(1) For current or returning CCSD students: You will be asked for the student ID in the application. You can find this by signing in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you don’t have a Parent Portal account, you will need to reach out to your student's school to get your login credentials. This is also your student’s lunch ID and it can be found on a current or previous report card.

For out-of-district applicants, a temporary ID will be assigned to you when set up your account.  

(2) It is important to explore the options offered at your zoned neighborhood schools as a first step before considering the choice schools and submitting an application. Use the Find My School tool to look up your zoned neighborhood schools here.

(3) Review the information for each choice school you’re interested in on the School Choice website. Each school page has a linked Overview One-Pager that includes the list of application priorities. Consider the limitations of transportation provided, grade levels served, and theme or focus for each choice school.

(4) If you are interested in a criteria school, be sure to review the assessment or audition requirements as well as the criteria documents (rubrics) posted on the school’s page of the School Choice website. Non-CCSD student applicants will schedule testing and audition sessions through the School Choice online application. K-12 CCSD student applicants will test at their home schools.

(5) Review the FAQs on the School Choice website.

Setting up your account + starting your application 

(1) Access the Guardian Dashboard on the CCSD School Choice website

(2) Create a guardian account at this link. You will need to have an email account to create your guardian account. If you need to come back later, you can log in using this link.

(3) For each student, enter the information and application grade. Based on the application grade entered you will be presented with choice school/program application options for that grade. For non-CCSD students applying to criteria schools, you will be prompted to schedule any testing or audition sessions within the application.

(4) Access the Guardian Dashboard to complete and view your student application(s) - Once you are logged into the Application Portal and an application has been started, you can come back to it from the Dashboard if you need to complete it and submit it at a later time. If you need to add applications for additional children in the family, you will also do that from the Dashboard. You can submit up to 5 choice school applications for each student.

For criteria schools: Additional testing or auditions will be scheduled and conducted to determine application entry into the lottery process. Seats will be offered based on the school’s criteria for placement.

For non-criteria schools: Lotteries will be run and applicants offered seats based on each school’s application priorities.

Lotteries: The result of a lottery run is an Offered List and a Waiting List per grade for each choice school based on the number of seats available per grade. All lotteries are run by the district office using the application platform and results are disbursed to parents through that system by way of email and the parent dashboard. 

Notification: Notifications of seat offers will be sent to the email address used when submitting the application. You can also see this notification on your Parent Dashboard.

Accepting a Seat Offer: Applicants are only able to accept one (1) seat offer. Students cannot accept seat offers from multiple schools. In accepting a seat, applicants are confirming their decision regarding school choice for the coming school year and relinquishing all other seat offers from choice schools included in their application. Your position on the waiting list of any other choice schools that you applied for will be released upon accepting a seat.

Waiting Lists: An applicant's position on any waiting list(s) will be released upon accepting a seat at a choice school. The online application system’s dashboard allows families to see waiting list placements. Waiting lists for all magnet schools will be capped at 150 students each. All waiting lists will remain in effect for the coming school year (with the exception of Academic Magnet High School where the waiting list will be considered only until 10 days after the school year starts). Waiting lists do not roll over from year to year; a new application must be submitted each year. 

Registering for school is separate from the School Choice application.

Students who have accepted a seat at a choice school must register for their neighborhood/zoned school in the PowerSchool registration system before they can attend. The choice school will transfer the student information from their neighborhood/zoned school in PowerSchool. Go to the CCSD Registration page to get more information and register when the window opens for the 2025-26 school year.