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What is the High School Specialty Program Application?

The High School Specialty Program Application is an opportunity for each student who resides within the boundaries of the ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ City Unified School District (SCUSD) to apply for enrollment in a SCUSD high school specialty program, based on space availability. SCUSD offers specialty programs at both our neighborhood and small specialized high schools.

Who is eligible to apply?

Students residing within the ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ City Unified School District boundaries who will be entering grades 9 through 12 for the 2025-2026 school year are eligible to apply.

Students living outside the district boundaries, including those currently on a district permit, may apply to specialty programs through an inter-district permit transfer available from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm​. Out-of-district applicants who meet the program requirements will be offered placement after qualified in-district applicants per California Education Code.

What are the requirements for submitted applications to enter the lottery?

Applicants must:

• Live within the district boundaries
• Submit program-specific assessments if required
• Currently enrolled SCUSD students must have their primary household guardian submit an Annual Update form through their by November 22, 2024, at 5:00pm.

How many specialty programs can my student apply to?

Students may apply to up to two specialty programs. 

Which programs have additional assessments for admission?

• C.K. McClatchy HISP
• C.K. McClatchy VAPA
• West Campus

Does my student have to turn in a transcript and standardized test scores for admission?

Transcripts for 7th Grade (all quarters) and 8th Grade (first quarter) are only necessary for West Campus. 

Currently enrolled SCUSD students will have their transcripts automatically sent from Infinite Campus. Other students must upload a copy of their transcripts as part of their application.

How will we know you received my student’s application?

Once an application is successfully submitted, you will see a confirmation screen and receive a message in your SchoolMint Message Center confirming the submission. Parents/guardians will also receive a confirmation via email or text message, depending on their selected SchoolMint preferences.

Families can log into their at any time to check the status of their application(s) or view messages in the Message Center.

Is transportation provided by the school district to the specialty program my student is accepted to?

No, transportation is not provided for students accepted into specialty programs. Parents are responsible for transporting their students.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply to a High School Specialty Program?

No.

Can I use my work address for my student to apply to a High School Specialty Program through (using) the Allen Bill?

The ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ City Unified School District interprets the Allen Bill in the following ways:

1. A parent/guardian who resides outside the SCUSD boundaries, is required to provide on letterhead a statement from the employer verifying employment and the work address within the SCUSD boundaries.
2. Since our district utilizes addresses for school placement, in order to establish residency the student must enroll and attend the neighborhood school associated with the work address for a full academic year. So for example if the work address is associated with California Middle School the student must apply and be approved via Inter-district permit and attend California Middle School.
3. Once this is complete and the student is attending for a full academic year, the student can then apply for any programs through the High School Specialty Program (HSSP) or Open Enrollment (OE).
4. Families cannot use their work address to apply for the HSSP or OE if they are not attending our school(s) through the Allen Bill currently.
5. Residency is established by attending a full academic year.
6. Students who live outside the district boundaries may apply from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm, via an inter-district transfer permit, to any high school specialty program that still has openings.

Can I turn in a late application?

All applications must be turned in by 5:00pm on Friday, November 22, 2024. No late applications will be accepted.

When do I find out if my student is accepted? 

Notifications will be sent to families through SchoolMint on January 13, 2025, based on their selected preferences (email, text message, or both) during registration.

Additional Requirement for Acceptance for New Students to the District

If accepted into a specialty program, new students to the district must complete a full registration form. A link to this form will be included in the notifications sent to families. They will also need to provide photo identification, address verification, proof of birth documentation, and immunization records. Applicants will be automatically removed from the specialty program acceptance list if they do not register by the offer deadline.

Are translation services available during the application process?

The application uses Google Translate and can be translated into over 100 languages. 

If my student is already enrolled in his/her specialty program does he/she need to reapply?

No. You do not need to reapply to your specialty program. The school the specialty program resides at becomes your neighborhood school.

Does my student have the right to return to his/her original neighborhood school after being accepted into a specialty program?

To return to your original neighborhood school, you must apply for an intra-district permit through the Enrollment Center from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm. Please note that intra-district permits are requests and do not guarantee placement.

My family is moving outside of the SCUSD boundary. What will happen to my student’s acceptance?

If you move outside of the SCUSD boundary, it voids all open enrollment and you must register your student with the new school district.

I live within the SCUSD boundary, but my student attends a private school. Can my student apply to a High School Specialty Program?

Yes. Learn more at /hssp-application-process. 

If my student is attending a SCUSD School on an inter-district permit (i.e., you live outside the district boundaries) can I apply for a High School Specialty Program?

No, inter-district permitted students are not eligible. 

Students who live outside our district boundaries (including those that are currently on a district permit) can apply to specialty programs with space available through an inter-district permit transfer from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm.

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Can my student apply to a High School Specialty Program?

No, students who live outside the district boundaries are not eligible. Students who live outside our district boundaries can apply to specialty programs with space available through an inter-district permit transfer from April 7, 2025 at 8:00am, through April 25, 2025 at 5:00pm.

I live outside of the SCUSD boundary and one of my students already attends a high school specialty program. Do my other students have sibling preference? 

No.

I am an SCUSD employee and live outside of the SCUSD boundary. Does my student have priority to attend a high school specialty program at my school?

No. However, students who live within our district boundaries whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is at the selected school are given a lottery priority. 

How does the lottery work?

The High School Specialty Program Application is not a first-come, first-serve basis. You may apply anytime during the application window to be considered.

District applicants must submit an Annual Update form through Infinite Campus by November 22, 2024, at 5:00pm to be eligible for the High School Specialty Program lottery.

SCUSD uses a computerized, third-party lottery system to place students at their specialty program of choice. A lottery must be implemented if applications exceed the grade capacity at the requested program.

One of the following lottery scenarios will occur:

1. Your student is selected for their first specialty program choice and receives a notification of a placement offer.
2. If your student applied to only one specialty program and was not selected, he/she will be placed on a waiting list.
3. If your student applied for two specialty programs and was not selected for their first choice, the computer will look for their second choice. Note: Second choice selections are placed behind all first choice selections.

• Your student is selected for their second specialty program choice and receives a notification of a placement offer.
• Your student is not selected for their first or second specialty program choice. They will be placed on a waiting list for their first choice only.

What happens if my student doesn’t get accepted to the first or second school of choice?

Your student will only be placed on the waiting list for their first choice. A notification from SchoolMint will be sent on January 13, 2025 notifying parent/guardians regarding placement on the waiting list. 

When space becomes available, a notification will be sent through notifying the parent/guardian of the offer. 2025-2026 waiting lists will be valid until 5:00pm, on July 31, 2025 and then closed. Families can withdraw their application from a waiting list at any time through SchoolMint. 

Families will receive the notification based on what preferences (email, text message or both) were selected when registering.

Students who apply to a specialty program and have not met the school’s admissions requirements will not be included in the lottery. If the student hasn’t applied to another program, the student must attend their neighborhood or current school.

If my student is accepted to their 2nd choice, will they be put on the 1st choice waiting list?

No. 

Who has priority in the lottery selection process?

Lottery Selection Priorities

First priority

• Siblings of students already in attendance at the specialty program and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

• Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.

Third priority (administrative priority)

• When unique circumstances occur at a school, such as a school closure, program changes, and/or over-crowding occurs; district administrators may institute a specific priority to meet staffing and housing needs.

Schools without Attendance Boundaries

First priority

• Siblings of students already in attendance at the specialty program and will continue to be enrolled in the upcoming school year.

Second priority

• Students whose parent/guardian’s primary place of employment is the selected school.