There's still time to enroll for an IPS school for next school year. Here's what to know.
Next school year the Indianapolis Public Schools district will shift from neighborhood schools to enrollment zones and split up its K-8 schools into elementary and middle schools.
For students to enroll in any of the K-12 options offered within the IPS district, families will have to register online with Enroll Indy.
The shift to enrollment zones, where families can choose from a handful of schools within a boundary, is the first of its kind for a large school district in Indiana. Previously IPS families would be assigned to their neighborhood school based on where they lived or had to apply through the lottery process for a choice school.
The change is part of the district’s Rebuilding Stronger plan, which aims to better allocate resources across the district to provide more equitable access to school offerings to every student. School models like STEM, Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, dual-language, International Baccalaureate and visual and performing arts will be added to some schools.
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The first round of enrollment for the 2024-25 school year has ended but the second round will be open until April 19.
For IPS families who still need to enroll for next school year, here is what you need to know.
Enrollment through Enroll Indy
Families looking for a new school or who seek a pre-K seat must apply through Enroll Indy’s OneMatch.
Families who plan to stick with their current school for the 2024-25 school year do not need to apply.
Families can apply to a school outside their enrollment zone boundary but will not be guaranteed transportation to that school after the 2024-25 school year.
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Each of the four enrollment zones will have two middle school options. The newly created high-ability middle school at Harshman Middle School is open to students across the district.
Families can view the enrollment zones at myips.org/chooseyourips/zones-map/.
Enroll Indy also has a feature for families to put in their address to see what schools are closest to them as well as an option to compare multiple schools.
Enrollment "priority groups"
IPS’s lottery process also has priorities that can affect the likelihood of a student getting into a certain school.
The lottery priorities are in this order:
Students living in-district
Students who already have a sibling at the school
Students who live in the same zone as the school
Students impacted by a closing school
IPS employee priority
If a family chooses a school as their first pick that is at capacity, they can choose another school in their zone. The Enroll Indy application allows you to apply to up to 10 schools at once.
What do I need to apply through Enroll Indy?
Families do not need to provide proof of address when applying for a school through Enroll Indy, but IPS will request proof of address during the registration process.
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If you are a family that currently attends a K-12 IPS school then you will need your student’s ID number to complete the application. IPS families who need help locating their student’s ID number can call 317-226-4000.
Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.
Caroline’s reporting is made possible by Report for America and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Report for America is a program of The GroundTruth Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening local newsrooms. Report for America provides funding for up to half of the reporter’s salary during their time with us, and IndyStar is fundraising the remainder. To learn more about how you can support IndyStar’s partnership with Report for America and to make a donation, visit indystar.com/RFA.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What parents need to know to enroll in IPS for 2024-25 school year
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