N1cky

We have signed for our rental house this morning, my first job tomorrow is to enrol the little one in school, this will be her first public school so yet again I need some help.

1) There are a few good schools in the neighborhood, however I do have a favorite. Can I request that she goes to this school or is a school assigned to us?

2) Do I call the school directly or do I call the school area board?

Thanks

JAJ

Answer will depend on state, county etc.

Michael

The following is a map of the different schools in your area. Click on the symbol to get the school district and at the site should be an area map (or you may have to enter your street address) which will tell you which school your child is assigned and your child must generally attend that school unless it is full.

http://schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/...73119%2C11%2C1

If you are in a very good school district (eg. Palo Alto), generally registration for your school starts in March of each year. If your assigned school is highly regarded in your area, it is usually on a first come basis for people living in that area map. If it is full, you will be assigned another school in that district.

bromleygirl

It will depend on the school district you are in. Normally, the school district designates by street address what school children will attend - usually it will the closest school to your house.

I know that our school district's website has an area on it whereby you input your address and it will tell you which elementary, middle and high school your child will attend.

Sally Redux

Are you sure about that? Some people just turn up on the first day of school here for registration. Hence the chaotic first few weeks while numbers are sorted out.

I would contact both the school district office and the school itself.

bromleygirl

I've never heard of anyone just turning up on the first day of school for registration. In fact schools here usually have an orientation evening before the first day of school where parents can see which class their child has been assigned to, visit their teachers and find out about the year ahead - very organised!

Really before you even look for a house, you need to establish what school you would like your child to attend and find out what the process is in order for your child to attend that school. I told my realtor to only look at houses in the area designated for the school I wanted my children to attend. Once I had closed I contacted the school and registered directly with them as they were still open but if you register when the school is shut then you would need to go to the school district administration building.

N1cky

That's because you don't live in LA and don't think the world only revolves around you. It is quite common here, lots of people complain about it at work too.

Yes we have done all that, we would never have signed for a house without checking out the schools. We know there are good schools we just have a preference.

Michael

A lot will depend on whether the school district is very good, there are enough teachers and classrooms in your area map to handle all children in that area map, and whether there are ranking differences between the schools in the school district.

When I lived in Fremont, my local schools were in the Mission San Jose area which are ranked as some of the top schools in California. However the rest of the Fremont Unified School District is ranked lower. When I put my home on the market in February, people were offering more than the listed price to get a home before school registration started. We did an early closing so that the purchasers could register their children in the local schools but they didn't even move in until the following August (place was empty for nearly 6 months).

Also when you have very good area schools, people from outside that area school (or possibly even in another school district) try all kinds of tricks to get their children enrolled in that area or district. In the Mission San Jose area they are very strict about making sure that parents lived in that area. Besides the title or closing documents to the home (or a lease) in the parents name, they have to show statements for gas and electric as well as garbage pickup to get registered.

Even the Cupertino School District has early enrollment even though all schools in that district are ranked very high. In that district, an area school may be full but it is not that big of a deal if your child doesn't get in because a school slightly further away will likely be ranked the same. But it has a major problem with parents in surrounding school districts trying to get their children enrolled in the Cupertino School District.

N1cky

The schools in the district are extremely good, we are on the border of Los Altos and Mountain View school districts. The school we prefer is 0.9 miles from the house, we can easily prove that we will be living there, rental agreements and within a week utility sign up proof.

Obviously we have missed registration, but there must be some kind of consideration for kids moving in out of the area.

The other local schools are also good, the closest is 0.1 miles away and gets great results, we just prefer the one 0.9 miles away.

Sally Redux

We do live in a sought-after school district and people are moving into the schools all the time. If you are living in the district, I don't think you will have too much trouble.

Bob

You got all the boring stuff sorted like recent vaccination history? Don't know about up your way, but down my way, doesn't matter if you have a history, they want to see a recently printed history from your doctors, within 3 weeks or so, which is a hassle.

N1cky

I have all her vaccination paperwork, but not a printed history version from the doctor. Her school here didn't seem too bothered when I just took the little yellow form thingy in. Hopefully that will be enough.

Michael

On early registration, the school district usually won't allow that since an area school could fill quickly not allowing children in that area to attend their area school.

There may be a better chance now if the school is not full but they may still resist since allowing late enrollments outside your area school may possibly cause the school to become full not allowing other late enrolments in that area to register for their area school. You'll only know if you give it a try.

N1cky

Ok, so based on all this I am now a nervous wreck.

I have typed an email to the principal of the school I would like her to attend, which I will email tonight.

I will call the school district tomorrow morning and see what they say.

Michael

Report back when you find out. It would be interesting to hear if you were successful.