School Choice & Open Enrollment Program

Home / School Choice & Open Enrollment Program

Resident families looking to choice between Northampton Public Elementary Schools

Please visit the Resident Open Enrollment Program Page

 

School Choice Applications for 2024-2025 available March 1, 2024

Important Information for the 2024-2025 School Choice Timeline

  • The grades that will have seats next year has not been determined. Therefore we will accept applications in all grades (K-12). Accepting applications does not mean we will have seats in that grade
  • If you apply for a grade that we end up not opening seats in, you will be notified.
  • Applications accepted March 1 – April 19, 2024
  • On or before May 1 – this page will have the available seats for next year
  • The lottery to fill seats will take place the week of May 1
  • Applicants will be mailed a letter with the lottery results
  • For Elementary School; you will be offered a seat at a school with availability; not all schools or grades will have seats open
  • See below for frequently asked questions (FAQ)

 

How to Use this Form:

Click on the Blue Button (file will open in a new window)

DOWNLOAD then fill out (Do not open in browser window)

Once filled in, “Save As” and rename the file. Next EMAIL it to Registrar@northampton-k12.us

 

Frequently Asked Questions about our School Choice Program

If you have a question that is NOT addressed here, please email the Program Coordinator: jtowler@northampton-k12.us

Q: When can I apply for a school choice seat? A: Applications are accepted from late winter (March) through the April deadline (3rd Friday). Applications can be accepted to fill available seats through October 1 ONLY. Applications are NOT accepted from Oct 1-March. Seats are not filled during the school year after the Oct 1 deadline.

Q: Will there be seats in every grade? A: No, seats are limited to the grades where we have space. The number of seats made available in a specific grade vary greatly from year to year based on the enrollment. The number of applicants also varies greatly. There is no way to predict future school choice availability.

Q: There are no available seats in the grade I am interested in, can I apply for the year after next? A: No, we only accept applications for this coming fall.

Q: When will you announce the available seats? A: The available seats will be shown at the to of this website from March-

Q: How will I be notified if my child got a seat or not? A: ALL Applicants are notified by USPS mail indicating if a seat is being offered or if wait listed. In either case, you must respond to confirm 1) you’re are accepting a seat if one is being offered or 2) confirm you want to keep your student on the wait list for that grade.  If we do not hear from you by the deadline, the seat or wait list # will be forfeited. Thank you for complying with these important deadlines as it is necessary to fill all the seats and get students enrolled and processed as soon as possible.

Q: Can we pay (or pay extra) to get bus transportation? Can our child be dropped off at a Northampton bus stop and/or can our child ride with a friend or relative on the bus? A: No, unfortunately busing is only available to resident students. There are no exceptions to this rule. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the parents/Guardians to provide daily transportation and to ensure students arrive at school on time and are promptly pick-up after school.

Q: When is the Deadline to apply? A: The deadline is close of business on the 3rd Friday in April. Applications must be received before the deadline in order to be considered in the lottery. Applications are held until the lottery and are not prioritized by the date received (NOT first come, first served).

Q: Do you accept applications after the deadline? Q: Yes, we will accept late applications, and seats can be filled if there were seats opened in that grade that were not filled in the lottery.

Q: What is the sibling preference rule and how does that work? A: Applications from siblings of students enrolled and attending in Northampton Public Schools  will receive priority placement.  This includes applicants with a sibling who will graduate at the end of the school year in which the admissions process occurs. Such students will be accepted first, IF space is available in the grade they are seeking.  If there are more applicants than the number of seats, a random drawing will be conducted among them to determine placement. Once siblings have been placed, the remaining vacancies will be filled by a random drawing. Please contact the Program Coordinator if you have questions about step or foster siblings.

Q: How do you fill seats for students without the sibling preference? A: Should the number of applications exceed the number of vacancies, all applicants not accepted will be randomly selected and placed, in the order of their selection, on a waiting list.

Q: I work for the school system, does that give my child a special status? A: Applicants of school or city employees and former students do not receive a preference in the lottery.

Q: What happens after the lottery? A: Parents will receive a Notice of Acceptance letter and Confirmation Form indicating their child’s status (seat awarded or waitlist status) via mail. Confirmation Forms must be returned by the deadline indicated in the letter

Q: What happens after I get notified? A: The parent has to secure the seat by sending in the confirmation form and completing the student registration process. The School Choice Acceptance process is not the same as registration.  Registration involves completing a packet of forms and providing the required documents (transcripts, birth certificate, health records, etc).  Any false statements or omissions may disqualify the applicant from consideration for enrollment and may be considered justification for immediate dismissal if discovered at a later date. Once fully registered students will be processed in the same manner as any other new or transferring student (spring/summer meetings with guidance, orientations etc).

Q: Can we wait to decide until after we visit the school or review the course selections?  A: Unfortunately, we are not able to allow students to shadow, and guidance at JFK & NHS are only able to meet with families after a student is fully registered to establish a schedule of courses. As a public school, the selection of courses varies and we cannot promise specific classes will be available. Perspective high school students can review the course catalog on the high school guidance page.

Q: Do I need to get permission from my own school district for my child to attend in Northampton? A: Your home district does not have to approve your child’s application for admission to NPS (though you will need to consult your prior school for their withdrawal procedures).

Q: Do I need to apply every year once my child gets a lottery seat? A: No, if your child is accepted into the program, the student is entitled to attend NPS through high school graduation, if continuously enrolled, when the choice seat was awarded though the lottery process.