Frequently Asked Questions About School Registration AND THE WAITLIST PROCESS

What is the Controlled Choice Plan?

Students register, and are assigned to school in Cambridge, under a Controlled Choice Plan which uses a variety of diversity factors and assignment preferences, including socio-economic status (determined by free and reduced price meal eligibility,) siblings, proximity, and race or ethnicity in a narrowly tailored manner.

When parents or guardians complete their application forms at the Family Resource Center they have the option of identifying up to three choices of schools. At that time they will be asked to voluntarily indicate eligibility for free and reduced price meals.

For the school year beginning in Sept. 2004, 94% of all families received one of their first three choices of schools after the first registration cycle.

To view the CPS Controlled Choice Policy, click on the link under Highlights on this page.

How Exactly Does the Assignment Process Work?

Beginning in January, there are enrollment rounds on a monthly basis. Each application is assigned a random number for what is essentially, a lottery system.

After the socio-economic capacities are determined, preference is given to: siblings and proximity, siblings, and then proximity. All first choice requests are filled first, then second and then third choices are filled based on availability of seats in a given school.

I have both sibling and proximity for my first choice school; am I guaranteed a seat in the school?

Although this is the highest preference an application could be given, there is no guarantee for a space, as there may not be enough open seats for all who apply.

My child attends the Tobin Montessori school. Do I have to register him/her for Kindergarten?

No. Once you have registered your child for the Tobin Montessori program, you do not have to re-register him/her for Kindergarten.

Why am I waitlisted at a school with empty seats?

To fulfill the regulations based on the controlled choice plan, all entering kindergarten classrooms must be plus or minus 10% of the district-wide K-8 percentage of students who are eligible for free and reduced price meals. Children of one category may not fill seats saved for those in the other category.

If I am waitlisted for a school, what does that mean?

Please see the information below about the waitlist.

What should I do if I missed the first registration deadline?

Register at the Family Resource Center as soon as you can.

I live in another state, what should I do to register my child?

If you are coming from another country or another state call the Family Resource Center for information.

What is the trend in mandatory assignments?

Since 2000, the mandatory assignments for first round registrations have been cut in half, to approximately 6% of applicants.

What is a hardship appeal, and if I am waitlisted, should I file an appeal?

Parents/guardians of a kindergarten child whose child has not been assigned to one of the three choices indicated on the application form, and who can show that the assignment to the school to which their child has been assigned will cause a hardship, may appeal the assignment. In order to show a hardship, parents/guardians must show that the child has extraordinary educational needs that cannot be met at the assigned school, and can only be met at the requested school, or that requiring the child to attend the assigned school will subject the child to an unsafe learning environment. (p. 15 – 16, Controlled Choice Plan)

WAITLIST INFORMATION

This information is designed to help parents and guardians understand waitlist procedures in the Cambridge Public School District. Some of this information will be grade specific. There is a slight difference between the waitlists for entering Kindergarten students and for grades 1-8, thus if you should have questions after reviewing this information, please contact Donna Sousa at the Family Resource Center: 617-349-6067

How do I apply to the waitlists?

Parents/guardians may file a transfer request to add their child’s name to a waitlist(s) at the Family Resource Center. This form takes about 5 minutes to complete.

When can I apply to the waitlists?

Transfer requests for the current school year’s waitlist(s) are accepted until the first day of the last full week in March. If you are applying for the next school year’s waitlist, we will accept transfer requests starting on the first day of school in January.

How many waitlists can I apply to?

You may place your child’s name on a maximum of three waitlists. There are two separate waitlists, on for Grade K only and one for Grades 1-8. Each of these lists contains the 12 elementary schools.

How are waitlist positions determined?

Waitlist(s) positions are determined in two ways. For new Kindergarten students, the position is determined by the lottery program for school assignment. For current students in grades 1-8, they are determined by the filing date of the transfer request at the FRC. All grade levels are sorted by the socio-economic categories (lunch application status) on the waitlist.

How and when do I renew my child’s position on the waitlist?

You will receive a grade specific letter from the Family Resource Center in January to remind you to renew the transfer request at the Family Resource Center. All students in grades K-8 must reapply by March 1 to renew their positions on the waitlists. Please update any change of address to insure you receive this important mailing. Address and phone changes are done at your child’s school.

Note: You will be required to submit a notarized certificate of address along with a current utility bill or lease. If you have purchased a home you will also have to provide proof of ownership.

Can my child’s position change on the waitlists?

YES, if you renew your child’s position before the deadline (March 1), and anyone above your child’s name does not, this should improve your child’s position.  Positions on the waitlist are also affected by Hardships, Consolidation Mergers, Mainstreaming Students from the Sheltered English Immersion classes and gender balancing per grade level must not exceed 65%  in either category.

When will I be offered a transfer opportunity and how will I be notified?

When a seat becomes available, we will offer the seats off the waitlist. You will be contacted by phone and you must respond within 48 hours or your child’s name will be removed from the waitlist. Your child’s name will only be removed from the waitlist for the school we are offering you. During the summer months, we ask you to leave any vacation contact number. Also, we will accept a letter in writing stating that you will accept the transfer should it become available and we are unable to contact you. This letter must be very specific if you are on more than one waitlist.  Note: After the start of school, only one transfer a year is allowed.

If I miss the phone call, can I reapply to the waitlist?

Yes, you may reapply to the waitlist and your child’s name will be added back to the waitlist by the new filing date.

When will my child be transferred?

If you are offered a transfer during the current school year, your child will transfer within a few days after the acceptance of the transfer. If you are on the waitlist for the next school year, we will start offering transfers from mid-June and continue through the summer months. Your child would then transfer at the beginning of the next school year.

Do the waitlists expire?

Yes, the waitlists expire on March 31st of each year. No transfers are offered after April 1st for the current school year.

Can I apply to the waitlist(s) if my child does not attend the Cambridge Public Schools?

Yes, if your child is age eligible* to attend grades 1-8 and is a resident of Cambridge, you may apply to the Cambridge Public Schools. You will be required to file an application and are responsible for updating the Family Resource Center with any phone or address change. You are also required to renew this information each year by April 30th. Your child will be placed on the waitlist for your school choices according to the completion date of the application. Applications can be downloaded from our website. However, they must be filed in person by a parent or guardian.

* As of September 2004, children must be 6 by August 31st to enter first grade