School of Choice FAQs

No. A student already on an approved School of Choice placement does not need to apply again.   No additional application is needed unless the family wants to change to a different school other than their zoned school or the student will be promoting to sixth (6^th) grade or ninth (9^th) grade the following school year. 

At no time is an application required for a student to attend their zoned school. 

Students are assigned to a school based on the primary residence of their parent/guardian. This is defined as the student’s zoned school. 

School of Choice is also known as Open Enrollment.  It is an application process where Washoe County School District (WCSD) families can choose which school they want their children to attend. This process was formerly known as the variance process.  WCSD has streamlined this process for our families, making it more accessible. This process is only for those who reside in Washoe County.

No. There is no additional weight for an application turned in on day one (1) of the window vs. the last day of the window. All applications are processed after the close of the window. 

The majority of WCSD schools are open for applications during the School of Choice window. This includes WCSD elementary, middle, and high schools.  

*Pre-K and Early Childhood programs are not part of the School of Choice program. 

If a school is missing from the list of options when completing an application, this indicates that the school is at capacity and cannot take additional students.

Click the following link to view our dashboard of school seat availability:  https://schoolofchoice.washoeschools.net/. Many schools are currently closed due to being at 90% capacity.  These schools cannot accept any students who do not reside in their zone.  

Special Note: the following schools have special programming and are not available through the School of Choice process: AACT,  Debbie Smith CTE Academy, TMCC High School, Jesse Beck Elementary School, and Mount Rose K-8 Academy.  If you are interested in one of these schools, you must contact them directly. 

Parents/guardians will be notified through the Avela application system regarding application status. Notifications will occur through email or text depending on how you signed up for your Avela account.  Log in to your Avela account to see any updates to your School of Choice application. All communication will occur through the Avela site regarding your application. If you need assistance, please email schoolofchoice@washoeschools.net or call 775-333-6099. 

A lottery will occur when there are more applications to a school and specific grade level compared to the available open seats. Students will be enrolled based on the lottery outcome. The Lottery Process is outlined in Administrative Regulation 5015.

Transportation will not be provided for students approved through a School of Choice application. This includes students who are in any specialized program such as an IEP, 504, CTE etc.  

If the school has room, the principal can approve the student to remain at the school for the rest of the school year. The family must provide transportation to school. During the next available School of Choice window, the family should complete an application for the following school year if they want their student to remain at the same school. The school must contact the School of Choice Office for correct coding information in Infinite Campus. 

Available school seats are determined in collaboration with the Demographics, Zoning, and Geographic Information System (GIS), the Facilities and Capital Projects department and the Office of Academics. Many factors are considered, including a school’s available capacity and enrollment, projected future enrollment, current staffing vacancies, and current building utilization. 

Additionally, you can click the following link to view the dashboard of school seats:  https://schoolofchoice.washoeschools.net/. Many schools are currently closed due to being at 90% capacity or higher.  These schools cannot accept any students who do not reside in their zone. 

The School of Choice application will allow for a family to select up to three (3) schools in order of preference/ranked order.

Once the School of Choice application is approved and the student is placed at the choice school, the student will be assigned to the approved school through the grade levels available at that school. Students who are in grades five (5) and eight (8) will be assigned to their next grade level zoned school unless a new School of Choice application is completed for a student’s sixth (6^th) or ninth (9^th) grade year.

WCSD schools are open to School of Choice applications. However, once a school is determined by the Demographics, Zoning, and Geographic Information System (GIS), the Facilities and Capital Projects department and the Office of Academics to be at capacity, the school cannot accept any additional applications. Some WCSD schools with special programming are not available for a School of Choice placement.

Approvals will be granted when:

• Building capacity and class/program sizes allow for additional students.
• All teaching positions are fully staffed.
• A School of Choice application has been completed and approved during an open window.
• Online registration has been completed.

• The school is at or above the building capacity of 90%.
• The school is not fully staffed.
• The class or program is full and no additional seats are available.
• The school has been designated by capital projects as “overcrowded.”
• The student has 10 or more days of suspension during the current or pervious school year. 
• The student has been expelled. 
• The student has been severely chronically absent the prior or current school year.  Infinite Campus documentation required. 

Yes. Each student in a household who wants to attend a school different from their zoned school must have their parent/guardian complete the School of Choice application on their behalf.

Every student must have their own application.

All schools do not offer the exact same specialized programs (i.e., GATE, Dual Immersion, Strategies, CLS, CTE etc.). School of Choice applications for a student who requires a specialized program will have an additional review by the appropriate department, i.e. special education, CTE Office, GATE, etc. in determining placement.  This additional review is only for seat availability/capacity.

Applications for students new to WCSD, including incoming Kindergarten students, can apply for the current school year within one (1) month or 30 days of moving into the district. Families should contact the School of Choice Office for information at 775-333-6099 or email at schoolofchoice@washoeschools.net.

• Yes. The receiving school can revoke a School of Choice application and placement for the following school year if the student does not maintain district and school attendance and behavior expectations.  See Administrative Regulation 5015. 
• If a parent decides to move their student out of the School of Choice school, the student will return to their zoned school. Only one School of Choice application is allowed during a single school year.

In this event, a family will need to work with the School of Choice Office. Please call 775-333-6099 or email at schoolofchoice@washoeschools.net. 

If a student leaves the school district and then returns within the same school year, the student is considered a returning student and would return to the same school they were attending previously. The student must meet district expectations for attendance and behavior. If these expectations were not being met, then the student will return to their zone school after returning to the district. 

If a student has never been enrolled in a WCSD school; the student is deemed a new student and has one (1) month or 30 days to apply for a School of Choice placement or attend their zoned school.  Please call 775-333-6099 or email schoolofchoice@washoeschools.net. 

Please contact the Athletic Director at the High school or the WCSD Coordinator of Athletics and Activities at 775-353-6901.  All student eligibility is governed by NIAA Regulations.

Please contact the School of Choice office at schoolofchoice@washoeschools.net or call 775-333-6099.