1. May I apply to more than one school? Yes, you may select up to 3 schools on a Parent School Choice transfer application.
2. How do I apply if I cannot access the internet? Computers are available to use at your student's school site.
3. Will it benefit me to have my student's application submitted on the first day of the application window? No, all applications submitted prior to the March 15th deadline have an equal chance in the lottery.
4. Do I need to complete enrollment for my student before applying for a Parent School Choice transfer? No, parents/guardians can submit their Parent School Choice transfer application before enrolling their student at their school of residence.
5. Does my student need to live in the residence of NMUSD to apply for a Parent School Choice transfer? Yes, applicants must be living within Newport-Mesa Unified School District boundaries in order to attend. Failure to disclose one’s actual address, or upon a finding that a student does not reside within the boundaries of the Newport Mesa Unified School District, may cause the district to rescind your application.
6. Prior to conducting the lottery, are there extenuating circumstances that would give certain individuals priority? The State mandates that an unbiased/random method be used to select students if all applicants cannot be accommodated. The California Education Code allows the following priorities for transferring students:
7. How will I be notified of updates to my application? All transfer notifications are emailed to the parent/guardian email address associated with your SchoolMint account. Please make sure that your email notification preferences are turned on.
8. Can I check the status of my application? Yes, you can log into your SchoolMint account to check the status of your application.
9. Is it possible for parents to get tentative approval if they have to pay private school tuition? No, tentative approvals are not given.
10. What does it mean if my student is on a waiting list? After the Parent School Choice lottery has run, all students will initially be placed on a grade-level waiting list with a randomly numbered ranking assigned by the lottery. There is no guarantee that the waiting list placement will lead to subsequent admission to your desired school. Your student will remain on the waiting list for that school year. You can also log in to your SchoolMint account to check the status of your waiting list ranking.
11. Can a student be denied a transfer if his/her attendance or behavior records are below standard? No, Parent School Choice transfer applications are not pre-screened.
12. If I did not submit a Parent School Choice Transfer application during the application windows, can I still request to transfer my student to another school that is not their school of residence? No, your student will have to attend their school of residence for the year. You will need to submit a new Parent School Choice transfer application when the application window opens for the following school year.
13. If my student does not get into the school of choice for the current school year, does their name remain on the waiting list for next school year? No, waiting list placements do not roll-over to the following school year. You will need to submit a new Parent School Choice transfer application when the application window opens for the following school year.
