Notice of Intent to Participate

A resident district must be notified if a student intends to apply to a choice district. The purpose of the Notice of Intent to Participate form is to give the resident district advance notice of the student's intent to apply to a choice district for enrollment in the next school year. By November 17, 2023, all applicants must complete and submit to their resident district the Notice of Intent to Participate form. (By law, a resident district must be informed if a student intends to participate in a choice program.) The resident district should provide a signed receipt that acknowledges receipt of the form. Late Intent to Participate forms can be submitted to the resident district if the student is a late applicant.

Choice Application

The application deadline for 2024-25 enrollment in a choice district is December 1, 2023. Students may still apply to a choice district after the application deadline, but will be considered for enrollment only after those who applied before the deadline. 

Confirmation of Enrollment

The information requested on the student application that is submitted to the choice district will indicate whether or not a student is to be considered Tier 1 and given priority over Tier 2 applicants. To confirm Tier 1 status, the choice district must submit the applicant's current enrollment information to their resident district. The resident district will then verify whether the student was counted in its most recent October 15 ASSA count and continues to be enrolled in the resident district. The following steps are required:

1. The choice district must complete a Confirmation of Enrollment spreadsheet for each district from which a choice student applicant resides, listing each student's name, the school currently attending, and the current grade level. The spreadsheets must be submitted to the resident districts by December 5, 2023.
2. The resident district must confirm whether each student was counted in its most recent October 15 ASSA count and whether the student continues to be enrolled in the district. This confirms Tier 1 eligibility. The resident district must return the spreadsheet by Dec. 11, 2023.

Note: If a student moved during the year but attended the public school of both the old and new resident districts, both districts must be contacted to confirm enrollment during the respective time periods. These students are also considered Tier 1.

The resident district must return completed spreadsheets to each choice district by December 11, 2023.

Notice of Intent to Enroll

The resident district must receive notification from each choice district by January 12, 2024, of those choice students who have been accepted for enrollment in 2024-25. If late applicants are accepted by the choice district, the choice district will send the Notice of Intent to Enroll to the resident district upon receipt of the form from the student. The resident district cannot prevent a student from attending a choice district if the Notice of Intent to Enroll form is submitted late (unless the district has an approved limiting resolution signed by the Commissioner). 

The resident district will receive transportation requests from each choice district by March 15 for those choice students who are eligible for transportation services. If students are accepted after this date, the choice district will send the transportation information to the resident district upon receipt of the information from the student.

The sending district is required to provide transportation or aid in lieu of transportation for any resident student to a choice district who resides more than 2 miles from the choice school if an elementary school student, or more than 2.5 miles from the choice school if a secondary school student, but not more than 20 miles from the choice school. Read more information about transportation regulations.

Choice districts may add new students and/or accommodate late applicants up until October 14 of the enrollment year; however, no new applicants can be enrolled above the choice district's NJDOE-approved maximum choice enrollment. No additional choice students can be added after this date, with the exception of students who receive a NJDOE-approved waiver of the application deadline.

Resident districts must be notified by the choice district of late student acceptances using the Notice of Intent to Enroll form. The resident district cannot prevent a student from attending a choice district if the Notice of Intent to Enroll form is submitted before October 14 (unless the district has an approved limiting resolution signed by the Commissioner).

Once a choice district has filled all of its NJDOE-approved choice seats, it cannot enroll any more choice students, with the exception of a student who has received a NJDOE-approved waiver of the application deadlines. When extenuating circumstances occur, the NJDOE may grant a waiver of the student application deadline, allowing a student to submit an application and be accepted to a choice program outside the timeline established by the NJDOE. Waivers will only be granted by a showing of "good cause" and when a student's educational conditions are such that an immediate transfer is needed. Waivers will not be granted for convenience reasons such as missing the application deadline. Typically, student enrollment must occur immediately upon approval of the waiver, however each waiver will be considered based on the specific circumstances of the student. Parents can request a waiver form by emailing the choice program office.