School Assignment
The student assignment process, or “Controlled Choice,” is designed to provide families with school options while promoting equitable access and balanced enrollment across schools. Families rank their preferred schools, and placements are made using established priorities—such as sibling preference, proximity, and available space—while considering district-wide enrollment goals.
Families of K–8 students rank their top five school choices in order of preference. School assignments are then made using the following placement priorities, which apply only to a student’s first-choice school:
- Sibling Preference: Students with a sibling already attending their first-choice school receive the highest priority, provided they register by the deadline and do not require a specialized placement (such as Special Education or SEI).
- Proximity Preference: After sibling placements are made, students are assigned based on proximity to their first-choice school, as determined by the SPS Street Directory, and subject to seat availability.
- Seat Availability: Students who are not assigned through sibling or proximity preference are placed based on their ranked school choices as seats are available. Students who are not assigned to a first choice are automatically placed on the waitlist for their first choice school.
Attending an SPS Pre-Kindergarten program does not guarantee or provide priority for kindergarten placement at the same school. Current SPS students who submit timely transfer requests receive priority before newly enrolled students. Enrollment applications are accepted only for students who physically reside in Somerville.
