Enrolling your child in a District 196 school

If you are new to the district or have a kindergarten student to enroll, you should enroll your child at the District 196 school that they will attend.

• Use our school attendance area search tool if you are unsure about which school attendance area you live in.
• Use our district telephone directory if you are looking for someone specific.

Kindergarten Eligibility
A child is eligible for kindergarten if he or she will be 5 years old on or before September 1 of the year he or she will begin school. See below for information on early entrance to kindergarten. State law requires all students to complete Early Childhood Screening before they enter kindergarten.

Early Entrance
In rare instances, children are allowed early entrance to kindergarten. Only a small number of children qualify for early entrance. Early entrance qualification testing is available in June each year (fee charged; limited financial assistance available). For more information, please call Elementary Education at 651-423-7782. Pre-registration is required.

Kindergarten Plus
Kindergarten Plus is an optional, fee-based, extended day program that complements traditional free morning kindergarten. Find out more about this program.

Magnet School Option
District 196 has three elementary magnet schools: Cedar Park Elementary: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) School; Diamond Path Elementary- School of International Studies; and Glacier Hills Elementary- School of Arts and Science. Any district resident has the option to apply for these schools. For more information, see our Magnet Schools section on this website.

Student Transfer Options
District 196 students may apply to attend a different school within the district (intradistrict transfer) or to attend a school in a different district (interdistrict transfer) for a number of reasons detailed below.

Intradistrict Transfers
In order to balance enrollment between schools, the district limits transfers to any particular school based on current and projected enrollment compared with building capacity. Schools where enrollment exceeds or is projected to exceed building capacity by at least 5 percent are closed to most transfer requests.

Elementary school students (grades k-5) may request a transfer from one District 196 elementary school to another based on the following situations:

• Daycare - if the student will be receiving daycare in the attendance area of a school other than the student's designated school.
• Intent to change residency - if the student's parent or guardian intends to move to a new residence within the school year and designates a mailing address for their new residence.
• Parent/Guardian/Adult Student Request – based on space available in the requested school

Click here for an elementary school transfer application for daycare reasons; click here for an elementary school intradistrict transfer application based on intent to change residency or parent/guardian/adult student request. For more information, contact your child's school or the district's Student Information Office at 651-423-7640.

Secondary school students (grades 6-12) may request a transfer from one District 196 secondary school to another based on the following situations:

• Intent to change residency - if the student's parent or guardian, or the adult student (age 18 or over) intends to move to a new residence within the school year and designates a mailing address for their new residence.
• Continued enrollment of an 11th or 12th grade student - if an 11th or 12th grade student has been enrolled in a District 196 school and their parent or guardian (or the adult student, if age 18 or older) has moved to the attendance area of another District 196 school.
• Parent/Guardian/Adult Student Request – based on space available in the requested school.

Intradistrict secondary transfer applications are due between November 15 and January 1 the year before the school year for which the transfer is requested. Click here for an intradistrict transfer application for secondary students. For more information, contact your child's school or the district's Student Information Office at 651-423-7640.

Interdistrict Transfers
District 196 students may also apply to attend school in a different district. Applications for the State Enrollment Options Program are due by January 15 for enrollment in the next school year. Application for transfer to or from another public school district after January 15th need to use the Interdistrict Transfer Form 502P. For more information, contact the school district the student would like to attend.

Student Records
If you are transferring to District 196 from another school district, your child's educational records will be transferred from their previous school to their new school in District 196.

Immunization Requirements
State law requires all students to meet specific immunization requirements at different grade levels before they attend school. Please review immunization requirements and make sure your child has met them.

New Baby? Congratulations!
It is important for our future planning to get all children on our census files. You will then receive updates from the District 196 Early Childhood Family Services program and preschool screening information before kindergarten. Please complete our census form or call 651-423-7639 to complete the form over the phone. Thank you.

Please Note: A new baby is any child, under the age of 5, who is new to Independent School District 196.