Open Enrollment Procedures

Parents or guardians wishing to enroll in a district other than the district in which they reside must make formal application beginning July 1 the year prior to enrollment. Parents may request a specific attendance center (school) but the building assignment is at the discretion of the receiving district.

Per State Code the decision rests with the requested district only.  As such decision letters will only be mailed to families who reside elsewhere but wish to attend a DMPS School.

School assignments for students requesting Des Moines Public Schools who do not have a sibling concurrently enrolled in DMPS will be considered after all within district transfers have been processed.  If space is available, they will be approved in the order in which the application was received.

Decisions for students requesting to leave the Des Moines Public Schools are made by the district requested. Please contact that district about your decision.

Please visit the Information & Forms page in the menu to the right for the open enrollment application.