placed on a waiting list for their first choice only.

What happens if my student doesn’t get accepted to the first or second school of choice?

Your student will only be placed on the waiting list for their first choice. Placement from the waiting list occurs only if space becomes available.

SchoolMint will send out an automatic notification if space becomes available.

Students who apply to a school and have not met the admissions requirements will not be included in the lottery. If the student hasn’t applied to another school of choice, the student must attend their neighborhood or current school.

If my student is accepted to their 2nd choice, will they be put on the 1st choice waiting list?

No. 

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

First priority

  • Siblings of students already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

  • Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

Third Priority – Current ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ TK Students Only

  • Students who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK will receive priority. 

Schools without Attendance Boundaries

First priority

  • Siblings of students already in attendance at the school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

  • Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.