Q. What is Open Enrollment?
A. Open Enrollment is an option offered by JMCSS for families to send their students to schools outside their zoned area. If seats are available, out-of-zone students can be enrolled in their requested school.
Q. What is the difference between Open Enrollment and Registration?
A. Registration is required yearly for all students returning to JMCSS schools.
Open Enrollment is an option offered by JMCSS for families to send their students to schools outside their zoned area. Open enrollment is an application process and acceptance is based on seating availability. Parents who accept admission via open enrollment must then register for that particular school.
Q. Is transportation provided for a student attending a school through open enrollment?
A. No, parents must provide transportation to and from school.
Q. Can anyone apply for Open Enrollment?
A. Any JMCSS student has the opportunity for this option.
Q. How do I apply for Open Enrollment?
A. Click on the "Open Enrollment" Icon on JMCSS.org. You can also visit the school's homepage and click the "Open Enrollment" Icon.
Q. How is it determined which students are chosen for schools during Open Enrollment?
A. A computerized lottery takes place which places students in available seats based on their school choices, except for JCM- Early College High and the Academic Academy at Northeast Middle School. JCMECH enrollment is determined by an application, interviews, and essays. For the Academic Academy, students are selected based on state testing data.
Q. My student is currently enrolled in Jackson Academic STEAM Academy (JASA). Do I have to apply for Open Enrollment to attend JASA for the 2026-2027 school year?
A. No. Current students will complete the "Returning Student Registration" form.
Q. What if I already have a child enrolled in my desired Open Enrollment school, will a sibling be automatically enrolled?
A. Siblings of students who currently attend a school through open enrollment will have first priority at that school. Siblings of students must submit an application. If a seat is available, the sibling will be offered admission.
Q. How will I know if my student has been accepted in our requested school?
A. Accepted and wait-listed notifications will be sent to the email address that was provided on the application the day the lottery is run. Students who apply after the deadline will be placed on the wait list in the order their application was received.
Q. What does it mean to be wait-listed?
A. If your child is on a waiting list, he or she will be assigned a number. If additional seats become available at the requested school, students are offered admission in the order they are on the wait list. Wait list numbers do not roll over from year to year. You may contact Rhonda Heard-Bigham at 731-506-2413 to check your child's wait list number.
Q. What if my student is accepted during Open Enrollment, but we decide to send our child to our zoned school instead?
A. If students begin the year at a school through open enrollment, they are expected to complete the minimum of one semester.
Q. I have a student enrolled in Pre-K at a school that is not their zoned school. Could they automatically attend kindergarten at that same school for the 2026-2027 school year?
A. Yes, parents will have the choice to attend their zoned school or stay at the open enrollment school. (Keep in mind transportation must be provided by the parent for open enrollment)
Q. Do I have to reapply for the school my student currently attends through Open Enrollment each year?
A. Once a student has accepted admission and is attending a school through Open Enrollment, he or she can remain at the school until reaching the highest grade offered.
