Open Enrollment Begins Entirely Online January 20th

The open enrollment period for students entering kindergarten, rising to 6th grade, or starting 9th grade in August begins January 20, 2026. Parents and guardians can complete all paperwork, upload any necessary documents, and rank their choices for the school assignment lottery entirely online. Open enrollment is also the time when students who will return to the School District in August or attend school for the first time can submit a Choice Application for the assignment lottery.

“We have made continued improvements to the online enrollment process and eliminated the need for any parent or guardian to come to the Student Enrollment Office in person,” said Samantha Fields, Student Enrollment Administrator. “Parents must create or use a FOCUS Parent Portal account to enroll, and we have step-by-step instructions available on our website with easy-to-follow video tutorials. Parents who come to our office to enroll will be directed first to a computer station to set up or use their parent portal to enroll their student.”

Instructions to create a FOCUS Parent Portal and complete a Choice Application are available at Student Enrollment Website. Parents with an existing account can log in at the Focus Website.

Rising high school students interested in the IB, Cambridge, Arts, FGCU, and STEAM Advanced Programs must submit their Advanced Program application directly to the school of their choice by February 2nd. A Choice Application Submission Receipt obtained through the FOCUS Parent Portal showing the desired school ranked first is required to be included with the Advanced Program application.

High School students should review the new thresholds established for bus service before ranking their schools. Students can choose any program or school in their zone, but with the understanding that, in some cases, transportation will not be provided. More information is available at the Transportation Optimization Website.

Due to a change in the middle school attendance boundary for Zone AA and Zone CC, students in Cape Coral should confirm their attendance zone before enrolling.
Choice Applications are due by February 27th. All applications are processed through the student assignment lottery at the same time, so a family that registers the first day of Open Enrollment has the same chance of getting a school as that of a family that registers the last day.