Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Enrollment

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Do I have a ParentVUE account?

CURRENT, RETURNING or PREVIOUSLY ENROLLED FAMILIES

• Do you have a student that is currently enrolled, and you want to enroll another student?
• Have you ever had a student enrolled in Bellevue School District?
• Are you enrolling a student that was previously enrolled in Bellevue School District?
• Has your child ever received Birth to Two or Early Intervention program services?
• Has your child EVER been evaluated in a special program within Bellevue School District?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, you may have an existing record with Bellevue School District and you may need to activate your ParentVUE account to start online enrollment. If you don’t remember your login information, please contact [email protected]

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I’ve never used my previous ParentVUE account why is it important to not create a new one?

Families who have or had a student enrolled in BSD already have a ParentVUE account created with family relationships established.  If these families create a new ParentVUE account, their newly enrolling students will not be associated as siblings in our student information system.  You will have multiple ParentVUE accounts and will not be able to see all your students when you log in.  Please use your existing ParentVUE account when enrolling a new student. If you don’t remember your login information, please contact [email protected]; if you don’t remember your password, use the forgot password option.

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How do I create a ParentVUE account?

NEW FAMILIES

Families who have never enrolled a student in Bellevue School District will need to create a NEW ParentVUE account. If you have other students currently or previously enrolled in the district, please see the current, returning or previously enrolled section above.

Please visit this page for step by step instructions on how to create a ParentVUE account.

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Can I start the enrollment process and come back later to complete it?

Yes, if you do so within 10 days.  The system will save your work as you go through the process.  When you log back in, you will be able to pick up where you left off.  BUT, after 10 days, everything will be deleted, and you will need to start over.

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I checked on my student’s enrollment and it shows the School Name – Student Placement: Denied, is there a problem with my documents?

No all enrollment submissions go to the “school” Student Placement. Student Placement reviews the enrollment submission and documents provided. If the enrollment submission is complete Student Placement “denies” it (this can be confusing) and pushes the enrollment to the actual school to complete the enrollment process.

Here is a screen shot of an enrollment pushed to Enatai from Student Placement:

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When can I enroll my student for the upcoming school year?

Enrollment for the upcoming fall school year typically opens the beginning of March.  Students must be physically living in the Bellevue School District boundaries or be approved to attend one of our schools in order to enroll.

We ask that new families, especially enrolling kindergarteners, enroll in March for the upcoming school year.  This will give us the best information to ensure we have the correct number of teachers to keep classrooms as small as possible.

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Do I need to enroll my student(s) every year?

No.  As long as your student is not withdrawn, they will automatically roll up to the next school year at the appropriate school.

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How do I know which school to select?

Students in the District are assigned to an attendance area school based on their home address. To find your neighborhood or attendance area school click here.

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What if I want my student to go to a different school than the assigned school?

To apply to a different neighborhood school, click here.  To apply to a choice school or program, click here.

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What are the age requirements for enrolling?

In Washington, a student must be 5 on or before August 31 of the year they begin kindergarten and 6 on or before August 31 of the year they begin 1st grade.

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My student will not be 5 on or by August 31 but will be 5 by October 31.  How can they qualify for Early Entrance to kindergarten testing?

Students must be residents of the Bellevue School District or a child of an eligible BSD employee to test for early entrance to kindergarten and they must be 5 on or before October 31. You must submit an application to be eligible for testing. Please visit the Early Entrance to Kindergarten page for more information.

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My student will not be 6 before August 31, but they are enrolled in a private kindergarten, can they enroll in 1^st grade?

Students who turn 6 after August 31 and have been attending a state approved public or private kindergarten whose standards equal or exceed the 1000 hours of instruction provided under the direct supervision of a certificated teacher, including curriculum and instruction in reading, mathematics and communication skills designed to meet the State grade level expectations and essential academic learning requirements may have the kindergarten complete a Certification of Qualified Kindergarten Attendance form (PDF).  This form should be completed toward the end of the school year and provided to Student Placement when they contact you regarding your student’s age.

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My student graduated from a school in a different country or state may they enroll in high school?

Students who have graduated from another school may not enroll in high school.

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I’m not sure what grade to select for my student.

The Bellevue School District does not hold back students, nor do we move students up a grade; your student needs to continue in the continuum of their education. If you are coming from a country that has a different school year than we do, grade placement may depend on the time of year you are enrolling. Please reach out to [email protected] and include your student’s current grade, the country they are currently enrolled in, and the school year for that country. We will help you determine appropriate grade placement. Final grade placement is determined by the school principal.

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May I request a particular teacher for my elementary student or other teacher placement questions (i.e. keep/separate twins, be in class with friend).

No, families may not request a particular elementary teacher. For the current school year, your school will notify you of your student’s teacher assignment after your student is enrolled. For the upcoming school year, teachers are assigned in late August and your school will notify you of your student’s teacher assignment.  Schools will not able to place friends together but may be able to make accommodations for siblings.  When you are contacted by the school after enrollment, please let the elementary office manager know your request.  They may connect you with the principal to discuss it further.

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Does it really matter if my student misses some school or is withdrawn after 20 days?

YES.  School attendance is critical at all grade levels, even kindergarten!  Students who miss school are missing out on valuable education that is the foundation for all learning to come later.

• Attending school on-time, all day, every day will give your child the best chance of graduating from high school.
• Starting in kindergarten, missing just 2 days a month, whether excused or unexcused, makes it more likely that your child will not meet academic standards in math and reading by third grade.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, dealing with a bully situation, or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
• By 9th grade, regular attendance is a better predictor of high school graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

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What if my student is withdrawn for missing 20 days of school, how do we re-enroll?

Attending school is critical for all grade levels.  All instruction, from kindergarten to 12th grade, prepare students for their future education.  Please plan your vacations for when school is not in session.  With that said, all students who miss more than 20 consecutive days, are withdrawn and you will need to re-enroll them when you wish them to start school again.  When you come back to re-enroll, select the option that you have had a student enrolled in BSD in the past.  You will need to go through the entire process including re-establishing residency.

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After I complete the enrollment process, when will my student start school?

If we are enrolling students for only one school year, your student should be able to start school within a couple of days of the time we receive all the necessary documents.

During the spring when we begin enrolling students for the upcoming school year, we first focus on getting students into school for the current school year and then move to enrolling students for the next school year.  Our goal is to process secondary (middle and high school) enrollments for the next year as quickly as possible so that new students may be included in course selection for the upcoming school year.

If you are enrolling for the next school year and your family may qualify for McKinney-Vento Services (for families experiencing homelessness and housing instability) your students will not be enrolled until August, right before the start of the school year.  We are required by law to qualify families for McKinney-Vento Services each year in August so enrollment will be delayed.

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What if I don’t enroll my student before school’s out in June?

New students enrolling for next year who have not been enrolled by the end of the current school year, will be enrolled over the summer prior to the start of the next school year.  Secondary students enrolled over the summer will hear from their schools just before the start of the new school year for class selection.  Elementary students will be sent teacher information and information on back-to-school events prior to the start of the school year.

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Why do we have to establish residency?

Students must enroll in the school district in which they reside unless they have applied to and been accepted to a different school district.  Establishing residency proves that the student is residing in the boundaries of the Bellevue School District and tells us which school the student should be enrolled in as addresses are assigned to specific schools.  You can verify what school your address is assigned to by entering your address here.

Students will not be enrolled without required documents.  You can significantly speed up with process by uploading the required documents during the enrollment process.  Although you are given the opportunity to hand deliver documents to Student Placement, this will slow down the process significantly.  Additionally, ensure that you are providing the correct documents:

• A copy of your current PSE bill and the following as it applies:
  • Renters:  a fully signed (signed by you and the property owner), current lease agreement
  • Homeowners:  a copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy declaration page

Click here for information on how to download your PSE bill.  If you do not yet have a PSE bill, please attach your start of service letter.

If you are a nonresident student and would like to enroll, please be sure to apply first and then follow the instructions provided by Student Placement.

• Nonresident students who have been accepted to the Bellevue School District do not need to provide residency documents.  Instead, during the enrollment process, select the “I will deliver a copy…” option when asked to upload residency documents.  Then, upload a copy of the confirmation email you receive after you submit the choice transfer request in the field titled “Choice Transfer Confirmation”.

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What if I don’t have the documents needed to establish residency?

All families enrolling as residents of the Bellevue School District must provide residency documents in order to enroll. The enrollment process cannot be started until all residency documents have been received. Listed below are (3) reasons why it may not be possible for you to submit the requested documents:

In temporary corporate housing

• Upload your housing confirmation from your employer.
• We will have you sign a temporary residency agreement that will allow you time to find housing and will allow enrollment to proceed. When you secure housing, we will have you begin the residency process.

Washington State Address Confidentiality Program

An official letter from the Address Confidentiality Program stating the attendance area school fulfills the requirement to establish residency.

Experiencing housing instability

Families who are not able to establish their residency or do not have a verifiable address because their living situation is temporary due to loss of housing, economic hardship, are fleeing violence, have experienced a housing disaster (fire, flood, etc.) or are temporarily staying with another family because of these reasons may qualify for McKinney-Vento services.

• If your family is experiencing housing instability, please go ahead and apply without uploading residency documents. During enrollment, select the “I will deliver a copy….” option and our McKinney-Vento coordinator will contact you.
• If your student qualifies for McKinney-Vento services, enrollment will not be delayed for the current school year.
• If you do not qualify for McKinney-Vento, you will need to provide residency documents.

If you need additional help, please reach out to [email protected] or 425-456-4287.

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We do not live in the boundaries of the Bellevue School District how can we attend one of your schools?

By Washington State law, students enroll in the school district in which they are residents – meaning where they live the majority of the time.  Therefore, if you are living in a different school district, that is where you should enroll.

If you are interested in enrolling in the Bellevue School District, we encourage you to submit a nonresident student application.  Many of our schools accept nonresident students.  To apply as a nonresident student, please visit Transfer Into the Bellevue School District  webpage on the BSD website.

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I pay Bellevue taxes; I should be able to enroll in your schools.

In Washington State, all education related taxes sent to the state are placed in a “bucket” and sent out to school districts across the state.  Your taxes dollars do not stay in Bellevue.  If you own a home in Bellevue but live in a different school district, we encourage you to submit a nonresident student application.  Many of our schools accept nonresident students.  To apply, please visit Transfer Into the Bellevue School District  webpage on the BSD website.

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Residency Documents

Residency in the Bellevue School District must be established to enroll your student, when enrolling please submit the following documents.

• A copy of your current PSE bill and the following as it applies:

• • Renters:  a fully signed (signed by you and the property owner), current lease agreement
  • Homeowners:  a copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy declaration page

  Click here for information on how to download your PSE bill.

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Proof of Immunization

• Proof of medically verified immunizations is required for all newly enrolling students.
• You will be asked to upload these documents during the enrollment process.
• If you do not have medically verified immunizations, during the enrollment process, you may select that you will deliver the immunizations after your student is enrolled.
• For more information on immunizations and other health forms, please visit this page.

We also use the School Module, an online system provided by the Washington State Department of Health.  For more information, visit our School Module for Immunization Records page.  You will be asked to opt in to the School Module during enrollment.

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Proof of age for kindergarten/1st grade

Students in Washington must be 5 or 6 by August 31 of the year they begin kindergarten or 1st grade, respectively. We cannot enroll students in kindergarten or 1st grade without proof of age. For more information on early entrance to kindergarten click here.

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What if I don’t have age verification for my enrolling kindergartener or 1st grader

We are required by Washington State law to verify the age of all students enrolling in kindergarten or 1st grade only (you do not need to provide age verification for students enrolling in other grades).  Most families provide a copy of the birth certificate or passport.  The Bellevue School District will accept any one of a variety of documents for purposes of verifying a student’s age, including but not limited to a birth certificate, passport, a Department of Social and Health Services [DSHS] Medicaid voucher, an entry in a family bible, an adoption record, an affidavit from a parent, a previously verified school record, or any other document permitted by law.

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Previous educational experience.

• Report card from previous school (grades 6-12 only)
• Unofficial High School transcript (grades 9-12)

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Why an unofficial high school transcript?

If you are enrolling a student in high school (9th through 12th grades), we need an unofficial high school transcript or report cards to be able to ensure they have received credits for work completed to keep them on track to graduate on time.  If the transcript or report cards are provided after your student starts school, they may need to change classes and that is not a great experience for them.

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Other Important Documents you may need to upload if they apply to your student:

IEP, IEP Evaluation, 504, IHP 

• IEP, IEP Evaluation, 504, and IHP documents help us ensure your student receives the services they need when they begin school.  If this information is received later, these students may also need to change classes.
• Support for Native America Students (Title VI Program) Form for students who will select Native American Indian in the Race and Ethnicity section during the enrollment process

Parenting plan, restraining order, etc.

• Parenting Plan and Restraining Orders are helpful to ensure we know of the legally established guidelines.

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What do I do if I don’t have some of the required documents can I complete the enrollment process?

It depends on which documents you are missing.  If they are required forms, you will not be able to move forward in the enrollment process without them.

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Is there an option to drop off our documents in person?

There is an option to drop off documents in person but that will delay your enrollment, which will not proceed until we have the documents.   So, please upload them during the enrollment process.  The easiest thing to do is to have PDFs of the various required documents saved and ready to upload during enrollment.

You may drop off your documents in person at the Student Placement Office (12011 NE 1st St, Suite 210, Bellevue, WA 98005) or you may email them to [email protected].  Be sure to include why you are sending us the documents and the name(s) of your student(s).

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What if I want to upload other school related documents?

We understand that school systems around the world require different documents.  The Bellevue School District does not need pictures of your students, letters of recommendation, withdrawal forms, etc.  We only need the documents we list.

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Do we need to provide our immigration paperwork?

No. The Bellevue School District does not ask for nor verify the immigration status of our students.

However, please be aware that we do not accept students on F1 Visas as we do not participate in the Federal I-20 reporting program.  Additionally, we recommend that students who are visiting the United States on either a temporary or tourist visa (B1 or B2) not enroll in school.  Doing so may violate the terms of the visa and result in the visa holder being permanently denied a visa to return to the United States in the future.  We recommend that students on a B1 or B2 visa speak with an immigration attorney prior to enrolling in school.

Have additional questions? Visit the Washington State public instruction website

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I would like my student to attend a different school than the assigned school

If you would like your student to attend a different school than their assigned neighborhood (attendance area) school the first step is to submit an application.

To apply for the upcoming school year, please submit your application during the Open Transfer and Choice School/Program application period which is open December/January prior to the requested school year.  The application will be on the front page of the District website, WWW.BSD405.ORG

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What is the difference between open transfer and choice school/program applications?

Open Transfer applications: To submit an Open Transfer application click here.

The Open Transfer application period is for applicants who will be in grades kindergarten through 12 in the upcoming school year to request a different neighborhood school than their assigned attendance area school.

Applicants may apply for only one neighborhood (attendance area) school:

• Elementary: Ardmore, Bennett, Cherry Crest, Clyde Hill, Enatai, Lake Hills, Medina, Newport Heights, Phantom Lake, Sherwood Forest, Somerset, Spiritridge, Stevenson, Woodridge
• Middle: Chinook, Highland, Odle, Tillicum, Tyee
• High: Bellevue, Interlake, Newport, Sammamish

Students will be placed in a lottery and offered a spot depending on space at the school.  Nonresident applicants will be placed at the bottom of the resident list in the order received, priority is given to resident students. After the application period closes, students may still apply and will be placed on the wait list in the order they apply.  For more information, please see Procedure 3120.1P Attendance Area Transfers.

Choice School applications: To apply to a choice school or program, click here.

The Choice School application period is for incoming kindergarten or 6th grade entry, exceptions are listed below. All grade levels may apply to the waitlist after the incoming application period closes.

Resident students and children of eligible BSD employees may apply for the following:

• Kindergarten entry language programs – apply to one or all schools/programs – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore), Hindi Bilingual Program (location to be determined), Korean Bilingual Program (location to be determined), Jing Mei (Mandarin dual language), Puesta del Sol (Spanish Immersion), Spanish Dual Language Program (Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest, or Stevenson)
• 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd grade entry – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore)
• 6^th grade entry – apply to one or both schools – Big Picture, International School

Nonresident students may apply for the following:

• Kindergarten entry language programs – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore), Hindi Bilingual Program (Ardmore), Korean Bilingual Program (Newport Heights), Puesta del Sol (Spanish Immersion), Spanish Dual Language Program (Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest, or Stevenson)
• 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd grade entry – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore)
• 6^th grade entry – Big Picture

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My student is starting kindergarten, where can I learn more about kindergarten

For more information about kindergarten, please click here.

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At what age can my student enroll in kindergarten?

In Washington State, students must be 5 on or by August 31 of the year they begin kindergarten.

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What if my student turns 5 in September?

Students who turn 5 on or by October 31 and are either residents of the Bellevue School District or are the children of eligible BSD employees, may apply for Early Entrance to kindergarten.

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Can my student attend half day kindergarten?

Yes.  Half day kindergarten is an option in the Bellevue School District.  Half day kindergarten students come for the start of school and leave before lunch.  Kindergarten is the basis for all education that follows and students who miss the afternoon may miss critical building blocks.  If you do choose to attend half day kindergarten, let your school know when you receive confirmation your student is enrolled.

Out of a cohort of about 1200 kindergarteners, in typical school year, we have 2-4 kindergarteners attending half day and the vast majority of these students are in full day kindergarten by winter break.  This is because the students attending half day miss out on all instruction that occurs in the afternoon.

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Can my incoming kindergartener apply for Choice Schools/Programs?

Entry into these programs is through application and lottery, the winter before your student begins kindergarten.

• Mandarin Dual Language Program – Jing Mei Elementary School
• Spanish Immersion Program (ISA) – Puesta del Sol Elementary School
• Spanish Dual Language Program – This program is available at Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest and Stevenson Elementary Schools

Heritage Language Program

• Arabic Bilingual Program – Ardmore Elementary School
• Hindi Bilingual Program – Ardmore Elementary School
• Korean Bilingual Program – Newport Heights Elementary School

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What is an eligible, nonresident employee of the Bellevue School District?

Eligible employees must work for the Bellevue School District (not just in Bellevue…their employer must be the Bellevue School District).  Substitutes are not eligible employees.  Eligible employees are defined as:

• Classified employees who work 16 hours per week or more for a minimum of 180 days
• Certificated employees who are a 0.4 FTE or greater

Students who are the children of eligible nonresident employees of the Bellevue School District must still apply but they will be treated as resident students.  The children of eligible nonresident employees will apply through Open Transfer and may apply to all Choice Schools/Programs.

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My student is receiving home-based instruction (home school).  Can they take classes, participate in athletics and activities and receive ancillary services through the Bellevue School District?

Yes!  As long as you live in the boundaries of the Bellevue School District, your student may enroll in their home attendance area school and receive services from the District.  This includes taking classes, participating in activities and athletics and receiving ancillary services.

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We live in Bellevue and my student attends Private School.  Can they take classes and/or participate in activities in the Bellevue School District?

Yes!  As long as you live in the boundaries of the Bellevue School District, your student may enroll in the Bellevue School District and receive services from the District.  This includes taking classes (students may not enroll in any classes that are offered at the private school), participating in activities and athletics and receiving ancillary services.

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What are Ancillary Services?

Ancillary service is defined to include counseling, testing, remedial instruction, communication disorder services, physical and occupational therapy, health services, psychological services, testing, etc.

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My student is not enrolled in BSD, do they need to enroll & what forms are required for part-time attendance or ancillary services?

Students must enroll in their attendance area school and submit the forms below,

• Home school students submit a Declaration of Intent to Homeschool form each school year and a Request for Part-Time Attendance form listing the services they wish.
• Private school students must submit a Request for Part-Time Attendance form; any items they request must not be available through their private school.

These forms need to be sent to [email protected]

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We do not live in the boundaries of the Bellevue School District; can my student attend your schools?

Most likely yes!  Many of our schools are accepting nonresident students. Nonresident students must be in good standing regarding grades, attendance and discipline in order to attend our schools.  Nonresident students cannot take the spot of a resident student so they will be placed on the lists after resident students. Nonresident students need to first submit an application. They will be placed on the waitlists in the order they apply (they are not placed in a lottery) so do not delay!

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When can I apply?

New nonresident students who are interested in enrolling in a Bellevue School District school for the 2024-2025 school year may submit their information to be added to the waitlist beginning December 11th at 9:00 am.  A link will be on the Transfer Into the Bellevue School District page at the BSD website.

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What if the requested school is at capacity, can we apply for more than one school?

Applicants may apply for only one neighborhood (attendance area) school:

• Elementary: Ardmore, Bennett, Cherry Crest, Clyde Hill, Enatai, Lake Hills, Medina, Newport Heights, Phantom Lake, Sherwood Forest, Somerset, Spiritridge, Stevenson, Woodridge
• Middle: Chinook, Highland, Odle, Tillicum, Tyee
• High: Bellevue, Interlake, Newport, Sammamish

You will be able to indicate whether you are interested in other schools if space is available. If space becomes available at the requested school and we are able to place nonresident students, we will contact you with a placement offer. If space is not available at the requested school in your students grade level we may contact you about other schools that have capacity.

Thank you for your patience as we go through this process.  We will contact you as quickly as possible but please know it may not be until around the start of school until we contact you.

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Can my student apply for a Choice School or Program?

Nonresident students may apply for the following choice school/programs:

• Kindergarten entry language programs – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore), Hindi Bilingual Program (location to be determined), Korean Bilingual Program (location to be determined), Puesta del Sol (Spanish Immersion), Spanish Dual Language Program (Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest, or Stevenson)
• 1^st , 2^nd or 3rd grade entry – Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore)
• 6^th grade entry – Big Picture

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What if my student only wants to take a few classes?

Nonresident students will not be accepted for less than full-time enrollment.

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If my student is accepted, what is the process for enrollment?

If BSD can place your student, you will receive an email offer from Student Placement with enrollment instructions.

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Will I need to provide residency documents?

Nonresident students who have been accepted to the Bellevue School District do not need to provide residency documents.  Instead, during the enrollment process, select the “I will deliver a copy…” option when asked to upload residency documents.  Then, upload a copy of the confirmation email you receive after you submit the choice transfer request in the field titled “Choice Transfer Confirmation”.

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Choice Transfer Request (CTR)

All nonresident students, including the children of eligible nonresident employees, who are attending the Bellevue School District, must submit a Choice Transfer to their resident school district (the one associated to their address) requesting to be released to the Bellevue School District.

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We are a nonresident family. My student is currently enrolled at a BSD school.  We submitted a CTR at the time of enrollment do we need to submit another one?

Yes this is required each year, you must submit a Choice Transfer Request to the school district where you live, even if your student has never attended school in your resident school district.

Student Placement will email a reminder in January to renew your CTR for the upcoming school year. Please wait to submit the Choice Transfer until Student Placement asks for it as this helps create efficiencies.  And thank you in advance for submitting it as soon as you are asked.  Students who do not submit the Choice Transfer each year will be withdrawn.

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I have submitted my student’s enrollment; when will they start school?

The process takes a few days to complete.  Residency must first be established by Student Placement and then the enrollment is moved to the appropriate school to complete the process.

Students will not be enrolled without the required documents.  You can significantly speed up with process by uploading the required documents during the enrollment process.  Although you are given the opportunity to hand deliver documents to Student Placement, this will slow down the process significantly.

Additionally, ensure that you are providing the correct documents. All resident families need to provide a copy of their most recent PSE bill – make sure the mailing and service address matches.  Renters need to provide a copy of their signed lease agreement – make sure it is signed by both you and the landlord.  Homeowner’s need to provide a copy of their Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Declarations page – make sure your mailing and insured addresses match.

If you have students attending different schools, please be aware that your students may not start school on the same day (other than the first day of school in the fall).  This is because each school needs to process your students’ enrollment and there may be a different timing for each.

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How do my middle and high school students select their classes?

When enrolling in the current school year, your student’s school will reach out to you when enrollment is complete.

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We’re enrolling for the upcoming school year, how do my middle and high school students select their classes?

If your enrollment is completed early enough in the spring, your student will be included in class selection in the spring. If your enrollment is too late for that process, your student’s counselor will reach out to you in late August, just before school starts. Please be sure to upload your student’s report card or transcript to help in this process. Your student will get all their required classes to keep them on track for graduation. You can see the curriculum and course catalog on the Course Catalog page.

Also, be sure to check your school’s website at Schools – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org), for information on back to school events.

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Is there any reason why my student’s enrollment for the upcoming school year would be delayed?

If you are applying for the next school year and your family may qualify for McKinney-Vento Services (for families experiencing homelessness and housing instability) your students will not be enrolled until August right before the start of the school year.  We are required by law to qualify families for McKinney-Vento Services each year in August so enrollment will be delayed.

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Where can I find out what school supplies are needed?

You can search for school supplies using the search feature on the District website.

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How do I find out about bus service?

Bus transportation is provided to students who live outside the one (1) mile walk boundary. Elementary and middle school students are serviced by the yellow school buses. Middle and high school students are provided with an ORCA card so that they may use public transportation.  Middle school students may request an ORCA card in their school office; high school students may pick it up at their school’s Taking Care of Business Day.   Students who enroll after their Taking Care of Business Day may pick up their ORCA card in the school office.

To see if your address qualifies for transportation, please enter your address into the Edulog WebQuery Portal. If your student is eligible for bus service, it will say Eligible. Then click on the school to find out the bus stop information. Please note that our choice schools will also be shown on this list. You need to be approved, in advance, to join these schools.  If your student is in the Advanced Learning program, select 2 under Program and if they are in the Spanish Dual Language program or a Heritage Language program, select 4 under Program.

• To see if your student is eligible for bus transportation and to find bus stop locations, please visit this page.
• Students eligible for bus transportation will be mailed their stop information by mid-August prior to the start of school.  Kindergarten through 3rd graders will be mailed a wristband.  If you have not received these items by a week before the start of school, please email [email protected].  Be sure to include your student’s name, ID and school.
• Students who enroll after August:
  • May pick up wristbands from their school office (kindergarten through 3rd grade)
  • May look up their bus eligibility and bus stop locations here.
• Middle school students who would like an ORCA card may pick one up at their school office after the start of the school year.
• High school and choice school (International and Big Picture) students will be provided with a public transportation card (ORCA card) at their school’s Taking Care of Business Day.   Students who enroll after their Taking Care of Business Day may pick up their ORCA card in the school office.

If you have additional Transportation questions, our Transportation Department will be happy to assist you with any questions regarding bus service after your student is enrolled.  You can access their website here.

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What do I need to do if we move after our initial enrollment?

Great question!  Because it is critical that we know where our students live should there be an emergency, address updates are required within 5 days of a move.  Please log into your ParentVUE account and select Enrollment/Verification in the upper right corner of the screen.  On the next page, select Online Student Data Verification.  You will be able to update your address and provide the necessary documents to establish residency.

If you have moved within the boundaries of the Bellevue School District please upload these documents:

• A copy of your current PSE bill (if you do not yet have a PSE bill, you may provide a copy of the PSE Start of Service letter) and the following as it applies:
  • Renters:  a fully signed (signed by you and the property owner), current lease agreement
  • Homeowners:  a copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy declaration page

If you have moved outside the boundaries of the Bellevue School District, please upload your recent PSE bill (or copy of the PSE Start of Service letter) and a completed Interdistrict Transfer Application when asked for residency documents.

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My students do not speak English, what will the Bellevue School District do to support them?

We understand it may worry you to send your student to a school where they will not understand what is being said. Please know that in our schools, over 40% of our students speak a first language other than English and 16% are receiving English language support.

If you listed a language other than English as the first language your student learned and/or primary language spoken at home during the enrollment process, your student will be assessed for their English skills after they are enrolled so that they may receive the appropriate level of support.  Please do not have them study for this assessment so that we are able to provide the appropriate level of support.

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What are the fees to attend your schools and will my student need a uniform?

Public schools in the United States are free for all students.  In the Bellevue School District, we do not have a uniform.  You may read about the dress code here.

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How do I find out about school meals and menus including qualifying for Free & Reduced Meals?

The BSD Nutrition website can be found here.  This page has links to all things nutrition related.

The School Meal Benefit Application (Free & Reduced Price Meals) is available on this page.

During a traditional school year, students returning to a school in the Bellevue School District start the first 30 days of the school year retaining their prior year’s eligibility for free or reduced priced meal benefits. Families are encouraged during this initial time period to submit an application for the current year for processing. Families who do not have a current year application for their student processed during the first 30 school days will “rollover” to the paid status on the 31st school day which is typically mid-October. Families are responsible for the cost of meals provided to a student prior to eligibility for free or reduced priced meals being established.

If your student is attending Lake Hills, Sherwood Forest, or Stevenson Elementary Schools for the 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27 school years, breakfast and lunch are provided at no charge thanks to a federal program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).  You do not need to apply for Free and Reduced Price Meals unless you have other students in the District who are attending different schools.  More information can be found on the Nutrition FAQ page.

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How do I find out about Special Education Services offered by the Bellevue School District?

If your student already has an IEP, be sure to upload the most recent copy during the enrollment process.

If you feel your student needs services, please visit the Special Education webpage.

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How do I find out about Advanced Learning options?

In order to qualify for the centered Advanced Learning program, you must be a resident of the Bellevue School District or the child of an eligible BSD employee.  Nonresident students may access Differentiated Advanced Learning Services.  To find out about Advanced Learning and how your student may qualify, please visit their webpage.

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How do I find out about before and after school care?

You can find out about before and after school care on this page.  Before and after care fills up quickly so do not delay in making your arrangements.

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Where do I find out about preschool?

Preschool information is available on this page.  Preschool fills up quickly so be sure to apply early (applications typically open in March for the upcoming school year.)  You may attend any preschool you wish but please know that, just because your student attended a specific preschool, if that school is not assigned to your address, it is not your school for kindergarten.  Students in kindergarten through 12th grade attend the schools assigned to their address unless they have applied to and been approved to attend a different school.

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How do I withdraw my student from the Bellevue School District?

If your student is in elementary school, please contact the office manager; if in middle or high school, please contact the registrar.  Student Placement can help connect you with schools if you do not have their contact information.

If you are withdrawing while schools are closed (for instance in the summer) please email [email protected].  Be sure to include your student(s) name(s), ID and schools.

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My student enrolled for the upcoming school year (between March and August), when will I be able to access their information on ParentVUE?

When you submit your student’s enrollment, you have created a ParentVUE account.  BUT, because you are enrolling for the upcoming school year, you will not be able to access any information in ParentVUE until mid-August, right before the start of the school year, when we “roll over” our Student Information System to the next school year.  After this, your student will be “active” in ParentVUE and you will be able to see their information.

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My student will be participating in athletics beginning in August, how do I find out about Final Forms for athletics?

For questions about Final Forms, please reach out to our Athletics and Activities department by visiting their webpage.

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