What is the difference between an Intra-District and
Inter-District Permit?
Intra-District Permits are for families who currently
live within the SCUSD boundaries to request a transfer to a
school that is not their neighborhood school (school of
residence). Visit our SchoolFinder
tool 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 SchoolMint account 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 SCUSD, you must
also submit the Mid-Year Annual
Update through your
Infinite Campus Parent Portal 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
create an account. 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 SchoolFinder
tool.
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)?
SCUSD 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 this webform 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.
- Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested
school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by
Friday, May 10, 2024.
- 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.
- 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.
- Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested
school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by
Friday, May 10, 2024.
- 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.
- 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:
- A parent/guardian, who resides outside the SCUSD
boundaries is required to provide on letterhead a statement from
the employer verifying employment and the work address within the
SCUSD boundaries.
- 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.
- Once this is complete and the student is attending for a full
academic year, the student can then apply for any programs
through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP), Open Enrollment
(OE) or an Intra-District permit.
- 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.
- 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 SCUSD boundary. What will
happen to my student’s acceptance?
If you move outside of the SCUSD 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 SCUSD boundary, but my student attends a
private school. Can my student apply through an Intra-District
Permit?
Yes.
I live outside of the SCUSD boundary and one of my students
already attends a SCUSD school. Do my other students have sibling
preference?
Yes, the student(s) applying will receive sibling priority for
inter-district permits.
I am a SCUSD employee and live outside of the SCUSD 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.
SCUSD 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:
- Your student is selected for their school or specialty
program and receives a notification communication to accept the
placement through SchoolMint.
- 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 SCUSD 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 SCUSD 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.
