Boulder Valley School District
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Boulder Valley School District
Revised:  November 9, 2018, November 1, 2021, November 8, 2022, February 27, 2024, October 24, 2024

SCHOOL CHOICE PROCEDURE (OPEN ENROLLMENT)

Process and Timelines

The School District will notify resident students and their parents/guardians on an annual basis of the school choice options available through open enrollment in sufficient time to apply. Notice will identify specific steps to apply for choice enrollment and timelines that
are enforceable, including:

  • an application deadline no earlier than January 1
  • a deadline of not more than ten (10) days from the date of notification for the parent/guardian to accept and complete enrollment for awarded choice seats or the seat will be forfeited an opportunity for any student who missed the application deadline to submit an application prior to the last business day of August to add the student’s name to the bottom of an established wait list. New residents of the School District filing an initial application shall be added to established wait lists first among late applications.
  • the ability of students to enroll to choice seats from wait lists to fill vacant spots as available following the lottery through August, for some charter schools until September 30, and for other charter schools on a space available basis year round

To help families make decisions, the School District will make school choice and enrollment data, including length of waitlists, as accessible as possible.

Preschool

Due to complexities in Colorado law, preschool assignments in BVSD shall not be subject to open enrollment procedures and shall not impact students’ school assignments for kindergarten.

District and School Annual Enrollment

For annual school assignment, students within designated attendance areas will have priority in registering in that neighborhood school. Students may apply for open enrollment in a school outside their attendance area and will be admitted if there is space available in the requested school and program.

School District Preferences

The lottery shall incorporate preferences as follows:

  1. BVSD students wishing to return from a choice school to their designated neighborhood school for the next school year.
     
  2. In-district students who move out of their designated neighborhood school attendance area but who remain in the School District and wish to remain at the school the student is currently attending.
     
  3. Sibling/Household preferences:

    a. A new student, whether they reside inside or outside of the district, whose sibling/household member has been in attendance and will be attending the requested school the following year.

    b. A sibling/household member of a student accepting placement during the same open enrollment period.

    Note: When multiple siblings/household members apply for open enrollment at the same school and in choice order, they will be linked as siblings/household members in the lottery process.
     
  4. A student of an eligible employee, whether they reside inside or outside of the district. Eligible employees must be working for BVSD at the time of the application and on the first day of the applicable school year.

    Note: If there is an enrollment opening at the time of employment, an employee’s children may be enrolled immediately. If there is no space available, the employee’s enrollment preference will be applied in the following school year or the next available space.
     
  5. Students who reside within the boundaries of BVSD.
     
  6. Current students who move outside the boundaries of BVSD and wish to remain for a future school year in the BVSD school the student is currently attending.
     
  7. Students of individuals who reside outside of but work within the boundaries of the Boulder Valley School District, including in Boulder, Broomfield, and Gilpin counties. Eligible individuals must be working within the boundaries of BVSD at the time of the application and on the first day of the applicable school year.
     
  8. Students who reside outside the boundaries of BVSD and are not currently attending a BVSD school.

Bilingual/Dual Language Programs

When applying to Bilingual and Dual Language Programs, native English-speaking students in grades 1st through 5th should have an educational background in a bilingual program and will be assessed by the school to determine program appropriateness prior to final acceptance.

Charter Schools

BVSD is committed to equitable criteria for open enrollment to all BVSD schools, and the elimination of special and legacy preferences for school founders and alumni, and for those who have applied for admission previously. BVSD intends for charter school enrollment preference criteria to be incorporated into charter contracts and not revised annually.