In-district variance application
Students usually attend a school designated by that student's home address. Requesting a "variance" means asking to attend a school not associated with the address where you live. Variances are approved or denied based on a number of reasons, including whether there is enough space for additional students.
Variances are granted for one full school year, or until the end of the current school year. Families wishing to remain at their nonresidential school must remember to apply for a variance each year. Approval or denial is based upon space availability, class size and school growth patterns, attendance patterns at the current or last school, a student's disciplinary history, and variance application receipt date. Families of students on variances provide their own punctual transportation to and from the nonresidential school.
What schools are open for variances for 2013-14, and how is that determined?
Each winter the district updates its projections for student enrollment for the next school year. This information is used to determine how many students each school can adequately and safely educate in existing classrooms and other instructional spaces.
When the annual student enrollment projections indicate there is not enough space for additional students or when a school is undergoing major construction, those schools are not able to accept variance requests for the next school year.
For the 2013-14 school year, the schools below have reached the maximum number of enrolled students or are undergoing major construction. Therefore, they are not able to accept any first-time variance requests, except possibly from a limited number of families of kindergarten students. In such kindergarten cases, it is doubtful that the student will be able to continue for first grade at that school in 2014-15.
- Cedar Wood Elementary
- Emerson Elementary
- Jackson Elementary
- Jefferson Elementary
- Mill Creek Elementary
- Penny Creek Elementary
- Silver Lake Elementary
- Woodside Elementary
- Heatherwood Middle School
- Cascade High School *
- H.M. Jackson High School*
*A very limited number of variances will be accepted
The following exceptions may apply:
- Continuing variances* (variance renewals from one year to the next)
*Students who are already on a variance and are returning to a school for 2013-14, may reapply to continue attending that school; however approval cannot be guaranteed.
Applications for first-time requests to attend schools in the list above in 2013-14 will be kept on file for consideration should conditions change.
When to apply for a variance:
- During open enrollment for the upcoming school year (Jan. 1 - June 1)
- Midyear variance (see below)
Open enrollment process for the 2013-14 school year
The open enrollment period for next year's variances is Jan. 1, 2013 through June 1, 2013. Variance applications must be submitted during that time for the student to receive approval or denial notice by the end of June 2013. High school variances received by Feb. 15, 2013 will receive notice of approval or denial by March 15, 2013. Variances submitted after June 1, 2013, will receive notice of approval or denial by the end of the first week of school in September.
"In-district area variance" - You live within Everett Public Schools' boundaries:
If you live within the boundaries of one Everett School, but want your student to attend a different Everett school, please complete an in-district variance form.
"Nonresident variance" - You live outside Everett Public Schools' boundaries:
If you live outside the Everett Public Schools' boundaries and want to attend an Everett school you must first go to your residential/home district's administrative office and fill out their non-resident release form. Your home district must complete and sign the form before it is submitted to the school you wish to variance to.
Each district has a slightly different procedure for obtaining their district release form, but every school district understands the process. Call your district's administration center for help and questions about their form.
Variances should be submitted to the school you wish to variance to during the open enrollment period.
Additional Information Needed:
If you are NEW to Everett Public Schools you will need to have a non-resident student background form completed by your current/past school and submit it along with your variance application to the school you wish to attend. If the student receives Special Services and is on an IEP you will need to also submit a copy of the IEP to the school you wish to attend.
Midyear variance
Applications for either an in-district variance or a nonresident variance during a school year are accepted through March 31 each year. After March 31 each year, applications for variances are accepted only when students have changed their residential address.
Applications received after the first day of each school year are reviewed during the last week of each month. Notification about midyear applications are mailed by the second week of the next month.
Kindergarten variance requests:
- Neighborhood area children receive first preference for kindergarten classes.
- You may request to have your child attend tuition-based all day or half day kindergarten at a school that is outside of your designated attendance area. Parents need to provide transportation for students on variances.
- Variances for kindergarten may be submitted during open enrollment between Jan. 1 and June 1 of each year. Approval/denial notices are sent by June 30 of each year.
How to apply for your child to attend half day or all day kindergarten at a school outside of your service area:
Area variance students: Register at your neighborhood school first and then submit your area variance request to the school that you wish to attend.
Non-resident variance students: Obtain a variance release form from your resident district's office and submit it to the Everett Public School you wish to attend. If you are requesting tuition-based all-day kindergarten, please also submit the all-day kindergarten registration materials to the school you are requesting.
District release to attend another school district
To attend a school district other than Everett Public Schools involves three steps:
1. Completing the form: Pick up a non-resident variance release form from the Everett Public Schools' variance office at the Educational Service Center (4730 Colby Avenue, Everett, WA 98203), or download the form from here.
2. Obtaining an Everett Public Schools variance office signature on the form: Complete the form and bring it to the Everett Public Schools' variance office at the address above for a signature which will be required by the district you are planning to attend. You may also fax or email the form to be completed by the variance office and it will then be sent back to you.
3. Submitting the completed form to the district of your choice: Your new school district will ask you for the signed form which officially releases you from Everett Public Schools.
Learning By Choice is a state law about student enrollment options.
The 25-page booklet about enrollment options in the state of Washington is available online from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction..
More information about variances is available from your school and the variance department.
Variance office:
E-mail: variances@everettsd.org
Phone: 425-385-4070
Fax: 425-385-4012
