Parent School Choice transfer applications are available to residents of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. The parent/guardian of any school-age resident student may submit a Parent School Choice transfer application to request for their student to attend a school other than their school of residence.
We are not currently accepting Parent School Choice transfer applications for the 2025-2026 school year.
The late application window for 2025-2026 Parent School Choice transfers will open July 1, 2025 (9:00 AM PST) and close July 31, 2025 (11:59 PM PST).
No applications will be accepted after July 31, 2025.
Parent School Choice Transfer Timeline for 2025-2026 School Year:
January 15, 2025 (9:00 AM PST) - March 15, 2025 (11:59 PM PST) - The Parent School Choice transfer application window is open on SchoolMint.
March 15, 2025 - May 15, 2025 - The Parent School Choice transfer lottery is held to randomly rank the applications received.
On or Before May 15, 2025 - Parents/Guardians are notified by email of their student’s application ranking which was randomly assigned by the lottery.
May 15, 2025 - August 2025 - Depending on availability at each school site, offers of admission are sent to parents/guardians by email.
July 1, 2025 (9:00 AM PST) - July 31, 2025 (11:59 PM PST) - The late application window for Parent School Choice transfer applications is open on SchoolMint.
August 2025 - June 2026 - Students who do not receive an offer of admission will remain on the waiting list for the remainder of the school year.
How to Complete a Parent School Choice transfer application on SchoolMint:
1. Create/Log in to SchoolMint parent account. (Important - check "enable email notifications")
2. Add your student to your account
3. Complete your Parent School Choice Transfer application
Creating an Account and Adding a Student to SchoolMint - English PDF
Creating an Account and Adding a Student to SchoolMint - Spanish PDF
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Parent School Choice Transfers:
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. If my student is new to NMUSD, should I wait until I have an approved transfer to complete my student’s Aeries Online Enrollment application? No, all students need to first enroll at their school of residence. If your transfer is approved, your student’s school of residence will be notified, and the front office will transfer your student’s enrollment information to their new school.
10. Is it possible for parents to get tentative approval if they have to pay private school tuition? No, tentative approvals are not given.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
Please email us at transfers@nmusd.us for more specific Parent School Choice transfer questions.
