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What is the High School Specialty Program Application?

The High School Specialty Program Application is an opportunity for each student who resides within the boundaries of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District (SCUSD) to apply for enrollment in a SCUSD high school specialty program, based on space availability. SCUSD offers specialty programs at both our neighborhood and small specialized high schools.

Who is eligible to apply?

Students residing within the Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries who will be entering grades 9 through 12 for the 2025-2026 school year are eligible to apply.

Students living outside the district boundaries, including those currently on a district permit, may apply to specialty programs through an inter-district permit transfer available from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm​. Out-of-district applicants who meet the program requirements will be offered placement after qualified in-district applicants per California Education Code.

What are the requirements for submitted applications to enter the lottery?

Applicants must:

• Live within the district boundaries
• Submit program-specific assessments if required
• Currently enrolled SCUSD students must have their primary household guardian submit an Annual Update form through their by November 22, 2024, at 5:00pm.

How many specialty programs can my student apply to?

Students may apply to up to two specialty programs. 

Which programs have additional assessments for admission?

• C.K. McClatchy HISP
• C.K. McClatchy VAPA
• West Campus

Does my student have to turn in a transcript and standardized test scores for admission?

Transcripts for 7th Grade (all quarters) and 8th Grade (first quarter) are only necessary for West Campus. 

Currently enrolled SCUSD students will have their transcripts automatically sent from Infinite Campus. Other students must upload a copy of their transcripts as part of their application.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once an application is successfully submitted, you will see a confirmation screen and receive a message in your SchoolMint Message Center confirming the submission. Parents/guardians will also receive a confirmation via email or text message, depending on their selected SchoolMint preferences.

Families can log into their at any time to check the status of their application(s) or view messages in the Message Center.

Is transportation provided by the school district to the specialty program my student is accepted to?

No, transportation is not provided for students accepted into specialty programs. Parents are responsible for transporting their students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply to a High School Specialty Program?

No.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply to a High School Specialty Program through (using) the Allen Bill?

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

1. A parent/guardian is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address.
2. Since our district utilizes addresses for school placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll and attend the neighborhood school associated with the work address for a full academic year. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must apply and be approved via Inter-district permit and attend California Middle School.
3. Once this is complete and the student is attending, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP) or Open Enrollment (OE).
4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP or OE if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
5. Residency is established by attending a full academic year.
6. Students who live outside the district boundaries may apply from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm, via an inter-district transfer permit, to any high school specialty program that still has openings.

Can I turn in a late application?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00pm on Friday, November 22, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notifications will be sent to families through SchoolMint on January 13, 2025, based on their selected preferences (email, text message, or both) during registration.

Additional Requirement for Acceptance for New Students to the District

If accepted into a specialty program, new students to the district must complete a full registration form. A link to this form will be included in the notifications sent to families. They will also need to provide photo identification, address verification, proof of birth documentation, and immunization records. Applicants will be automatically removed from the specialty program acceptance list if they do not register by the offer deadline.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

If my student is already enrolled in his/her specialty program does he/she need to reapply?

No. You do not need to reapply to your specialty program. The school the specialty program resides at becomes your neighborhood school.

Does my student have the right to return to his/her original neighborhood school after being accepted into a specialty program?

To return to your original neighborhood school, you must apply for an intra-district permit through the Enrollment Center from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm. Please note that intra-district permits are requests and do not guarantee placement.

My family is moving outside of the SCUSD boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the SCUSD boundary, it voids all open enrollment and you must register your student with the new school district.

I live within the SCUSD boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply to a High School Specialty Program?

Yes. Learn more at /hssp-application-process. 

If my student is attending a SCUSD School on an inter-district permit (i.e., you live outside the district boundaries) can I apply for a High School Specialty Program?

No, inter-district permitted students are not eligible. 

Students who live outside our district boundaries (including those that are currently on a district permit) can apply to specialty programs with space available through an inter-district permit transfer from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm.

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Can my student apply to a High School Specialty Program?

No, students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply to specialty programs with space available through an inter-district permit transfer from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm.

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary and one of my students already attends a high school specialty program. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

No.

I am an SCUSD employee and live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Does my student have priority to attend a high school specialty program at my school?

No. However, students who live within our district boundaries whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is at the selected school are given a lottery priority. 

How does the lottery work?

The High School Specialty Program Application is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

District applicants must submit an Annual Update form through Infinite Campus by November 22, 2024, at 5:00pm to be eligible for the High School Specialty Program lottery.

SCUSD uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place students at their specialty program of choice. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

1. Your student is selected for their first specialty program choice and receives a notification of a placement offer.
2. If your student applied to only one specialty program and was not selected, he/she will be placed on a waiting list.
3. If your student applied for two specialty programs and was not selected for their first choice, the computer will look for their second choice. Note: Second choice selections are placed behind all first choice selections.

• Your student is selected for their second specialty program choice and receives a notification of a placement offer.
• Your student is not selected for their first or second specialty program choice. They will be placed on a waiting list for their first choice only.

What happens if my student doesn’t get accepted to the first or second school of choice?

Your student will only be placed on the waiting list for their first choice. A notification from SchoolMint will be sent on January 16, 2024 notifying parent/guardians regarding placement on the waiting list. 

When space becomes available, a notification will be sent through notifying the parent/guardian of the offer. 2025-2026 waiting lists will be valid until 5:00pm, on July 31, 2025 and then closed. Families can withdraw their application from a waiting list at any time through SchoolMint. 

Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Students who apply to a specialty program and have not met the school’s admissions requirements will not be included in the lottery. If the student hasn’t applied to another program, the student must attend their neighborhood or current school.

If my student is accepted to their 2nd choice, will they be put on the 1st choice waiting list?

No. 

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

First priority

• Siblings of students already in attendance at the specialty program and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

• Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

Third priority (administrative priority)

• When unique circumstances occur at a school, such as a school closure, program changes, and/or over-crowding occurs; district administrators may institute a specific priority to meet staffing and housing needs.

Schools without Attendance Boundaries

First priority

• Siblings of students already in attendance at the specialty program and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

• Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

Thank you for your interest in Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District’s high school specialty programs. Our high school specialty programs offer students the opportunity to dive deeper into an area of interest that may support a future career pathway. These free public education programs give students a chance to learn about industries outside of standard core subjects, like culinary arts, digital media, criminal justice, construction and more.

The application window for 2025-2026 High School Specialty Programs will be November 4, 2024 at 8:00am - November 22, 2024 at 5:00pm. More Information about the programs that will be participating and the application process will be posted in October 2024. 

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District allows all students residing within its boundaries to enroll in district schools or programs other than their home school, subject to availability.

What is the difference between an Intra-District and Inter-District Permit?

Intra-District Permits are for families who currently live within the SCUSD boundaries to request a transfer to a school that is not their neighborhood school (school of residence). Visit our to find your neighborhood school. 

Inter-District Permits are used to transfer in and out of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ City School District. 

• Incoming inter-district permit applicants live outside the SCUSD boundaries and must receive an approved Inter-district Transfer Permit (ITP) from their district of residence prior to applying online April 15 – May 5.
• Outgoing inter-district permits can be accepted at any time. Complete the Inter-district Transfer Permit (ITP) and submit it using this webform. 

Do all district schools and specialty programs participate in the District Permit Process?

No. Not all district schools or specialty programs participate in the District Permit process. Some schools reach their grade level enrollment capacity prior to the District Permit time period. See our list of participating schools and programs in the 2024-2025 District Permit process here. 

My student is currently on an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist. Can we apply for an intra-district permit?

If your student is on an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist, your intra-district permit application will be marked ineligible. 

If you would like to remove your student from an Open Enrollment/High School Specialty Program waitlist prior to applying for a district permit, you can log into your SchoolMint account and withdraw the application or email Becky Petrie at becky-petrie@scusd.edu. 

How many schools or specialty programs can my student apply to?

Students may apply to one school or specialty program. 

Which schools have additional requirements for admission?

• C.K. McClatchy VAPA Program - submit a portfolio or audition based on specialty. Instructions are included in submission notification. 
• Camellia Basic (Grades 1-6 only) - take an assessment at the school and bring a copy of student’s latest report card (Grades 1-6) and standardized test results (Grades 4-6). The school will call you to let you know the date to bring your student for an assessment.  
• Elder Creek Dual Immersion Program (Grades 1-6 only) - take an assessment at the school. The school will call you to let you know the date to bring your student for an assessment.  
• Susan B. Anthony Hmong Immersion Program - fill out a survey administered by the school. Call the school at (916) 395-4710 to schedule.
• West Campus High School - new students to the district must upload transcripts to the application. Incoming 9th grade applicants must submit 7th and first quarter 8th grade transcript, and incoming 11th and 12th grade applicants must submit their high school transcript. 
• William Land Mandarin Dual Immersion Program - take a language screener at the school. Call the school at (916) 395-4890 to schedule

What schools that are participating do not have an attendance area boundary assignment?

• A.M. Winn Public Waldorf
• Alice Birney Public Waldorf
• Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions
• Camellia Basic – Grades 1-6
• New Joseph Bonnheim
• The Met Â鶹ÊÓƵ High School
• West Campus High School

Can I make a change to my student’s application?

Yes, changes can be made to a submitted application anytime during the application window, between April 15 – May 3, 2024. Make sure to resubmit the edited application by May 3, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once you successfully submit the district permit application, there will be a confirmation screen and notification confirming the submission. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering. Families can log into their at any time to see the status of their application(s).

What is the Annual Update and how do I fill it out?

If your student is currently enrolled in SCUSD, you must also submit the Mid-Year Annual Update through your by May 3, 2024 for your application to be eligible for the District Permit lottery. View directions on how to complete an Annual Update form to verify your address and contact information. 

If you do not have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, request an activation key from your student’s current school office to . Once you have an active Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, follow the steps to complete the Annual Update form.

If my student is new to the district, when do we register them?

When applicants are accepted into their school or specialty program, they will have to submit an online registration form and provide the following information by their offer deadline to finish the registration process. 

Upload one of the following options listed under (Ed. Code 48204.1):

• Utility service contract, statement, or payment receipts
• Property tax payment receipts
• Rental property contract, lease with payment receipts
• Voter registration
• Correspondence from a government agency
• Pay stubs

A link to the registration form will be included in the offer notification.

Should I register my incoming kindergartener in their neighborhood school before I apply for an intra-district permit?

It is recommended that you register your incoming kindergartener in their neighborhood school ( i.e. school of residence) before or after you apply for an intra-district permit in case your child is not selected through the lottery. Learn how to register for Kindergarten.

Will my TK student continue at the same school for kindergarten?

For students living within Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries

If your student lives within Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries, they will be automatically enrolled in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 School Year at their neighborhood school. Find your neighborhood school(s) by using our . 

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is only available at 39 of Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District schools, so all TK students* living within district boundaries are transitioned back to their neighborhood school for traditional kindergarten enrollment. Each neighborhood school has a defined geographic boundary and is intended to serve the students who live within that geographic boundary. 

Students that apply for enrollment at the school they attended for transitional kindergarten will be given priority in the Open Enrollment lottery for kindergarten. Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 School Year will begin in February 2025. 

* TK students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.

For students living outside the Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries

All students* that live outside the Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries, will be required to reapply for a district permit to enter kindergarten after students living within the district boundaries have registered for kindergarten at their neighborhood school.

* TK Students currently enrolled at one of our schools without a geographic attendance boundary (A.M. Winn, Alice Birney, Leonardo da Vinci, and New Joseph Bonnheim) will continue at the same school for kindergarten.)

My student will turn 5 after June 2, 2025. Can I apply for transitional kindergarten (TK)?

SCUSD can only accept applications for under-age TK applicants that:

• have a sibling at the school site they are applying to
• has an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Applicants will be required to provide documentation on both these requirements during the application process for verification. 

All other under-age applicants can apply for a waiver to be placed after school begins for the 2024-2025 school year.  Please fill out and the Enrollment Center will contact you if space is available after school starts. 

I want my student to be enrolled into transitional kindergarten (TK) even though they would qualify for kindergarten. Can I still apply for TK?

If your student’s date of birth falls after 9/2/2019, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the District Permit Lottery for kindergarten. 

1. Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, May 10, 2024.
2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request by Friday, May 10, 2024. 
3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the District Permit lottery. 

I want my student to be enrolled into kindergarten even though they would qualify for 1st Grade. Can I still apply for kindergarten?

If your student’s date of birth falls before 09/2/2018, you must complete the following additional step to be admitted into the District Permit Lottery for kindergarten. 

1. Parent/ Guardians must have a meeting with the requested school(s) principal to discuss the reasons for your request by Friday, May 10, 2024.
2. The principal must then email their Instructional Assistant Superintendent and the Enrollment Center Director with the approval/denial status of the request by Friday, May 10, 2024. 
3. Once approved, your student will be allowed into the District Permit lottery. 

Is transportation provided by the school district to my District Permit School?

No, transportation is not provided for students on a district permit. Parents are responsible for transporting their students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply?

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

1. A parent/guardian is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address.
2. Since our district utilizes addresses for placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll in the neighborhood school associated with the work address. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must enroll in California Middle School (IF) the school has space for the student. If the school does not have the space, the student cannot enroll.
3. Once this is complete and the student is attending, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP), Open Enrollment (OE) or an Intra-District permit.
4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP, OE or an Intra-District permit if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
5. Residency is established by enrolling.

Can I turn in a late application for my student?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00 p.m on May 3, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notification will be sent to families through SchoolMint on May 20, 2024. Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

My family is moving outside of the SCUSD boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the SCUSD boundary, it will void your student’s acceptance offer. You must register your student with the new school district. You can apply for an inter-district permit after you get an approved Inter-District Permit Transfer form by your new district of residence. 

I live within the SCUSD boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply through an Intra-District Permit?

Yes. 

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary and one of my students already attends a SCUSD school. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

Yes, the student(s) applying will receive sibling priority for inter-district permits.

I am a SCUSD employee and live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Does my student have preference to attend the school I work at?

Yes, the student applying will receive parent employment priority for inter-district permits.

How does the lottery work?

The District Permit application is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

SCUSD uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place eligible students at their school or specialty program. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

1. Your student is selected for their school or specialty program and receives a notification communication to accept the placement through SchoolMint. 
2. If your student was not selected, they will be notified that they have been placed on a waitlist* and then be notified if a spot opens up.

Waitlists do not apply for the district permit process. Applicants are either offered a spot or receive a notification that the program has reached grade capacity. 

What happens if my student doesn’t get offered a spot at the school or specialty program?

You will receive a notification from SchoolMint that the school or program you have applied for has reached space capacity.

Students who apply to a school or specialty program, and have not met the admissions requirements will become ineligible and not be included in the lottery.

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

1st Priority* – Intra-District Incoming TK Students Only

• Intra-District Permit applicants applying for a school that is their neighborhood school or the closest TK program to their residence.

2nd Priority

• Intra-District Permit applicants with a sibling already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

3rd Priority

• Intra-District Permit applicants whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

4th Priority* – Current SCUSD TK Students Only

• Intra-District Permit applicants who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK. 

5th Priority

• All other Intra-District Permits

6th priority

• Approved Inter-District Permit applicants with a sibling already in attendance at the selected school and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

7th priority

• Approved Inter-District Permit applicants whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

8th Priority* – Current SCUSD TK Students Only

• Approved Inter-District Permit applicants with students who apply for kindergarten at the school they attended for TK. 

*Does not apply to schools without attendance boundaries.