The following timeline applies to all students who are at the final grade in their building and will go through the school selection process. The timeline also outlines the timeline for students who are eligible for district-provided transportation under the Student Assignment Plan. 

January – School Selection Applications
The school selection process begins in January. Parents or guardians of any student at the final grade in his/her building (transition grade) will receive an email with a link to complete their school selection for the following school year and may apply to attend non-neighborhood schools.  Students in non-transition grades may apply for a new school by obtaining a paper application from their school's counseling office and submitting it back to their school before January 31.  

February – School Selection Processing
All school selection applications received by the deadline, are processed in a lottery using the placement criteria.  

Placement Criteria

1. Neighborhood school – placement is guaranteed.
2. Students who have a sibling currently enrolled at the requested school and will continue to be enrolled for the next school year. 
3. Students residing in the partner zone (eligible for transportation if living greater than 1.5 miles from an elementary and 2.0 miles from a middle school)
4. Students residing outside the partner zone (not eligible for transportation) 

March – School Selection Notification
A student in a transition grade and those who submitted a school selection application are notified of his/her school selection results through U.S. mail.

April 15 – Student Transfer Requests
For students who did not go through school selection or whose circumstances have changed, the student transfer request process opens for school enrollment changes for the following year.  These requests are processed as they are submitted and approval is subject to available space at each building and grade level. Students whose requests are granted before June 15 and are eligible for transportation under the student assignment plan framework will be included in the transportation routing process.

May – Student Transfer Requests Continue
Student transfer requests continue to be processed.

June 15 – Student Transfer Requests and Transportation Routing Deadline
All enrollment and address changes for the following school year made prior to June 15 will be included in the transportation routing process.

July – Student Transfer Requests Limited Transportation Eligibility
Student transfer requests continue to be processed but transportation eligibility is limited to already established stops and space on the bus.

August – December – Student Transfer Requests and Enrollment Fair
The annual Omaha Public Schools Enrollment Fair occurs prior to the start of the school year.  The fair is designed to assist students who are new to the school district and have not enrolled at a school and assist current students who have experienced a change in residence. The enrollment fair takes place at Teacher Administrative Center. 

Omaha Public Schools strives to protect the academic integrity of coursework once a semester has begun. Research shows that students who change schools while a term is in session run the risk of substantial academic problems. Once a term is in session, student movement between schools will be restricted. The approval of a student transfer request is subject to: 

• space availability at the requested school
• the student’s academic achievement
• the student’s conduct, and
• the time of the year when the request is submitted