BOARD POLICY: REVISED 1/2017
CIF SPORTS & SCHOOL OF CHOICE
Please be advised that school choice and possible placement does not determine CIF eligibility. Parents with questions should make sure they contact CIF or their school’s athletic director for clarification regarding changing schools and the impact of transfer to their student’s athletic eligibility under CIF rules.
By Laws and standards of eligibility/transfer and can be found here in the CIF Blue Book
SCHOOL OF CHOICE HISTORY
Capistrano Unified School District's School of Choice program offers parents the opportunity to apply to the school that they would like their child to attend.
Since the program began more than 20 years ago, more than 90 percent of our parents annually choose to have their child remain at their home school, which is the local school serving their child’s attendance area. For a variety of personal or educational reasons, however, some parents prefer to have their child attend another school within the District. Our program provides parents with this option on a space-available basis. Detailed information describing each school and its academic offerings is available on their websites.
Parents of high-school student athletes are urged to learn more about CIF sports eligibility requirements prior to pursuing the School Of Choice process so that there will be no misunderstanding regarding sports participation rules. Transportation to any school other than the home school is the responsibility of parents.
School of Choice
THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE APPLICATION WINDOW FOR THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR HAS CLOSED
THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE APPLICATION WINDOW FOR THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR HAS CLOSED ![]()
THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE APPLICATION WINDOW FOR THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR HAS CLOSED
SCHOOL OF CHOICE INFORMATION
Capistrano Unified School District's School of Choice (SOC) program offers parents within the CUSD boundaries the opportunity to apply for another CUSD school that they would like their child to attend.
Window to Apply
The SOC window to apply for the 2024/2025 school year opened on January 29, 2024, and closed on March 1, 2024. It will reopen again for the 2025/2026 school year around February 1st, 2025.
Who Can Apply
You must live within CUSD boundaries. If you do not live within the CUSD boundaries please click here to find more information about Inter-District transfers.
How to Apply for School of Choice
An active student ID is required.
Priority Codes for School of Choice Placement
EMP - One of the parents/guardians is a CUSD employee AND this is your work site.
SIB - There is a sibling already attending the school applying for and will remain there for next school year (K-11). (You will need to provide the sibling's name, student ID, and grade).
CONT – Continuously enrolled at the current site in grades K-12. This code does not apply when a student is matriculating to the next level (elementary to middle or middle to high school). This code also does not apply to students currently enrolled in preschool or TK.
CFD - You pay Mello-Roos, Community Facilities District (CFD), which goes towards CUSD. Click here for a list of addresses that pay CFD to CUSD.
LOT - Lottery, none of the codes above apply.
SIB - There is a sibling already attending the school applying for and will remain there for next school year (K-11). (You will need to provide the sibling's name, student ID, and grade).
CONT – Continuously enrolled at the current site in grades K-12. This code does not apply when a student is matriculating to the next level (elementary to middle or middle to high school). This code also does not apply to students currently enrolled in preschool or TK.
CFD - You pay Mello-Roos, Community Facilities District (CFD), which goes towards CUSD. Click here for a list of addresses that pay CFD to CUSD.
LOT - Lottery, none of the codes above apply.
LI - Currently enrolled in the Language Immersion Program and are matriculating from 5th to 6th grade or 8th to 9th only. Any questions, please contact the Language Immersion department.
District students residing in any Board approved school attendance area shall first be provided the option of attending their school of residence. After all school of residence students have been placed, the requests for School of Choice (made during the open window) placements will be honored according to the following priority criteria, not on a first come first serve basis, until all openings at a given school are filled or all requests have been met, whichever occurs first. If the number of remaining available spaces at that school does not accommodate all students within a single Priority Criteria, then the District shall conduct a lottery among the students within that Priority Criteria and grant applications in order of the names drawn within that category. SOC is not approved on a first come first served basis. All applications are reviewed after the window closes.
How You Are Notified
Approval and denial notification emails will be sent to all parent/guardian emails associated with the student (not including emergency contacts, physician, or out-of-state contacts) by April 12, 2024.
The status will not be provided before notifications are emailed.
School Availability List
List of open, open-limited, and closed schools for School of Choice for the 2024-2025 school year. Openings are estimated based on the initial number of seats available for the fall based on projected enrollment and facility capacity.
Programs That Do Not Qualify For School of Choice
- Bergeson Elementary School (Mandarin Immersion)
- Las Palmas Elementary School
- R.H. Dana Elementary School
- San Juan Elementary School
- Viejo Elementary School
Alternative Education
- California Prep Academy
- Capistrano Virtual School
If You Are Approved
The approved School of Choice is now considered your school of record.
The School of Choice agreement is in effect for the duration of a child’s years at the requested school. You do not need to reapply annually.
If You Do Not Have An Active Student ID
For kindergarten students, new students to CUSD, or students who are returning to CUSD after leaving for over a month, parents will need to enroll their child at their home school to obtain a seven-digit student identification number. This ID number is required to complete the SOC application. New student registration starts on January 30, 2024. Registering on or after January 30, will not affect your odds as long as an application is received before the window closes. If your student has an ID number but has not been enrolled with CUSD in over a month, you must still enroll in the home school for the 2024-2025 school year to make the ID number active. The application will not accept an inactive student ID number.
Valid Address within the Capistrano Unified boundaries.
Immunization Requirements Please see the following section on Vaccination Requirements.
Admissions Requirements please see Board Policy 5111, Admission. For District Residency requirements please see Board Policy 5111.1, District Residency.
Admissions Requirements please see Board Policy 5111, Admission. For District Residency requirements please see Board Policy 5111.1, District Residency.
- There is no need to re-enroll students who are currently enrolled at a CUSD school in grades TK-12. This does not include preschool students.
- Please note that enrollment is not complete until all information has been reviewed by the school, other school forms are completed, and residency has been verified.
Kindergarten
Kindergarten parents should attend the home school’s kindergarten orientation meeting. The information given will be standard throughout the District, so there is no need to attend the requested school’s orientation as well.
Kindergarten parents should attend the home school’s kindergarten orientation meeting. The information given will be standard throughout the District, so there is no need to attend the requested school’s orientation as well.
Secondary School Electives
For secondary students choosing their courses/electives for the next school year, please select your courses with your school of residence. If approved to the requested school, those selections will be automatically sent to the approved school. The approved school will do its best to accommodate the requests after all in-boundary students are placed.
Transportation
Transportation to any school other than the home school is the responsibility of the parents. Students approved for School of Choice are not eligible for District bussing.
Home School Locator
Verify if your address is within CUSD boundaries or to find your home school, please use the School Locator tool here.
Changed My Mind
If you need to change or cancel your application, please email schooltransfers@capousd.org. Please note this can only be done during the open window. Make sure to include your application number in your email. For general questions please read over the FAQ before emailing, as many of your questions can be answered there.
I Agree
If you applied and received an approval to your requested school, please note that the approved school is now your School of Record and there is no rescinding or canceling the approval, as part of the application process was agreeing to the following:
I have read and understand the guidelines which govern Board Policy 5119: School of Choice
I understand that I am making a commitment for my child to attend the School of Choice.
I understand that home-to-school transportation is the responsibility of the parent, and I cannot apply for a CUSD bus pass.
I understand that the above-named student may be transferred back to his/her school of residence for any of the following reasons: (1) unsatisfactory attendance; (2) continual tardiness; (3) failure of the parent/guardian to make adequate transportation arrangements; (4) unsatisfactory academic performance: (5) unsatisfactory behavior; (6) no longer residing within CUSD boundaries.
I understand all School of Choice decisions are final. There is no appeal process for School of Choice denials.
If approved, the initial School of Choice agreement is in effect for the duration of a child’s years at the requested school. You do not need to reapply annually.
I understand that approved applications are valid until the student matriculates to the next level (i.e. elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school).
I understand there is no rescinding of an application once approved for School of Choice. Any requests to return to the home school must apply for School of Choice in the following school year.
I understand that if this student is approved to the requested school, it DOES NOT guarantee approval for siblings in the future.
All information on this application is current and true. I understand that if any information on this application is found to be false, this School of Choice application is VOID and my student will be immediately returned to their school of residence.
I understand that I can only apply for School of Choice once per school year, either during the annual application window or at the time of enrollment with CUSD as a new student.
Unfortunately, if you applied and were denied, there is no appeals process or completing an additional application.
Changing Schools Outside of The School of Choice Window
Transfers outside of the annual application window for students already enrolled in CUSD must go through a process called Administrative Placement. These types of transfers are for serious and compelling reasons why the student needs to leave their current school of enrollment. This document explains the process of requesting Administrative Placement by starting with the current school of enrollment administration. These transfer requests can take up to 10 business days for a decision once received by Student Services.