Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the district’s open enrollment program?
Open enrollment is a state law that allows students to attend schools outside of their resident school if the receiving school has the capacity to accept them. Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) residents who wish to attend a school other than their home area school must apply under the open enrollment program as well as non-resident families.
Click here for more details about open enrollment.
Q: Are students accepted on a first-come, first-served basis?
All applicants who apply between November 1 and January 31 are given equal consideration for placement per governing board policy | política de la junta directiva on open enrollment procedures. If capacity is insufficient to enroll all students to a particular grade in a particular school, then they shall be selected through a random selection process. If there is additional capacity to accept students after January 31, we will respond to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Q: What are my student’s chances of being accepted to CFSD?
Last year we accepted 96% of the students who applied. Denials were primarily due to class size limitations at specific schools or in specialized programs.
Q: Since all Open Enrollment students must re-apply every year, is there a chance s/he will not be accepted?
Continuing open enrollment students and their siblings have priority for acceptance under the open enrollment program. The district recognizes the importance of continuity in a child’s education.
Q: Are there any restrictions on an open enrollment student?
Transportation is the responsibility of the student’s family. This responsibility applies to both resident and out-of-district open enrollment students. Once students are accepted under open enrollment, they are district students in all other aspects of their education and extracurricular activities. There are some Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) restrictions on high school students participating in AIA activities who transfer to other schools. Contact Charles Pierce, athletic director at Catalina Foothills High School, if you have questions related to this issue.
Q: How do I find out about specific programs available at CFSD?
Our web site has complete information regarding: Gifted Education, Spanish Immersion, Chinese Immersion, Special Education Resources, and curricula for Elementary, Middle, and High School levels. A complete overview of our 21st Learning initiative can also be reviewed. Please note that Catalina Foothills School District has a half-day kindergarten program. A full-day program is available through the fee-based Kindergarten Plus program.
Q: Can my student be placed on a waiting list for a future school year enrollment?
CFSD does not maintain a “waiting list” from year to year. Open enrollment applications are accepted November through January preceding the next school year. Applications for 2025-2026 are accepted from November 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. Although applications received November - January are processed first, we continue to accept applications submitted beginning February 1, 2025 and thereafter, placing students on a first-come, first-served basis if there is additional capacity.
Q: If my student applies for open enrollment and decides not to attend, are they eligible for future school years?
They may apply again in future years. Acceptance for the current application period is not transferable to future years. Also, the student must enroll for the accepted school year prior to the deadline indicated on the acceptance letter. The open enrollment acceptance is offered with the expectation that the student joins us on the first day of school.
Q: When and how will I be notified about my student's application?
If you apply during the open enrollment application period (November 1 through January 31), you will receive a response to your application by email after January 31 but no later than March 1. If you apply after January 31, you will receive a response in a timely manner but no later than two weeks prior to the first day of school.
Annually, open enrollment is a three-step process for all students who reside outside of the attendance boundary of the school they prefer to attend: 1.) application, 2.) notification of our decision, and 3.) if accepted, then online registration.
The open enrollment application for the 2025-2026 school year will become available here beginning November 1, 2024.
Please note: a separate application must be submitted for each student.
If you would like to submit an open enrollment application for the current
school year, our capacity information is provided below. Please contact
Dee Flores by email dflores@cfsd16.org to request the link to the open
enrollment application for the current school year ending May 21, 2025. Generally, current school year open enrollment applications take five to seven business days to process.