Next Steps in SFUSD Student Assignment: Wait Pools, Appeals, and More!
Just received your May placement letter in the mail? If you got a school that works for your family, time to celebrate! If you were hoping for a different school assignment, you still have options.
June and August wait pools (formerly known as Round 3 and Round 4)
Regardless of whether or not you received a placement during the May placement period, you may choose to take part in the wait pool process. If you submit a wait pool application you may request placement at one school. Submit your application by May 31, 2019.
How do I submit a wait pool application?
You must submit the Wait Pool Form in person at the Educational Placement Center at 555 Franklin Street. Check here for open hours. You must bring a photo id.
What is a wait pool? How is it different from a waitlist?
A wait pool contains all of the students who have submitted a wait pool application for a specific SFUSD school by the applicable deadline - May 31, 2019 for the June wait pool and August 14, 2019 for the August wait pool. Unlike a waitlist, those who submit applications earlier are not “ahead” on the list. In the wait pool assignment runs, there are still priorities or “tie-breakers,” but the date when you put in your application is not one of them. The tie-breakers in the wait pool rounds are the same as in previous placement periods (e.g., for elementary school, students who are in the wait pool who have an older sibling at the school would be placed first out of the wait pool, then if seats are left, students who attended Pre-K or TK at the site and live in the attendance area, etc.)
How will I know if my child gets into our wait pool school? What happens next?
Once you turn in the wait pool application form all there is to do is wait! Letters with June wait pool results should be received by June 21, 2-19
Notification letters for the June wait pool should be received by June 21, 2019.
If you receive your June wait pool school:
Your child will automatically be unenrolled from any school you registered at previously.
You must register your child at his or her new school during the first week that school staff are back - the week of August 12, 2019.
If you receive your wait pool school in the June wait pool run, you may not enter the wait pool for a different school in the August wait pool run.
If you do not receive your June wait pool school:
Your child will still be enrolled in any school at which you have previously registered
Your child will automatically be in the August wait pool for your selected school, unless you email enrollinschool@sfusd.edu to change your selection or remove your child from the wait pool.
You will be notified by phone by August 30, 2019 and if you receive a spot at your wait pool school, your child must claim the spot and begin attending by September 3, 2019. Your child will be automatically unenrolled from SFUSD school they were previously enrolled at/attending
If I turn in an application for the June wait pool and don’t get assigned to the school I selected, do I have to submit the form again for the August wait pool?
No, Request forms submitted for the wait pool process will stay active for both wait pool assignment runs: June and August, and until the end of the enrollment process which ends on August 30, 2019.
Is there a way to know how many people are in the wait pool?
SFUSD will be posting wait pool numbers on their website (sfusd.edu) on June 3, and June 24 as well as on July 19, August 9, and August 15. These numbers may help you by giving you a sense of how many other people are waiting for spots at any given school. The published numbers will not include information about how many siblings, attendance area residents, etc. are in the wait pool.
Can I cancel or change my wait pool request?
To cancel your wait pool request for whatever reason, please email the EPC by May 31, 2019 (for the June wait pool assignment run), or by August 14, 2019 (for the final wait pool assignment run) at enrollinschool@sfusd.edu.
If I receive an assignment during Open Enrollment (formerly know as ASAP), may I still submit a request for another school?
Yes, you can! If you receive an assignment during the March or May Placement Period, or by selecting a school by going to the Educational Placement Center during the Open Enrollment Period, you may still submit a wait pool request. You will keep that assignment, unless you receive another assignment through the wait pool process. If you want to be sure to keep your current assignment and you have applied to be in a wait pool, you will need to withdraw from the wait pool by emailing enrollinschool@sfusd.edu. Otherwise, if your wait pool request is granted, your student will be automatically unenrolled in their prior school.The deadline to withdraw from the June wait pool is May 31, 2019 and the deadline to withdraw from the August wait pool is August 14, 2019. Open Enrollment begins on June 26. Schools with open seats (no wait pool requests as of that point in time) will be published on June 25, 2019. Students who are assigned to a school through Open Enrollment may still submit a wait pool request for another school if submitted by August 14, 2019.
Is it too late to apply for a medical or family Hardship appeal?
No, if you have not applied previously you may submit a hardship appeal. The deadline is May 31, 2019.
Key Dates for the wait pool process
Deadline to submit, change or cancel wait pool application for June wait pool run: May 31, 2019
Deadline to submit a hardship appeal (if you have not previously submitted): May 31, 2019
Deadline to enroll in any new school assignment received during the May placement period: May 31, 2019
Letters mailed on with results of June wait pool: June 19, 2019
Register at school received during June wait pool: Week of August 12, 2019
Deadline to submit, change or cancel wait pool application for August wait pool: August 14, 2019
Calls made to families who take part in August wait pool: starting August 30, 2019
Student must attend new school received in August wait pool: by September 3, 2019
Wait pool numbers will be posted online by SFUSD on June 3, June 24, July 19, August 9 and August 15.
We are here to help!
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Email info@ppssf.org for general questions.Here is what you need to know:
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