Schools of
Choice

2026-2027  Schools of Choice Timeline

April 14 - May 15: Acceptance of applications
May 15: Application due to the district of choice by 4:00 p.m.
May 21 - 22: Districts with applications that exceed the target number for acceptance will hold a random draw.
May 29: Deadline for districts to notify parents.
June 5: Deadline for parents to notify the choice district of acceptance or refusal.
August 24: Last day for schools with School of Choice openings to accept SOC students.

• One application per student, per year, may be submitted to one school district. You may indicate a second choice and a third choice on your application. (If you apply to more than one district you may be disqualified for all districts that year.)
• If more applications are received in a district than openings are available, there will be a random lottery drawing for all applications received prior to the deadline. If your application is not chosen by your first-choice district, they will automatically forward your application to your second and/or third-choice districts.
• According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association, students accepted into the Schools of Choice program who are in grades 10 – 12 will not be eligible to participate in sports for one semester – until the second half of the school year.
• Accepted students must agree to comply with the choice district's policies.
• Transportation is NOT provided for Schools of Choice students. Parents must provide their own transportation to and from school for children accepted for enrollment through the Kent ISD Collaborative Schools of Choice Plan.
• After you are accepted, you will be allowed continuous enrollment in that district until graduation or until you withdraw from that district at which time you may return to your resident district.
• Waiting lists will be created at choice districts after the lottery/random draw and parents will be notified if spaces become available.
• Siblings of students previously accepted under the Schools of Choice Program will be assigned to open spots before a random draw begins. Students who reside in the same household will be considered “siblings” for the purpose of Schools of Choice.
• The only limit on movement between school districts for an applicant to the Kent ISD Collaborative Schools of Choice Plan is the space available in the desired district and/or the Choice student’s suspension or expulsion record.
   

Section 105c: The 105c Schools of Choice Application (for students who live OUTSIDE of Kent County) will open on April 13 for the 2026-2027 school year.

Total number of Section 105c Openings: unlimited (based on availability per grade level)

Students residing in districts such as Montcalm, Newaygo, Ottawa (districts within ISDs that border the Kent Intermediate School District) may apply through the Schools of Choice 105c Plan starting April 13, 2026. 105c Applications can be submitted from April 13 to August 31.

105c Application (Application open on April 13)

A written agreement between the resident district and the Choice district must be in place regarding students who apply through the Schools of Choice 105c and receive special education services/programs as to the responsibility of payment for the added costs of required services/programs for the student.