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Open Enrollment

group of students in a classroom sitting at desks writing with pencils

Open Enrollment is a state-level policy that will allow students to transfer to a school or district of their choice rather than attending a school based on where they live.

Before the beginning of each school year, the district will be required to figure the capacity level at each school based on current enrollment numbers. Students who would like to enroll in the district that are not currently living in KCKPS territory will then need to go through the enrollment process. If the district gets more enrollment requests than spots available, a lottery system will be used to fill available spots.

If you are currently attending school at KCKPS you will not lose your spot. You will be accounted for in the yearly capacity report.

Click here for Open Enrollment

Timeline — Dates to Know

  • Jan 1: Open application for In-District Transfer Requests (Childcare, Request to Enroll and Non-ResidentPermits) and Non-Resident Open Enrollment
  • May 1: District Enrollment Capacity determined.
  • June 15: Open Enrollment and In-District Permits Applications Ends
  • June 15-July 15: Non-Resident Lottery Selection Process

Policy

Kansas House Bill 2567 states that all public-school districts must allow non-resident students who reside in Kansas to enroll in and attend any school if the district has the capacity, and this takes effect in the 2024-25 school year. The Kansas City Kansas Open Enrollment policy includes an in-district transfer period, followed by the Open Enrollment period.  District enrollment capacity must be determined by May 1 and posted on the district website.  This will provide an estimated number of open seats available to nonresident students in each grade level or program for each school building of the district for the upcoming school year. 

From January 1 through June 15, each school district shall accept applications from nonresident students who are seeking to enroll in and attend the school district in the next succeeding school year. Applications shall be on a form and in a manner determined by the school district.

See below for KCKPS Board Policies.

 

Priority in Filling Open Seats

Subject to having capacity to enroll nonresident students, the district will give priority in enrollment to the following nonresident students (provided they are otherwise qualified), who shall receive open seats without necessity of being selected through the open-seat lottery:

  • Any sibling of a nonresident student who was accepted to enroll in and attend school in the district, with priority given when the nonresident student is first accepted and, if necessary, at any other time the district considers transfer applications;
  • Any nonresident student who is a military student as defined in K.S.A. 72-5139, with priority given when the student is first accepted and, if necessary, at any other time the district considers transfer applications;
  • Any child who is in the custody of the Department for Children and Families and who is living in the home of a nonresident student who transfers to the district;
  • Any nonresident student who has a parent or person acting as parent employed by the district shall be permitted to enroll in and attend school in the district as if the student is a resident of the district while the parent or person acting as a parent remains employed by the district;
  • Any nonresident students residing outside of the state of Kansas but attending school in the district during the 2023-2024 school year shall be treated as if resident students and not required to apply for nonresident status, although continued enrollment may be evaluated each year under the factors outlined below; or
  • Any child who is experiencing homelessness shall be permitted to enroll in and attend the school district of origin or the school district of residence.                            

If one of these exceptions no longer applies to the student, the student’s enrollment status would be subject to review under the terms for continued enrollment under this policy.

Available Enrollment Capacity for the 2024-2025 School Year

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is open enrollment?

Open Enrollment is a state-level policy that will allow students to transfer to a school of their choice rather than attending a school based on where they live.

How does open enrollment work?

Before the beginning of each school year, the district will be required to figure the capacity level at each school based on current enrollment numbers. The district will then post the number of spots that are open at each school to kckschools.org. Students who would like to enroll in the district that are not currently living in KCKPS territory will then need to go through the enrollment process. If the district gets more enrollment requests than spots available, a lottery system will be used to fill available spots.

As a current student at KCKPS, is there any chance that my child will lose their spot in the district?

No, if you are currently attending school at KCKPS you will not lose your spot. You will be accounted for in the yearly capacity report.

Does the district provide transportation if my child enrolls to attend a KCKPS school but doesn't live in USD 500 boundaries?

The district will not provide transportation services to those who do not live in district boundaries but decide to enroll at KCKPS through the Open Enrollment Process. 

Does the district provide transportation if my student is selected to attend a school out of district but I live in USD 500 boundaries?

The district will not provide transportation services to those who choosechose to enroll to attend another school district in the state of Kansas through the Open Enrollment policy. 

Will class sizes become larger?

Class sizes will solely depend on the amount of students that will register for school at KCKPS.

 

KCKPS Board Policies

Enrollment

Board Policy: JBC (See IIBGB, JBCA, JBCB, JBCC, and JQKA)

A “resident student” is any child who has attained the age of eligibility for school attendance and: (1) lives with a parent or a person acting as a parent who is a resident of the district; (2) lives in the district as a result of placement by a district court or the Kansas secretary for child and families; or (3) is “homeless” as defined by Kansas law. For purposes of this policy, “parent” means the natural parents, adoptive parents, step-parents and foster parents. For purposes of this policy, “person acting as a parent” means a guardian or conservator, a person liable by law to maintain, care for or support the child, a person who has actual care and control of the child and contributes the major portion of the cost of support of the child or a person who has actual care and control of the child with written consent of a person who has legal custody of the child or person who has been granted custody of a child by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Enrollment of Nonresident Students

Board Policy: JBCC (See JBC, JBCA, JBCB, and JQKA)

Kansas law requires the board to allow nonresident students to enroll in and attend the schools of the district if the board’s capacity determination finds there are open seats for such students. In order to determine the district’s capacity to accept nonresident students at each grade level in each district school and for each program, the board has adopted this policy.

Nothing in this policy should be construed to guarantee placement of a non-resident student in any particular school, grade level or program in the district. Placement in any grade level, school building or program shall be limited to those students determined to be eligible and qualified for such placement. Resident students will have first priority and preference should there be capacity in any school building or program. All students regardless of residency may be assigned or transferred to or from any school or program at the discretion of the superintendent or his/her designee. No student, regardless of residency, who has been suspended or expelled from another school district will be admitted to the district until the period of such suspension or expulsion has expired. Students with pending suspension or expulsion proceeding in another school district will not be admitted the district until such suspension or expulsion proceedings have been concluded.

Details concerning the open enrollment and continued enrollment processes for nonresident students may be found in this policy, while general processes on enrollment documentation, assignment to buildings and classes, etc., may be found in board policy JBC.