Late OUSD Enrollment (General Questions)
Hi All, I'm really interested in enrollment in OUSD, specifically for people moving into the area right before school starts. We're moving in late July/early August and haven't yet settled on a neighborhood. (We'll be visiting soon to make this decision.) Because of the lottery system I feel a bit overwhelmed with living in Oakland although several neighborhoods seem quite nice. So I'm trying to gather as much information as I can. Because OUSD emphasizes the "no guarantees" I'm wondering how likely it is that my twin soon to be 1st graders will be assigned to either the school in our neighborhood, or one of the ones nearby - or if I'll be driving across Oakland in the morning to drop them off somewhere opposite of the way I need to be headed for work. I'm also a bit worried that they may not be assigned the same school. This is similar to a question from last month about Peralta specifically but I'm more interested in your general experiences across the district. The archives have helped but I'm looking for something a bit more updated. Thanks so much!
Parent Replies
If you are moving to Oakland and registering in July/August, most of the schools will be full. OUSD does not reserve spaces for kids who move to an area after the Options enrollment process. OUSD can let you know which schools have spots, and they will definitely work with you to try to get both twins in the same school. The schools with open spots in July will be undesirable with poor test scores. You can get on the waiting list for one school (and only one). Sometimes spots open up the week before school starts up and up to the second week of school. After the second week of school, OUSD does not allow enrollment changes. There is no way to know whether your kids will get a spot in one of your preferred schools, since enrollment patterns change each year. It seems like different schools are "impossible" to get into each year.
I highly recommend a backup plan for schools. Apply for charter schools to get on their waiting lists, too. Expand your home search beyond Oakland. Other cities have their own enrollment processes, but OUSD's is particularly difficult for families moving to Oakland.