Please note: Applications for Anderson High School IB Program, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Kealing Magnet Program, Lamar Fine Arts Academy (all strands),Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), Lively Middle School: Law, Humanities, and Global Studies Magnet,McCallum Fine Arts Academy (all majors), Small Green Tech Academy Program, Covington Middle School Fine Arts Academy are required to be submitted during Priority Registration.

Families can apply to these admission-based programs only during the Priority Enrollment period.

• Kealing and Lively Magnet Program
• Liberal Arts and Science High School(LASA)
• Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
• McCallum and Lamar Fine Arts Academies
• Small Green Tech Academy Program
• Anderson High School IB Program
• Covington Fine Arts

Please note: To be considered for an admission-based program, all required application materials—such as auditions, essays, teacher recommendations, interviews, etc.—must be completed by Feb. 4, 2025. These requirements will be listed in the “Next Steps” tab once families have submitted their application. Families should work with campuses directly to ensure their students are able to complete the process by school-specific deadlines.

What campus based programs can I apply to during the priority and general enrollment period?

Please view a list of programs here: Austin ISD Programs

What are the benefits of applying during priority enrollment?

As mentioned above, some programs only accept applications during Priority Enrollment. This is also the time to register for the 2025/2026 SY to your neighborhood school or submit an application to another school. Additionally, seats at many of our schools are limited. Families who register during the priority period are more likely to secure a seat at their desired campus, or admission-based program.

Does applying earlier in the Priority Enrollment period increase my chances of being accepted in my preferred school or program?

There is no preference given to an application submitted earlier than another application within Priority Registration.

Transfer Request Information

Per District policy FDB adopted June 2023, only hardship transfers will be accepted starting in the spring of 2024. Below is part of the policy that pertains to hardship transfers:

Students seeking to submit a request to a new school within the same school year may apply for a hardship request and, if approved, shall be permitted to move at the beginning of the subsequent semester unless otherwise agreed upon by the sending and receiving school. Families may apply for a hardship request under the following categories:

• Childcare: If a family has a change in circumstance that impacts their access to necessary childcare.
• Safety: Families with a documented safety issue at a school
• Change to Residential Address: If a family moves and their attendance zone has changed, the student may remain in their school through the end of the year or move to their new zoned school.
• Programmatic/Academic: If a family determines that the programmatic or academic setting of their child's current requested school is not a good fit.

Hardship transfer requests shall be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and may be approved or denied based on the information provided at the time of the request. Barring exigent circumstances, the transfer shall be approved for the upcoming semester. If the circumstances warrant an immediate transfer, the Office of Student Services will work with the family, the sending, and the receiving school to determine the date of transfer.

Below you will find the criteria on how the platform assigns placement for students at a campus. After this assignment process, students are then accepted if there is available space. Students are grouped by their priority structure number (see chart below) and then sorted within the group by a random system-assigned lottery number. 

Students currently enrolled on a campus will be able to continue attending their campus provided that any required criteria continue to be met.

How do students rank their school choices?

Students who are considering more than one school option may rank their preferences when they register. This can be any combination of school transfers or application-based programs. In early March, we will run an assignment process that seeks to assign each applicant to their highest ranked school or program based on eligibility and availability of seats. 

Why am I being asked to rank my school choices?

Our goal is for all families to get into the schools that best suit their children’s needs and interests. In order to do this efficiently and equitably, we need to know how families rank their school and program preferences. We match that information with certain criteria, such as school capacity, eligibility and other priority categories (sibling transfers, tracking transfers, etc.) to maximize the number of students we can accept into their top choice. This helps ensure we are providing equitable access to our academic programs and transfer schools. 

How many application-based programs or campuses may students apply to? 

Students may apply to a maximum of seven programs or campuses.

Do all schools have the same application requirements?

No. Application requirements may vary. The “Next Steps” section of the application provides details for programs that have specific admissions requirements, such as an audition or an essay. 

What if I change my mind about the way I ranked my school choices?

During priority registration, families may go back into the system and update their school rankings without affecting their chances of acceptance; however, after the February 6 deadline, your ranking order is final. During general registration, if you would like to submit another application for consideration you can submit another application. Please note that if you are currently on a waitlist, you will be unable to re-apply to that program as your application is already in consideration.

What if a student doesn’t get into any of the schools they ranked?

It is possible for a student to be waitlisted at all of their choices, in which case they are guaranteed a seat at their neighborhood school.

Can a student be accepted into more than one school? 

No. Students can only have a confirmed seat at one school at a time. If a student gets into their highest ranked choice, they will not be considered for placement at lower ranked programs. For example, if a student applies to six programs and they are offered a seat at their third highest ranked program, they will not be considered for programs they ranked four, five and six and will be placed on waitlist for higher ranked schools or programs to which they are eligible.

How does the waitlist process work?

During Priority and General Registration, if more students applied than there are seats available, a waitlist is created. Applicants who do not receive an assignment to the school/program will be placed on the waitlist. We then use a priority structure to determine the order in which applicants are placed on the waitlist for that school/program/grade level.

What are the priority categories for transfers and how does the system prioritize students who fall into those categories?

Transfers follow the general priority structure.

Can I accept the seat at the school I was accepted into while remaining on the waitlist for a school of greater preference?

Yes

Can I see changes to the waitlist on my online parent dashboard?

Yes. You can check your parent dashboard for updates by clicking on “Next Steps” in the student tile. We also advise parents to watch for emails regarding offers. Applications move upward as offered seats are declined.

Do I lose my spot on the waitlist if I rearrange/update my choice of schools?

If you are planning to submit a "new" application during the general round, you do not lose the seat that you were offered (if offered) from the priority round UNTIL you ACCEPT another seat offer. Applying and receiving offers do not cause the loss of a currently held seat; ACCEPTING another offer causes the loss of a held seat.

What if I am offered placement to the school I ranked first on my list, but I am interested in a school that I ranked lower which has a status of “Assigned to Higher Ranked Choice”? Can I get on the waitlist of a school I originally ranked lower?

Yes. You may reapply to a lower ranked school. However, your application will be considered on a first come first served basis. Please note that some schools/programs only accept applications during the priority registration.

I am on the waitlist for all the schools on my list. What should I do next?

If you have not exceeded 7 applications, you may consider applying to schools with space
available. To select additional programs, click on “Start” or “Edit” in the student tile to make your
selections, make sure to continue all the way through to submit the applications. You always will have a seat at your zoned school.

How do I know that my seat is confirmed after I accept an offer of a seat?

You will receive a confirmation email. You also can log into your parent portal dashboard. The student tile on the homepage will display the name of the campus.

Why was someone else with a higher waitlist number than me offered placement before me?

Each campus has multiple programs at various grade levels and each of those options are independent lotteries and waitlists. Each of these is a separate program with separate lotteries for each grade level. You may be on the General Education waitlist for grade 1 and the other applicant may have been on the Dual Language waitlist for grade 1. Because these are separate waitlists, they will only move when an offered seat has been declined for that specific waitlist.

I was offered placement to one of my ranked schools of choice. What should I do next?

• Accept the offered seat online prior to the expiration date. You will need to upload your current proof of residence, sign the entrance agreement, and click Accept. Offers not accepted prior to the expiration date are automatically declined and the opportunity is lost.
• If you choose to decline the seat, click Decline.
• If the seat is accepted, please contact the campus directly for further steps regarding enrollment.

Do waitlists close?

Yes. They close in September.

When will families receive registration confirmation for transfer requests and application-based programs?

Students applying for transfers or to application-based programs during priority registration will receive their results March 5, 2024. Families must complete annual forms for each child by March 26 to confirm their seat.

Students applying to transfer schools or to an application-based program during general registration will receive their results on a rolling basis. Once they receive an offer, families must accept their seat within 14 days. The offer will expire after 14 days

What is the 2024-25 Appeal Process?

In the enrollment system, families have the ability to submit an appeal/Hardship Appeal request if they are experiencing extenuating circumstances and need to transfer their Student to a different school. An appeal request can be submitted for any of their Student’s (based on certain criteria) for their Future Year applications. Please note, for admission based programs no appeal process is available, except for DL.

Families can log into their account and under their particular student, they can select the “Submit Appeal” button. Clicking Submit Appeal will take the family to the Appeal Request Page. Student Name and App School Year are Pre-Populated and cannot be edited by the Parent. As the Appeal Request moves through the review process, the Status field and Parent Explanation are updated to allow Parents to see the status of their request. Hardship transfer requests shall be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and may be approved or denied based on the information provided at the time of the request. (Local Policy: FBD)

Families can complete registration to their zoned campus or rank the campuses they would like to transfer to. Applications are processed in the order in which they are received, and seats are offered on a rolling basis. Students waitlisted during Priority Registration may be offered seats if applicants from the first round do not accept their seat. Pre-K applications submitted during the Priority Round may now be processed. If you registered during the Priority Round and received a seat assignment, you do NOT need to register again in the General Round unless you wish to apply to a different school.

How do families register online?

Families can visit the enrollment website to register. Current Austin ISD families will enter the same email they use to access the parent portal and will be directed to login to the Austin ISD Parent Portal. 

Families who have never accessed any Austin ISD systems will enter their preferred email. The system will recognize that the email does not yet exist in the system and will direct you to the "Create Account" page.

What should I do if I get a “Single Sign on Error”?

• Select the enrollment website blue link provided in the error message. This link will redirect you to the registration page.
• Next, enter your email address.
• If your email matches the one associated with your parent portal account, you'll be seamlessly connected to the portal.
• If you're a new family, you'll have the option to set up a new account.
• If they continue to have issues, ask them to clear their cache and try again.
• If this does not work contact an enrollment team member.

Do existing Austin ISD families have to re-enter their student’s information?

Current information will be pre-populated in the new enrollment system. Families will need to provide updated documentation for any information that has changed, such as home address.

What do I do if I do not see my student in my account?

Toward the bottom of the home page you will see:

You will need your student’s ID number to be able to add them to your profile.

Does applying earlier in the General Enrollment period increase my chances of being accepted in my preferred school or program?

Yes. Applications submitted during general registration will be processed in the order they are submitted. Students applying to transfer schools or to an application-based program during general registration will receive their results on a rolling basis

When will families receive registration confirmation if they choose their neighborhood school?

Families who register for their neighborhood school are automatically accepted; however, families must complete annual forms for each student to confirm their seat.

When do families complete their child’s annual forms?

If a student is registering for their neighborhood school or intends to enroll at a school they’ve already been attending, families can complete annual forms immediately after they submit their enrollment application. Families can fill out their child’s annual forms after their child’s seat is confirmed at a campus.

What annual forms will I need to complete to confirm my seat?

Annual forms include:

• Income verification
• Proof of residence
• Foster/military status
• Health information
• Migratory employment
• Additional Student Information
• Consent
• Student Residency
• Information Forms

What documents should I have ready to complete my annual forms?

All families returning to Austin ISD will need to submit the following documents:

• Child’s immunization records (each year as updated)
• Parent/Guardian photo ID (if updated)
• Proof of guardianship (if applicable/updated)
• Proof of residency (each year. This can only be a current, within 45 days, electric bill, gas bill, lease or mortgage statement, property should be homestead)

Additionally, families enrolling for the first time will need to provide the following documents:

• Child’s birth certificate (This can also be substituted with other documents that establish the child's identity, such as a statement of the child's date of birth issued for school admission purposes by Texas Vital Statistics, a passport, a school ID card, records or report card, a military ID, a hospital birth record, an adoption record, a church baptismal record, or any other legal document.)
• Child’s immunization records
• Child’s social security card (optional)
• Child’s withdrawal form/last report card (if applicable)
• Parent/Guardian photo ID
• Proof of guardianship (if applicable)
• Proof of residency (This can only be a current, within 45 days, electric bill, gas bill, lease or mortgage statement, property should be homestead)

What documents will I need to apply for tuition-free Pre-K?

Families who qualify for eligibility-based free Pre-K will be asked to provide the following documentation:

• Proof of Income: Most recent pay stub or unemployment statement, worker's compensation, disability payment, or no income statement
• SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid Benefits: Most recent proof of benefits to include effective dates, case number, and child's name
• Military Service: Statement of Service, Letter from Veterans Affairs stating eligibility for disability or Letter from Commanding Officer. Do NOT upload copies of Department of Defense identification
• Foster Care: DFPS Verification Letter of PreK Eligibility or other documentation of foster care.
• Star of Texas Award: Certificate or Letter from Governor or state representative

Please note:  The Texas Education Agency does not allow school districts to begin processing Pre-K documentation until April 1. Families who register prior to April 1 will need to wait till April 1 to submit their documentation. Download Print Version

How do I fill out Annual Forms?

Log into your enrollment dashboard and navigate to the Annual Forms tab. Click on the start button for each form to complete.  At the bottom of each form there will be a finish button for final submission.  Once all forms are finished and in the status of "Complete-Ready to Submit" click the "Submit all Forms" button for your student's annual forms.

How do families submit the required documents needed to finalize their child’s annual forms?

The fastest way to submit annual forms is to upload documents directly into the enrollment system. Families can also hand-deliver the documents to their child’s campus.

How do I accept my seat in the enrollment system?

Families must complete annual forms to confirm your seat 14 days after receiving an offer.

Families may see several status options in their email or Next Steps page in the enrollment system:

• Accepted Via Lottery–Status will appear if the student was assigned that seat via Lottery
• Assigned Higher Rank–Status will appear on declined or lower ranked schools
• Removed–Parents or guardians have removed themselves from the waitlist.
• Waitlisted–There are no available seats but if seats become available, student can still accept the open seat

In February 2025, Austin ISD launched an Early Bird Tuition-Based Pre-K4 enrollment period for families that do not qualify for free Pre-K4. This initiative will provide families the opportunity to enter a randomized selection process for a limited number of Pre-K4 seats in order to better plan for their child care needs.

Please note that families who qualify for free Pre-K are guaranteed a seat for their child. These spots have been reserved and will open for applications on April 1, 2025. Learn about the qualifications for free Pre-K >

Austin ISD families interested in an Early Bird Tuition-Based Pre-K4 seat can apply to up to three (3) Pre-K4 campuses from February 5 – March 7, 2025. Seats will be allocated based on a random lottery system, and there will be no waitlist or priority selection. Families will be notified of the lottery outcomes on March 14, 2025.

2025–26 Early Bird Pre-K4 Guidelines

• Students must be four years of age on or before September 1, 2025 to apply
• Students must live within Austin ISD boundaries (i.e. no out-of-district transfers)
• Pre-K4 Dual Language programs and Winn Montessori are excluded from Early Bird Pre-K4
• Programs follow the Austin ISD School Year calendar
• Full-day curriculum runs from 7:45 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Monthly tuition for full-day Pre-K4 is proposed to be $700 for the 2025-26 school year
• Families cannot appeal the Early Bird Pre-K4 enrollment round

Early Bird applications have closed for the 2025-2026 school year, and families are invited to apply for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4 when General Enrollment opens on April 1, 2025.