1.
Can I work directly with a school site to enroll my student?
No. In NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS), there is a unified enrollment process for all schools. Students are enrolled by the NOLA-PS district enrollment team, and individual schools do not have the ability to enroll students directly. During the summer, the only way students are assigned to a school is through the Open Enrollment process. View all the schools we serve here.
To get a seat for the 2023-2024 school year, families can participate in Open Enrollment, which runs from June 28 through September 15, 2023. Complete the online Open Enrollment Form and your student will be enrolled in their new school immediately.
Once your child is enrolled in a school, you'll work directly with the school to finish registration within five days of placement and find answers to any questions you may have about the school.
3.
Do I need to come in person to get a school assignment for next year? Will I get any different or better access to seats if I do come in person?
No. The fastest way to secure a seat is to complete the Open Enrollment Form online as soon as you can. You are welcome to come in person if you don’t have access to fill out the form at home or need assistance.
4.
How do I know which schools have available seats?
The Seat Availability Report shows which schools have available seats in real time during Open Enrollment. There are three levels of availability in the report: no availability means 0 seats are available; limited availability means 5 or fewer seats remain; and availability means there are 6+ seats available.
5.
Where can I learn more about the schools with available seats?
Visit our Explore Schools Tool. You can look up a school by name in the search bar or use the filters to search schools that offer special programs (examples: after care, transportation services, sports, etc.). Check out our how-to video for tips on how to use the tool.
6.
What is “Eligibility Criteria” and how do I enroll my student in those schools?
There are 10 schools with Eligibility Criteria—meaning students must complete required steps to be eligible to enroll, such as an academic proficiency test, a foreign language assessment, or an open house requirement. Each school has different requirements, as well as availability for completing requirements in the summer. For more information, visit: https://enrollnolaps.com/eligibilityschools
7.
The school I want to go to says ''No Availability.'' Will more seats open up, or should I choose a different school?
Sometimes seats open over the summer and schools that didn’t have open seats before will have new spots open. However, this is never a guarantee, so we recommend securing a placement and enrolling in a school with an available seat. You may choose to keep an eye on the availability of your preferred school. Kindergarten through 12 grade is mandatory for students in Louisiana, so it’s best to go ahead and choose a school with an available seat so your child is ready to start the school year in August.
8.
Why do some schools appear on the Seat Availability Report, but I can’t select them on the Open Enrollment Form?
Seat availability is changing all the time. The
Seat Availability Report is updated in real time, so it's important to refresh to see the latest availability. The options listed on the dropdown menu on the
Open Enrollment Form are the schools with available seats at the time of viewing.
There are 10 schools with Eligibility Criteria that will never appear as options on the Open Enrollment Form. Students must work with the school directly to complete an assessment (academic or foreign language assessment in French or Spanish) or other next steps to see if your child is eligible. Eligible students are assigned to available seats manually according to set procedures by the NOLA-PS enrollment team once the school confirms students are eligible. Learn more about
Eligibility Schools here.
9.
I have more than one child and I’d like to enroll them at the same school.
Some schools offer Sibling Unification, which means that an applying student who is a sibling of a current student at the school can enroll even if there is not a seat available. First, you need to check if the school where your child currently attends offers Sibling Unification at the grade level of your applying sibling. You can check to see if a school offers Sibling Unification in the Seat Availability Report.
For example, if I have a 6th grade student who attends Andrew Wilson and a 3rd grade student who attends another school, I can check if Sibling Unification is available for 3rd grade at Wilson. If Sibling Unification says "yes" for 3rd grade, I can enroll my 3rd grader at Wilson using the online Open Enrollment Form. Please note the other sibling must be enrolled to attend that school for 2023-2024 in order for the sibling match to work in the form.
Once you have confirmed Sibling Unification is enabled for your child's grade level, use the Open Enrollment Form to enroll your child. On the second page of the form, answer "Yes" to the question asking if you'd like to unify siblings. Select the appropriate sibling from the options displayed (the sibling who attends the school where you would like your other child to go and where Sibling Unification is enabled). Once you select the sibling, type their school name into the dropdown menu and select the school. Then submit your form to enroll your child.
If you do not see your child's sibling unified, submit a help desk ticket.
10.
Does my child get sibling priority? Does my child get geographic priority if we live close to the school we’re interested in?
No--priorities do not apply in Open Enrollment.
11.
Do schools offer waitlists?
Only three NOLA-PS schools have a waitlist: Audubon Uptown, Lake Forest, and The Willow School. Eligible students are added to the waitlist if there are no available seats. See the
Schools with Eligibility Criteria page for more information about which schools and grades have a waitlist.
If you have been added to a waitlist and would like to check on your waitlist position,
submit a help desk ticket and select the topic
K-12 Enrollment / Waitlist Position Question.
12.
My student attended a NOLA-PS school last year, but left mid-year, am I able to reactivate?
Students who were active at a school on 10/1 of the prior year but left the school mid-year can return if the school has decided to accept previous students even if they have no available seats. First, check the Open Enrollment Form to the see if the school has available seats, if so, enroll. If there are no available seats, check the Seat Availability Report. If the school has “Reactivations” checked by the desired grade level, then contact us by submitting a help desk ticket, or calling 504-547-6652 to request the placement, even if the Seat Availability Report shows no availability.
13.
I completed the online Open Enrollment Form. What do I do now?
Families must complete registration with their new school within five days of assignment. If families do not complete registration, they can be dropped from the school’s roster. See a list of all school registration directions for more information specific to your child’s school.
14.
If I change my mind, can I transfer to a different school during Open Enrollment?
Families can complete the online Open Enrollment Form twice between June 28, 2023 and the end date on September 15, 2023.
Students can only hold one NOLA-PS placement at a time. Once the Open Enrollment Form is submitted, the student is immediately enrolled in their new placement, and they no longer hold the seat at their previous placement.
15.
What if I want to change my school after Open Enrollment ends on September 15?
Families cannot change schools based on preference alone after September 15. Families can submit a hardship transfer request on or after September 18, 2023. Learn more at the mid-year transfers page.
16.
My child often struggles in traditional settings and I'm interested in schools that offer supportive services.
EQA Schools offer a variety of options for students 7th grade and up including flexible schedules, small classes, free childcare, therapeutic settings, and more. For more information,
click here.
17.
Can my child enroll in summer school if they get a first-time placement at a NOLA-PS school during Open Enrollment?
Summer school is an option at some schools for some currently enrolled students. Once your child gets assigned to a school, families can reach out to the school to see if there are any opportunities for summer learning.
1.
We’ve never attended school here before. How do I enroll?
First-time families can participate in Open Enrollment even if you did not attend a NOLA-PS school last year. You will need to submit the Open Enrollment Form. On the first screen of the form, enter your child's information. On the second page, it will say your information does not match any current record and you'll be given the opportunity to create a new student. On the third screen, enter your student's information, select the grade level, and choose a school for the 2023 - 2024 school year. For information on how to select the appropriate grade level, see our Grade Assignment Guide.
If you’d like to see which seats are available, check the Seat Availability Report. If you’d like to learn more about which services are offered at local schools, check out our Explore Schools Tool. You do not have to come into the Family Resource Centers to enroll in school for 2023 - 2024 but are welcome to stop by in person if you need any assistance.
2.
Do I enroll in my closest neighborhood school?
New Orleans has a unique school system where 100% of our schools are public charter schools. See the 2023-2024 New Orleans Public School Governance Chart for more information about charter networks. Even though charter schools are managed by individual Charter Management Organizations (CMOs), the district manages enrollment and applications to all NOLA-PS schools through a unified enrollment system. Families can select any school across the city that has an available seat. Families are never automatically assigned to a default school. In New Orleans, every family must choose where they would like their child to enroll. To learn more about which schools have available seats, visit our Seat Availability Report. To learn more about what programs different schools offer, visit our Explore Schools Tool. If a school close to home is important to your family, enter your address on the Explore Schools Tool to see schools closest to your home.
3.
What documents will I need to enroll?
You will not need documents to complete the Open Enrollment Form. Families must complete registration with their documents at their new school within five days of selecting a school through Open Enrollment. If families do not complete registration, they can be dropped from the school’s roster. See a list of all school registration directions for more information—different schools will have different registration directions. Every family is required to provide proof of residency in Orleans Parish annually.
4.
I would like to learn more about my school options.
Visit our
Explore Schools tool to navigate schools with confidence. Check out our
how-to video for tips on how to use the tool.
1.
I applied during Main Round, but I was not matched or waitlisted
Please complete the Open Enrollment Form and select a school from the available schools list now. Need assistance? Submit a help desk ticket, or connect with us.
2.
I applied during Main Round and was waitlisted, but I haven’t received an offer from a waitlisted school.
If you haven't received a waitlist offer yet AND you do not have a placement for next year, then you should participate in Open Enrollment. Getting a school assignment through Open Enrollment will not impact your student’s waitlist position. If you get a waitlist offer, you can trade into that school if you like, but if you don't have a placement at all, then you won't be assigned to a school for the start of the school year. If you are waitlisted and already have a placement for next year, you do not need to participate in Open Enrollment. Waitlist offers will be made by phone and email by the NOLA-PS Enrollment team.
3.
If I don't choose a school, will NOLA-PS assign my student to one like a default choice?
No. Families must make a school choice and register with their school directly to secure a seat for the next school year. If families do not choose a school, their child will not have a seat for the 2023 - 2024 school year at a NOLA-PS school.
4.
I received a placement during Main Round, but I would like to switch my placement and select a new school.
Please complete the Open Enrollment Form and select a school from the available schools list now. Need assistance? Submit a help desk ticket, or connect with us.
*Please note families can only access the Open Enrollment Form to make direct changes twice; families will need to contact NOLA-PS to request additional transfers.
1.
How do I recheck my school placement?
As of April 2023, the online Parent Portal is no longer available. NOLA-PS is currently developing a new portal that will be available in fall 2023.
Complete this form to receive an e-mail copy of your child's placement for 2023 - 2024. If you have trouble using the form, complete a help desk ticket to request your child’s placement.
1.
I still have questions and I need help.
For assistance, submit a ticket at the Help Desk, call us at 504-547-6652, or connect with us at a Family Resource Center.
