Public schools in Austin (West, Howe: lease, mortgage, house)

[racheltg]

Hi there, we are planning a move to austin texas in the next couple of years. My older son turns 5 in january 2018 so would start Kindergarden as we are moving. Does anyone know how the application process works?!We are in San Francisco currently and the system is very different. Is it a lottery? we are looking to live in the Eanes school district as we have heard this has excellent public schools.Do you have to be living there already to apply? and when are the dates of application? is there a website you apply through with information on cut off dates etc?
and one final question are schools like Casis Elementery in Tarrytown very competitive to get into and what are they looking for?

Thanks!

[ashbeeigh]

From my understanding if you live within the district your kids can automatically enroll. No application process. Although there bay be a "kinder round-up" process in the spring to get enrolled early. I know Eanes is the best district in the area but I don't know their processes. I don't see how or why they would be any different.

[centralaustinite]

Casis Elementary is in the Austin Independent School District and to attend you must live in the area zoned to that school. (For the upcoming year, they are closed to transfers, this can vary year from year).

If you live in the Eanes Independent School district (Rollingwood and Westlake Hills), then you can automatically attend the EISD school that is connected to your residential address.

To enroll in either school, you present a variety of information (birth certificate, vax records) as well as proof of residency in the district (mortgage or tax statement or lease) at the school.

Edited to add, that if he turns five in January 2018, then he could enroll in Kindergarten for fall of 2018.

[hound 109]

There are 43 (maybe 47) excellent public Elementary Schools in greater Austin.

Where will you jobs be located?

What is your home buying budget? (property tax rate will be 2.2 - 2.8% per year...or higher if you live further out).

Originally Posted by racheltg

Hi there, we are planning a move to austin texas in the next couple of years. My older son turns 5 in january 2018 so would start Kindergarden as we are moving. Does anyone know how the application process works?! There is none. (just provide what centralaustinite mentioned above)

We are in San Francisco currently and the system is very different. Is it a lottery? we are looking to live in the Eanes school district as we have heard this has excellent public schools. They are....and so are 65 other public schools in greater Austin.

Do you have to be living there already to apply? and when are the dates of application? is there a website you apply through with information on cut off dates etc? The short answer is...you have to live in the District (& feeder school pattern) to attend the schools.

and one final question are schools like Casis Elementery in Tarrytown very competitive to get into and what are they looking for? They would be looking for an address in it's geographic boundary.

Thanks!

But first.....Where will you jobs be located? & What is your home buying budget?

[Kion]

Originally Posted by racheltg

Hi there, we are planning a move to austin texas in the next couple of years. My older son turns 5 in january 2018 so would start Kindergarden as we are moving. Does anyone know how the application process works?!We are in San Francisco currently and the system is very different. Is it a lottery? we are looking to live in the Eanes school district as we have heard this has excellent public schools.Do you have to be living there already to apply? and when are the dates of application? is there a website you apply through with information on cut off dates etc?
and one final question are schools like Casis Elementery in Tarrytown very competitive to get into and what are they looking for?

Thanks!

1. There is no "application". You attend the school your address is zoned for. If you're in Eanes ISD, it's whatever elementary you choose when you buy/rent your home.

2. He would be enrolling for the 2018-2019 school year in August 2018. Generally, you enroll around July. So, two years and 3 months from now, call the elementary school you're zoned to.

[blakely]

Like others have said, there is no application. The requirement is that you live in the district to enroll your child. (There are some transfer opportunities, but no guarantees.)

You can show up at any time and enroll, even mid-year. The schools certainly appreciate advance notice if you know you are coming, since they plan the number of teachers they will need to have per grade based on projections in the spring. So let's say you plan to close on a house over the summer in Eanes. It would be nice to let the school you are zoned to know that your child will be attending.

[OrganicSmallHome]

I went to Casis half a century ago; amazing that it continues to perform at such a high level.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by racheltg

Hi there, we are planning a move to austin texas in the next couple of years. My older son turns 5 in january 2018 so would start Kindergarden as we are moving. Does anyone know how the application process works?!We are in San Francisco currently and the system is very different. Is it a lottery? we are looking to live in the Eanes school district as we have heard this has excellent public schools.Do you have to be living there already to apply? and when are the dates of application? is there a website you apply through with information on cut off dates etc?
and one final question are schools like Casis Elementery in Tarrytown very competitive to get into and what are they looking for?

Thanks!

With the regular schools (eg: non-Magnet programs), if you live within a school's boundaries, there is no application process. You are automatically admitted with proof of address.

If you wish to attend a school that's in the Austin Independent School District but outside of your individual school's boundaries, then there's a possibility of a transfer. However, many schools are at or over capacity and frozen to transfers each year. Casis is one of those schools closed to transfers, so to attend that school you'd have to live within its boundaries. Transferring involves an application process and prioritizes student requests. You can find out more about the process here: https://www.austinisd.org/transfer

Eanes is a different school district. While Eanes will allow a very limited number of transfers from other districts based on availability in each school, it's an application process and the application must be re-submitted each year. So once admitted, there's no guarantee of continued attendance from year to year.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by OrganicSmallHome

I went to Casis half a century ago; amazing that it continues to perform at such a high level.

Not surprising at all given the socioeconomic and educational levels of those who live in that area.

[racheltg]

thank you so much everyone! so helpful!