To address growing student enrolment and a shortage of school space, Edmonton Public Schools has implemented a lottery process for seven schools in the Division:
The lottery process will only impact new resident students from the attendance area at these schools.
Students who are currently enrolled in one of these schools can still attend. Each grade will be limited to a certain number of spaces in planned classes. This will ensure enrolment does not exceed the available space at these schools.
RESIDENT STUDENTS
Lottery schools will not accept new registrations if the student is not a resident student from the school’s designated attendance area. In most cases, a resident student of Edmonton Public Schools has at least one parent or legal guardian living in Edmonton who is not Roman Catholic.
New non-resident students who live in the school’s attendance area are able to attend another Edmonton Public School with space in planned classes or can attend a school in their current school division.
HOW THE LOTTERY PROCESS WORKS
DURING REGISTRATION AND PRE-ENROLMENT
Resident students who live in the designated attendance area for a school with a lottery process have two options:
students register (new students to Edmonton Public Schools) or pre-enrol (students currently enrolled at another Edmonton Public School) at their designated school if they wish to be part of the lottery process
OR
students can choose to register or pre-enrol at their overflow designated school if they don’t want to be part of the lottery process and can ask to be placed on the callback list if they wish
If both siblings will be attending the same lottery school for 2024–25, and both have registered or pre-enrolled by 4 p.m. on March 22, the following applies for siblings who are new to the school:
siblings who are resident students and live in the attendance areaare given priority, but are not guaranteed to attend if there is not enough space at their grade level
resident siblings who live outside the attendance area can only attend if there is space in planned classes after resident students living in the attendance area are enrolled
OVERFLOW DESIGNATED SCHOOLS
Each lottery school has an overflow designated school. Resident students who do not get into their designated school through the lottery are guaranteed to attend their overflow designated school, or they can choose to enrol at another Division school with space or remain at their current school, if applicable.
Siblings may also enrol at the overflow designated school.
CHOOSING ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS OR OTHER DIVISION SCHOOLS
Resident students who register or pre-enrol in an alternative program or other Division school, but who are not accepted, are usually able to attend their designated school. However, this may not be true if the designated school has gone to a lottery.
If the designated school is full in your child’s grade following a lottery process, your child is able to attend their overflow designated school or another school with space in planned classes.
AFTER PRE-ENROLMENT CLOSES
If the number of new resident attendance area students is higher than the limit set for a specific grade, the lottery process will be used. This only applies to new students.
Division administration will conduct the lottery on behalf of the schools.
The school will notify families about the lottery results before the end of April.
Resident students who do not get into their designated school through the lottery can attend their overflow designated school, another Division school with space, or remain at their current school. Siblings may also enrol at the overflow designated school.
Resident students who did not get into their designated school through the lottery can be put on a callback list, if requested.
Resident students who register or move into the school’s attendance area after pre-enrolment closes on March 22, 2024, will be added to the bottom of the callback list if requested. They can attend their overflow designated school, another Division school with space in planned classes, or choose to remain at their current school.
If spaces in planned classes open up, they will be offered to students on the callback list until the end of September.
Yellow bus service will be available for eligible K-6 students attending their overflow designated school. Bus fees will apply.
Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) is the preferred transportation method for junior high and high school students; however, if ETS does not meet Division standards, eligible students attending their overflow designated school may be able to apply for yellow bus service. Bus fees will apply.
Families who choose to attend a school of choice rather than an overflow designated school will need to make their own transportation arrangements to get their child to and from school.
