School Choice & Transfers (Open Enrollment) 

In-district school request

Use this when: Your student is currently enrolled in ISD (or will be) and you are requesting a different ISD school than your assigned attendance area school.

Step 1: Check school availability

• Some schools may be open, others may be closed due to capacity.

See which schools are open to transfers 

Step 2: Complete the request form

• Complete the In-District Transfer Request Form
  Issaquah School District 2026-27 Open Enrollment & School Choice Application.

Step 3: Decision and next steps

• Your request will be reviewed by the Issaquah School District Enrollment team.
• Requests may be approved based on space and district criteria, with principal and superintendent (or designee) approval. Requests may be approved based on space availability and district criteria, with final approval by the school principal and the superintendent or designee.
• If we cannot approve your request due to capacity, you will be notified and your student will remain assigned to their neighborhood school. If your request cannot be approved due to capacity or other district criteria, you will be notified and your student will remain enrolled at their assigned neighborhood school.

Notes for families

• School Feeder Pattern: Students do not automatically follow their new school feeder pattern. When moving from elementary to middle or middle to high, families will need to submit a new Transfer Request. School Feeder Pattern: Once your student is accepted and placed through the transfer process, the district is committed to supporting their progress through the school’s feeder pattern without requiring a new transfer request at each transition grade.
• 8th grade families: The open enrollment window is especially important for students entering high school.
• Programs not part of Open Enrollment: Gibson Ek, MERLIN, and Science-Technology have separate admissions processes.

Request to attend Issaquah School District (Inter-district)

Use this when: Your student lives outside Issaquah School District boundaries and you would like them to attend a school within Issaquah School District.

Important update

• Inter-district transfer applications are not available for the 2025-26 school year.
• “If applications reopen, this page will be updated with timelines and steps.”

Step 1: Check school availability

• Some schools may be open, others may be closed due to capacity.
• Add a simple link/button here: “See which schools are open to transfers.”
• These requests are reviewed on a space-available basis, after in-district requests are accommodated.

Step 2: Submit ISD Open Enrollment Application request for Release from your resident school district

• Submit an ISD Open Enrollment application via the following form:Issaquah School District 2026-27 Open Enrollment & School Choice – Fill out form
• Use the Choice Transfer Request Portal
• A designated person from your home school district will process the Choice Transfer Request and notify you if approved to be released from your district.

Step 3: Decisions and Next Steps

• Once the Open Enrollment window closes, the Issaquah School District Enrollment team will review all submitted applications based on space availability, projected enrollment, staffing, and building capacity.
• Families will be notified of placement decisions by the end of March 2026.
• Choice Transfers will be placed on a waiting list based on the order of the request date.
• After ISD processes all the resident in-district transfers, we will update our School Status List.
• ISD will then process Choice Transfer Request and notify families whether your request has been approved or denied. If your student is accepted and placed, the Issaquah School District is committed to supporting your student’s continued progress through the school’s feeder pattern through graduation, provided the student remains in good standing and the school remains open and serving that grade span.

Step 4: After ISD Open Enrollment Approval

• If your student is approved through Issaquah School District’s Open Enrollment process, you must also receive release approval from your resident (home) school district.
• Families should submit a Choice Transfer Request through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Choice Transfer Request Portal.   Choice Transfer Request Portal
• Once submitted, a designated representative from your home school district will review the request and notify you of their approval or denial to release your student.

Step 5: New Student Enrollment

• Once your resident school district has approved the release, Issaquah School District will send you a link to complete New Student Enrollment.

Choice transfer out of ISD

Use this when: Your student lives in the Issaquah School district boundaries and you are requesting to attend another district (including online schools).

Two ways to apply (choose one)

Option A: Online portal (recommended)

• Apply through OSPI’s Choice Transfer Request Portal.

• Note: Families need an active email address to use the portal.

Option B: Paper form

• Complete the Choice Transfer form and submit it to the ISD Enrollment office via one of the following methods:

  • Email: enrollment@issaquah.wednet.edu

  • Mail:  Attention: Enrollment, 5150 220th Ave SE, Issaquah, WA 98029
  • Drop-off at  5150 220th Ave SE, Issaquah, WA 98029

What happens next

• Issaquah School District reviews your request to release your student. Approval to release does not guarantee acceptance by the receiving school district.

• The receiving school district will notify you directly of their approval or denial.
• If the receiving district approves the transfer, the parent or guardian must withdraw the student from their current ISD school to complete the process. This can be done by contacting the school registrar at your student’s current school.