Open Transfer

Open means there will be some space in most grades. Although we will maximize opportunities for all students who wish to attend a requested school, this does not mean we will be able to admit all students who apply.

Limited means there may be some opportunity at specific grade levels. It will depend on actual enrollment numbers and class sizes.

Closed Schools: Closed schools are unable to accept transfers. As schools are filled, we will move them to a Closed status.

Status of Schools 2024-2025

The Open Transfer application is NOT for:

• Students who plan to attend their attendance area school. These students are guaranteed enrollment at their attendance area school and can simply enroll at their attendance area school.
• Students who have an approved transfer (Open Transfer, Request to Remain or Transfer Request) to attend their desired school and will remain at this school. These students will automatically roll up to the next grade if they have an approved transfer.
• Students who are currently receiving Self-Contained Advanced Learning Services or services in Special Education center-based programs.  Appropriate school placement for students in centered programs is determined by the department providing the services.

There will be a general lottery for all applicants.
Applicants will be placed by grade level on the requested school list by lottery number.  Applicants with priority, children of eligible Bellevue School District employees and those having sibling preference will be moved to the top of each list. Available spots will be offered to students by the list order, those not offered placement will be placed on a waitlist. After the initial placement period the Student Placement Office will maintain a waitlist for all schools if necessary. No waitlists will be carried over from year to year.

Late applications will not be included in the lottery.
You may submit a Transfer Request Waitlist application which will be available after the close of the open transfer application period. These applicants will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist in the order they are received.

Transportation is NOT provided for open transfer students.
Middle and high school students may access the Metro bus route arrangement with the school district. Open transfer students may ride existing bus routes on a “space available” basis. The Transportation Department will not advise parents/guardians if there is space available until mid-September. Please plan on providing transportation for your student as space may not be available.

Siblings have preference.
If the student who is applying has a sibling placed at the requested school through in a special education centered program, an attendance area transfer, choice language programs or advanced learning, the applying sibling will have preference in admission providing that both siblings will attend the school together for a minimum of one year.

Open Transfer applications are NOT used for choice schools/programs.
Families interested in applying to International, Big Picture, Puesta del Sol, Jing Mei, the Spanish Dual Language Program, the Arabic Bilingual Program, the Hindi Bilingual Program, or the Korean Bilingual Program should click here to access the Choice Schools and Programs application page.

Resubmitting an Open Transfer application is not necessary to continue at the same school.
When a student has been accepted through Open Transfer, they may finish the school level without reapplying. The acceptance may be rescinded if the student is not in good standing.

Open Transfer students may continue in the approved school’s feeder pattern.
When it is time to go to the next school level (from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school) the student may contact student placement regarding their next level enrollment choices. Approval to continue in the new feeder pattern will be determined by capacity and the student’s good standing status.

Open Transfer students entering 9th grade may participate in athletics.
If your student is going to a new school in 9th grade, they will be able to participate in athletics at the new school. If your student is transferring to a new school in 10th, 11th or 12th grades, they may not be eligible to participate in sports. Please review the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association (WIAA) guidelines for eligibility.

Open Transfer is for students who live within the Bellevue School District attendance boundaries.

Resident students – to participate in Open Transfer, the student must be physically living within the boundaries at the time of application.

Nonresident students of Bellevue School District eligible employees – may participate in Open Transfer and will be considered as resident students for this process; employee status will be verified with Human Resources.

Nonresident students – if your student does not live in the district at the time of application they may not apply as a resident student; please use this link for information about transferring into the Bellevue School District.

Students participating in center-based programs – you may not apply through Open Transfer to request a transfer in a center-based program such as Advanced Learning or Special Education. School placement for students in centered programs is determined by the department providing the services.

You may not apply for Open Transfer if your student does not live within the Bellevue School District and you are not an eligible employee of the District. As a nonresident, you may submit your student’s information to be added to the nonresident waitlist beginning in December. A link will be on the InterDistrict webpage. You may select one school. If your requested school is at capacity, you will be able to indicate whether you are interested in other schools if space is available.

You may apply for any attendance area school in the district.

• 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

Choice Schools and Programs are NOT part of Open Transfer (Bellevue Digital Discovery, International School, Big Picture School, Jing Mei Elementary, Puesta del Sol Elementary, the Spanish Dual Language Program, and the Arabic, Hindi and Korean language programs). The entry level application for these schools/programs must be submitted separately during the choice school program application period.

The Student Placement Office will approve or deny transfer based on the following criteria:

• Projected enrollment numbers for the building and specific grade at both the attendance area school and requested school
• Projected staffing levels
• Building capacity

You may only apply for one school per student and submit only one application per student. If you submit multiple applications, all applications will be discarded.

Open Transfers normally continue until the student completes the educational program at the current level of enrollment (elementary, middle or high school). However, students may stay in the feeder pattern of their approved Open Transfer school as communicated by Student Placement. Open Transfers granted will continue until such time as a request for a transfer to another school is granted, or until the period of time set forth in the transfer has expired except as follows:

1. Open Transfer students may be required to transfer to another school if the enrollment in the school or grade level at the school in which they are enrolled increases to the point where there would be inadequate space for transfer students. Enrollment increases may be caused by an influx of new resident students within a school’s existing boundaries or by the addition of new resident students to a school as the result of a boundary change or movement or expansion of a district program.

2. Open Transfers granted are discontinued at the time the student leaves the school for any reason or if a student withdraws from the Bellevue School District.

3. Open Transfers may be discontinued if the student is excessively tardy or truant, or if the student engages in frequent misconduct, and/or disruptive behavior in violation of school/program rules that indicate the student is not being successful in the school or program.

4. Before the transfer of such a student is terminated under provision three above, the student and the parent/guardian will be notified that the student’s continued attendance at this school or program is in jeopardy. Should a decision be made to terminate the student’s transfer under this provision, the parent/guardian will be notified and may appeal that termination to the Superintendent’s designee within three days of the notification.