Enrollment Priorities

2026-27 Transition priorities

• Each campus has an individualized set of transition priorities that have been provided to guide decision making throughout this transitional period, which is in addition to the regular flow of enrollment activities. Please click here for more information about the transition priorities. [link to transition section]

General enrollment priority structure for K-12

• All students zoned/assigned by address to the campus have a guaranteed seat. 
• Transfer is guaranteed by law (per Educ. Code Section 25) for the following groups: children of military service members and peace officers who have appropriate documentation. 
• Transfer is guaranteed by AISD policy for the following groups: children of full-time regular Austin ISD employees and siblings of transfer students who will be attending the same school. 
• After these students have been assigned to the campus, the remaining enrollment capacity is available for general transfer, in this order: 
  • Transfer students who have completed 5th or 8th grade at a school who apply to transfer to the middle school or high school in the feeder pattern they are currently attending. 
  • All other in-district transfer applicants. 
  • Out-of-District applicants with at least two years of unbroken enrollment in Austin ISD. 
  • All other Out-of-District applicants. 
• If a school reaches capacity, transfer applicants who did not receive an offer will be placed on a waitlist. The waitlist order will depend on the priority group a student is assigned and a lottery within that priority group. 

Dual language program enrollment priority structure for K-12

• All Emergent Bilingual students registering at their zoned campus have a guaranteed seat in the Dual Language program. 
  • Emergent Bilingual students who are zoned to a campus that does not offer an appropriate dual language program will be offered a placement to a dual language program close to their home. These placements are made by the Multilingual Education Team. If you are enrolling in Austin ISD for the first time, your zoned campus can complete the LPAC process for identification as an Emergent Bilingual student and help coordinate with the Multilingual Education Team.
• Non-Emergent Bilingual students are eligible to join a Dual Language program in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and up to the beginning of their 1st grade year. 
• All campuses with Dual Language programs welcome Non-Emergent Bilingual students to apply to join the DL program, dependent on program capacity. 
• Non-Emergent Bilingual zoned students who apply to join the DL program at their zoned campus are guaranteed a seat at the campus, but acceptance into the DL program is dependent on the program capacity. 
• Children of qualifying Austin ISD staff and siblings of transfer students currently attending the campus are guaranteed a transfer to the campus, but acceptance into the DL program is dependent on the program capacity. 
• The remaining Dual Language program capacity will be available for program transfer applications, in this priority order: 
  • Students in 5th and 8th grade who have completed an elementary or middle school dual language program. 
  • All other in-district program transfer applicants. 
  • Out-of-district program transfer applicants with at least two years of unbroken enrollment in Austin ISD.
  • All other out-of-district program transfer applicants.
• If a Dual Language program reaches capacity, program transfer applicants who did not receive an offer will be placed on a waitlist. The waitlist order will depend on the priority group a student is assigned and a lottery within that priority group. 

Admissions-based Program (K-12) 

• Each admissions-based program has a website that describes the required components of an application and the process by which the program evaluates applicants. 
• Each program uses their required application components and process to mark applicants as eligible or ineligible. 

Pre-K3

• Austin ISD has various Pre-K3 programs across the district. Please visit the Pre-K website for location and description of each program. 
• An application and supporting documentation is required for Pre-K3. 
• There are no guaranteed seats in Pre-K3, but zoned eligible students have priority. 

Pre-K4

• Austin ISD has Pre-K4 programs at most elementary schools. Please visit the Pre-K website for locations and more information. 
• An application and supporting documentation is required for Pre-K4. 
• Pre-K4 seats are offered using these priorities. 
  • The only group with guaranteed enrollment are students zoned to the campus and eligible for free Pre-K. 
  • All Children of AISD FTE Staff (regardless of eligibility). 
  • Students zoned to the campus and not eligible for free Pre-K (tuition paying).
  • Sibling of transfer students attending the school who are eligible for free Pre-K.
  • Students who are eligible for free Pre-K but not zoned to the campus.
  • Sibling of transfer students attending the school who are not eligible for free Pre-K (tuition paying.)
  • All other non-zoned in-district applicants who are not eligible for free Pre-K (tuition paying).
  • Out-of-district applicants eligible for free Pre-K.
  • Out-of-district applicants not eligible for free Pre-K (tuition paying).