For a decade, Cleveland has been an open enrollment school district. Parents, caregivers and students can choose which school they want to attend. CMSD uses an online portal where families select their top choices for elementary and high schools.
The process is the same whether a student is enrolling in the district for the first time or changing schools.
Prior to 2013, most students were automatically enrolled in the neighborhood school closest to their home. The exceptions were students who applied to magnet or specialty schools, including Cleveland School of the Arts, the School of Science and Medicine, and the district’s four single-gender schools.
While many students still attend their neighborhood schools, students who enroll in the district aren’t automatically placed at the school closest to where they live.
When do families pick a CMSD school?
The school choice portal generally opens up in the fall. The exact date varies but the district alerts families and posts the information on social media and its web page. Students already enrolled who do not want to change schools don’t have to make selections.
After the initial enrollment period, the portal will close while students are assigned to schools. It will then reopen.
CMSD enrollment timeline for the 2025-2026 school year
Nov. 18 – Portal opens and parents can make choices for K-8 schools or high schools.
Jan. 17, 2025 – School assignments are released and can be accepted
Feb. 21, 2025 – Register and submit enrollment paperwork by this date
Pre-kindergarten
The district has a separate pre-k registration page, which shows current seat availability at each school. Children must be at least 4 years old and potty trained by the end of September.
Students must be Cleveland residents to enroll, except for the following schools: Tremont Montessori, Stonebrook Montessori, Kenneth Clement Boys Academy, Valley View Boys Academy Warner Girls Academy, and Douglas MacArthur Girls Academy.
What should families research before picking a CMSD school?
Read up on the available options to see what schools offer.
- The Cleveland Transformation Alliance offers a school quality guide that lists the academic track record of each school, what programs the school offers, contact information for principals and enrollment statistics.
- The district created online books in English and Spanish with information on the high schools.
- In some cases, schools require students to have certain test scores, grade point averages or attendance records to enroll. Some high schools require an audition, an essay or an interview. The admissions tab on each school’s website lists specific requirements.
- Not sure about a school? High schools and some K-8 schools let students shadow or take a tour. Contact the school’s principal or the school through its website to arrange a visit.
What transportation options does CMSD offer?
Since the fall of 2023, CMSD provides school bus transportation to K-8 students who live within 1 to 3 miles of their school. Previously, most 7th and 8th graders didn’t have that option.
Students attending schools outside of that range are not provided transportation, though there are a few exceptions:
- City-wide draw schools: Schools with special programs such as the Dike School for the Arts, single-gender K-8 academies, Campus International’s K-8 school, and the Montessori schools
- Students with special needs or who have an IEP (individualized education plan) can get transportation on a case-by-case basis.
- High school students who commute longer than a mile get passes to ride Greater Cleveland RTA buses and trains.
How to use the CMSD school choice portal
Parents or guardians must create an account if they don’t already have one. An email or phone number is required. The district will use the email or phone number to send updates. After an account is created, a child or children can be added.
Parents registering for the first time should have this information on hand:
• Student’s birth date
• Current school and grade
• Student address
• Parent or guardian’s phone number
Once students are added, top school choices can be entered. The choices should be ranked with the first choice at the top. If the schools require additional information, it can be uploaded to later.
The History of Cleveland school choice
Cleveland school choice through the decades (Timeline)
How CMSD notifies families about school assignments
Families will be notified with a text message or email about their assigned school.
Students should be assigned to their top choice school if seats are available.
If a school has more interested students than available seats, the system will randomly assign students to the open seats based on a number assigned to them when they made their choices. Students not selected will be placed on a waiting list and be matched with their second-choice school. Students offered a seat from the waitlist have one week to respond. After that, the school will offer the seat to the next student on the waitlist.
After the first round of assignments, schools with open seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis until a school is at capacity. Students in the second round who prioritize schools that have already filled their seats will be placed on the school’s waitlist.
CMSD allows non-district residents to enroll through the portal. But the lottery algorithm gives residents priority. It also prioritizes K-8 students with siblings in the same school so that siblings can be together.
Campus International K-8 school also prioritizes the children of Cleveland State University faculty, staff and students because the school partners with the university.
For more information on applying or enrolling, visit CMSD’s school choice landing page. Find websites here for individual schools in the district’s directory of elementary schools and high schools.
For specific enrollment questions, information on required documents or registering or changing schools outside of the annual enrollment period, visit the district’s registration page or call the CMSD Office of School Choice and Enrollment at 216.838.3675.
