How to enroll your child in a new school
How to Enroll a Child in a New School
For a lot of parents enrolling their child in school might feel a bit overwhelming. It is important that anyone who wishes to enroll their kid in school plans ahead to ensure they have all the necessary vital records in order. Depending on the school, it is possible that some of documents required to enroll your child may vary. Things that might influence this are whether the school is public of private.
The requirements will likely be different if you are enrolling your kid for the first time or if you are transferring them from another school. With that said, there are also certain specific documents that all parents are expected to present, regardless of the state where you live in.
As a parent, to successfully enroll your children in a public school in the respective district area you will need to present quite a few documents. Even before you begin the process, you may first be asked to complete an enrollment application to determine the district school where your child will need to go to.
One of the main documents you will have to get your child’s birth certificate as you will need to proof the age and identity of your child. Additionally you will need proof of residency, immunization records, and other medical records. Furthermore, some schools might ask for a portfolio that showcases your child’s skills. Charter schools will certainly ask for the portfolio.
What documents do you need to enroll your child in school?
In order to enroll your kid in a private school, you will need the same documents that are required at at public school. However, private schools will require teacher recommendations, an application, a formal placement assessment, and on occasion an interview with the parents and child.
The following are the most essential documents needed to enroll your kid at school:
- A general application form
- A certified copy of your child’s birth certificate
- Emergency contact details of the parents or guardians
- Proof of residency
- Proof of guardianship and or custody
- Record of immunizations
In case that you are not enrolling your kid for the first time, but you are transferring them to another school, you will need the above listed document as well as these:
- Teacher recommendations
- Former school records (grades)
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) records
Before going there, it is a good idea to contact the school in advance to inquiry if they require additional documents.
If you don’t have your child’s birth certificate, you can easily obtain it by completing an online application and it will be sent to you by mail. Nonetheless, even though you can get your birth certificate online, bear in mind it can take up to 10 business days or more before you get it.
Vital records offices offer rush service, to speed up the process and could deliver your child’s certified copy between 2 to 3 business days.
How do I know which school district should I enroll my child in?
If your child is going to attend to a public school, they are assigned to a specific school district based on where the child lives. If you don’t know which school district you should enroll your kid in, you can call your city’s Student Assignment Office. As a parent it is essential that you know that by law, your child is required to go to the school designated by their district.
You will need to visit the central registration office for your school district.
This office addresses everything that is related to student enrollment. Here you will obtain information and it is where all documents are handled for the enrollment of your child. In the case that you are transferring your kid, this is where you will need to present all the documents.
When enrolling your kid or kids for school, you’ll have to complete a student registration form. You will need to provide some basic details including their full name, date of birth, and current address.
If it is a school transfer, provide the name of previous schools they’ve attended. Whenever completing a registration form, be sure to check that all details as accurate. Please also keep in mind that students who will be attending a new high school may also have to go through a medical exam.
Related:How to request a school transfer for a child
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Enroll in 3-K
In New York City, you can apply to 3-K in the calendar year that your child turns three.
- If you have a child born in 2019 and don't yet have a 3-K offer, create a MySchools account to add yourself to program's waitlists now. If a program can make you a waitlist offer, they will contact you directly. Waitlists expire in October.
- Watch this video to learn how to set up your MySchools account.
- Watch this video to learn how to add your child to waitlists.
- Some 3-K seats (Extended Day and Year seats, Head Start seats) offer care and education for up to 10 hours a day, all year round to eligible children. Eligibility for these options is based on family income and needs––learn more on the 3-K page.
- Need help? Email [email protected].
Learn more about 3-K.
Enroll in Pre-K
In New York City, your child can start attending pre-K in the calendar year they turn 4.
- If you have a child born in 2018 and don't yet have a pre-K placement, you can add your child to programs' waitlists by creating a MySchools account.
- Watch this video to learn how to set up your MySchools account.
- Watch this video to learn how to add your child to waitlists.
- If a program can make you a waitlist offer, they will contact you directly. Waitlists expire in October.
- Some pre-K seats (Extended Day and Year seats, Head Start seats) offer care and education for up to 10 hours a day, all year round to eligible children.
Eligibility for these options is based on family income and needs––learn more on the Pre-K page. - Need help? Visit a Family Welcome Center or email [email protected].
Learn more about pre-K.
Enroll in Elementary or Middle School
- Children can start kindergarten in the calendar year they turn five. Elementary school spans kindergarten through grade 5.
- Children who have completed fifth grade can enroll in middle school, and most NYC middle schools serve children in grades 6–8.
Most students in kindergarten through grade 8 attend their zoned school if they have one.
- To find out if your New York City home address has a zoned school, call 311 or visit schoolsearch.schools.nyc and type in your home address.
- When schools are in session: If you have a zoned school, contact that school directly to register.
- If you don't have a zoned school, email or need help, email us at ESEnrollment@schools.
nyc.gov or [email protected]. - Learn about your zoned school and/or other schools in your district online with MySchools:
- Find elementary schools
- Find middle schools
For Children Entering Kindergarten in Fall 2022
- Missed the application period and need a school for the fall? You can still participate in admissions by adding your child to schools' waitlists. To do so, create a MySchools account.
- Watch these videos to learn how to set up your MySchools account:
- For kindergarten applicants
- Watch these videos to learn how to add your child to waitlists:
- For kindergarten applicants
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- Kindergarten waitlists expire in October.
Enroll in High School
If your child has finished eighth grade, they can start high school. Families with new students who aren't yet enrolled in high school should email a Family Welcome Center to learn how to find a program and register.
- Use MySchools to explore high schools and make a list of programs that interest your child.
- Then email your local Family Welcome Center and share your list with them.
For Children Entering Grade 9 or 10 in Fall 2022
- Missed the application period and need a school for the fall? You can still participate in admissions by adding your child to schools' waitlists!
- To do so, create or log in to your MySchools account.
- In the MySchools directory, use filters and the search bar to find schools by interest area, location, accessibility, course offerings, and more. You can use the "Available 9th Grade Seats" or "Available 10th Grade Seats" filter to find programs that may have available seats.
- When you're logged in, you can click "Join waitlist" next to a program's name to join it.
- Watch this video to learn how to set up or access your account. Need help with your MySchools account? Visit or contact a Family Welcome Center.
- Watch this video to learn how to add your child to waitlists.
- If a school can make you a waitlist offer, they will contact you directly.
- High school waitlists expire on September 16.
Learn more about high school.
Transfers, Non-Resident Enrollment, and Charter Schools
- Find out how to request a transfer from one NYC public school to another.
- If you live outside the five boroughs of NYC but would like to enroll your child in a NYC public school next year, learn about non-resident enrollment.
- If you're interested in charter schools, learn how to enroll and contact schools directly.
Enrollment for Students in Temporary Housing
Students in temporary housing, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, are not required to submit documentation (including address, proof of date of birth, and immunization records) in order to participate in any admission process or enroll in school.
Read the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in the Documents section to learn more.
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How to transfer a child to another school: clear and detailed instructions
When to transfer a child to another school
By law, parents have the right to transfer their child to another school at any time. But, according to Elena Zaporozhets, it is best to wait until the end of the trimester, quarter or academic year.
“So it will be easier for the child to adapt to the new team,” the head teacher explained.
How to apply for a transfer to another school
The transfer procedure is the same for all regions. The application can be submitted in person or through the State Services portal. The transfer procedure is regulated by the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated 03/12/2014 No. 177 .
If the parent chooses the first option, then you should act according to the scheme:
- Choose a new educational organization and inquire about availability.
If there are no free places, parents have the right to contact the local Depobr and ask him for information about vacancies in municipal schools.
- As soon as the parents are convinced that the child is ready to be accepted into the new team, the old school must write a statement about the expulsion of the student in connection with the transfer. The application must indicate the last name, first name, patronymic of the child, date of birth, class, number of the host school. If the family moves to another region, it is enough to indicate its name.
- After receiving an application from the parents (legal representatives of the student), the school within three days will issue an administrative act on the expulsion of the student on the procedure for transferring to another educational organization.
At the old school, you need to pick up the child's personal file, an extract from the class journal with current grades (certificate of progress) and the results of an intermediate assessment.
The new school is not entitled to require other documents.
A parent applying to transfer to a new school will also be asked for an identity document and all papers from the old school.
Elena Zaporozhets noted that “the transfer procedure in elementary and secondary schools is no different. Students who have completed the ninth grade, when transferring to a new educational organization, must also provide a certificate of basic general education.
How to transfer a child to another school through the State Services portal
You can enroll a child in a school not only in person, but also via the Internet. Previously, the family can get acquainted with the educational institution on its official website.
“Please note that each school has a website where the “vacancies” tab indicates whether there are vacant places in the parallel that parents need,” Zaporozhets said. In the event that there was not enough information about the educational organization from the Internet, you can always call the administration, as well as make an appointment with the director or other specialist from the school management during office hours, and ask questions of interest.
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To transfer a child from one school to another without unnecessary bureaucratic delays, an application must be submitted electronically. On the State Services portal, you need to select the "Education" tab, then open the "Enrollment in an educational institution" section. There will be two options: "enrollment in the first class" and "enrollment in all classes." You should choose the second one. The site will redirect to a page that will offer to receive the service on mos.ru (if the family lives in the capital).
After that, the system will redirect to the portal of the State Services of Moscow.
In the "Education" tab, click the "Get a service to transfer a child to an educational organization" button. The application template will open.
If you frequently use the portal and your documents are attached to the system, then some of the data will be filled in. If not, you will have to enter the data manually. In the application, parents indicate the school to which they would like to transfer the child.
The head teacher noted that there is no opportunity to choose a specific teacher.
“After you have sent the application, you will be invited to the school for an acquaintance within three working days to the e-mail indicated in the contacts. At the reception, you must provide the original documents specified in the application: birth certificate, registration of the child and passport of the parent (legal representative),” Zaporozhets explained.
At the meeting, the family can ask additional questions to the administration, and if everything suits, the process of formalizing the transfer of the child from one school to another begins. A corresponding note appears in the student's electronic personal file.
The old school sees that the child is invited to a new educational institution and it is ready to accept him.
“In your educational organization, you are writing an application for expulsion in connection with a transfer to a certain school,” the head teacher added.
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“This possibility exists if there are vacancies in the educational organization,” Zaporozhets said, recalling that this information should be clarified with the host in advance.
Theoretically, parents can first expel a child from the old school and only then look for a replacement. “But the best thing is that the child does not have downtime, take care of it in advance. Although the curricula do not have fundamental differences and the new school will help the student to navigate if he does not know something, it is still better not to disrupt the educational process for the child, ”summed up the head teacher.
Is it possible to transfer to another school without parental consent?
If parents want to actively include their child in the process of choosing a school, then they can go together for an interview with the director and ask questions.
“As a rule, in schools, children enter vacant places, they are officially enrolled, and then they are introduced to the class teacher, who introduces the children to the team,” the head teacher said, noting that schools, at their discretion, can provide an opportunity to communicate with a potential class teacher head even before enrollment.
Zaporozhets recommended that parents at the first meeting with the teacher share important observations about the child, the features of his development (for example, it would be important to say what the student is ashamed of, what he is proud of, etc.) and progress in mastering the educational program.
The head teacher noted that parents play an important role in the child's adaptation to a new school.
It is they who know their children best and can choose the best time to change educational institutions, as well as reduce the level of anxiety of their student before getting to know a new team.
How to properly transfer the child to another school: Procedure and documents for transfer to another school
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Parents
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Reasons for transferring to another school
Motives for changing an educational organization or even a form of education are varied. But most often parents think about it because of:
- low level of teaching,
- lack of individual approach,
- insufficient preparation for exams,
- desire to concentrate on specialized subjects,
- moving to another country and other family circumstances,
- conflicts with teachers or classmates.
How to transfer to another school
According to Article 61 of the Law "On Education in the Russian Federation", you can change schools at any time at the request of the parents or the child, regardless of the reasons. To do this, you must drop out of the old and apply to the new school.
In the application for expulsion, in the order of transfer, you must indicate the last name, first name, patronymic and date of birth of the child, class and profile of education (if any), as well as the name of the school where the student plans to transfer. If the reason for the transfer is a move, then the name of the locality is sufficient.
Within three days, the school must issue an act of dismissal of the student. Parents will be provided with a personal file, a medical card and documents on the current academic performance of the student. It is important to ensure that the documents are stamped by the school and signed by an authorized person.
Also, at a new place, a certificate of training in a specific educational organization may come in handy. It can be requested upon checkout.
You can apply for enrollment in a new school online at mos.ru or at the Gosuslug website. To transfer to another school, you will need a package of documents:
- personal file of the child;
- medical record;
- documents confirming academic performance;
- transfer application
The new educational organization must review the application and make a decision on admission within three days.
If the parents change their mind and decide to return the child to the previous school, then it is possible to reinstate within five years, subject to availability, but not before the end of the school year or semester in which the child dropped out.
Transfer to online school
Public school places are limited.
And private educational institutions are not always located within walking distance. Thanks to online schools, you can get high-quality knowledge from anywhere in the world.
In order to transfer to an online school, you need to change the full-time form of education to family or part-time and attach to an educational organization for passing certification.
The transition to family education is carried out in four stages:
- notification of educational authorities;
- expulsion from the school contingent;
- signing an agreement with an online school;
- attachment to an educational organization for certification as an external student.
Transition to distance learning is carried out by agreement with the school administration. Parents write an application addressed to the director, and if local acts of the organization do not prohibit correspondence, an order is issued to change the form of education.
After that, you can sign an agreement with an online school and study at home.
The training itself takes place on the platform of the online school. For example, in an online school, learning consists of webinars with a teacher, interactive homework, tests to control knowledge, and extracurricular activities.
Transfer to evening school
As a rule, those who want to continue schooling at an older age, have the opportunity to combine learning with work, and later enter a university are transferred to evening school.
Obtaining education in an evening school is not an independent form of education, but only one of the formats for organizing the educational process. Legally, such students are in full-time, part-time or part-time education.
You can transfer to night school if you already have a certificate of basic general education or if you are over 15 years old. The algorithm for transferring to an evening school is the same as to a regular school.
