CUSD Open Enrollment (OE) Waitlist FAQ’s

I applied through an Open Enrollment window, but my child is not on the waitlist. Why not?

There are a variety of reasons your child may not be on the waitlist:

• No tour/parent information meeting (alt school/program only) was attended. If you believe this was an error, please contact the alternative school/program office.

• A different attendance area school or alternative school/program was not selected when the OE form was submitted (blank submission)

• Incorrect grade level was entered, or the school chosen does not offer the grade level selected (for example, Faria, as well as Murdock-Portal, do not have 6th-grade classes)

• Your child was not re-registered for the 2025-2026 school year, and their perm ID # was not considered active for the Open Enrollment lottery

I have a lower waitlist number but have not received an offer. Why not?

All open spaces in Kindergarten are not initially offered for a variety of reasons:

• If a student has an IEP, the IEP must be reviewed and/or the team must meet prior to the offer. The student’s space is not offered to another student while this process is taking place.

• Some spaces are held for potential retention for the current 2024-2025 students.

Why is my child’s waitlist number not moving?

• Depending on the time of year, there may be few offers available. 

Why is my child’s waitlist number getting higher?

• Priorities may be added or removed to student’s waitlist numbers making other student’s numbers go higher instead of lower. 

• Priorities are assigned based on current BP/AR 5116.1.

When will I get an offer?

• The waitlist is monitored daily, and if/when an offer can be made, a CUSD staff member will email you. Offers can happen during the summer or after school starts through March 2026. Schools need to have adequate space to consider offers.

What does adequate space mean?

• One opening from a student leaving does not mean that an offer will be sent to the first student on an Open Enrollment waitlist. No student currently residing within a school's attendance area shall be displaced by another student transferring from outside the attendance area. (Education Code 35160.5)