FAQs

Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions

• What is my "school of residence" or "neighborhood school"?

  Your school of residence/neighborhood school is the school that you are zoned to based on your home address. To find out what yours is, follow the steps below.

  1. Determine your District of Residence by using the Sonoma County District & Elected Official Lookup. (Demonstration video for the Sonoma County District & Elected Official Lookup) If you see "Petaluma City School District" that means Petaluma City Schools (PCS) is your District of Residence for grades TK-6. If you see "Petaluma Joint Union High School District" that means PCS is your District of Residence for grades 7-12. If you see both listed, that means PCS is your District of Residence for grades TK-12. If you don't see either listed, that means you will need an interdistrict transfer to attend a PCS school.
  2. If PCS is your District of Residence, you will next need to determine your School of Residence. Use one of the following methods depending on what grade your student will be in.
     1. For elementary school (grades TK-6), please use the PCS Elementary School Boundaries Map. 

     2. For secondary school (grades 7-12), please use the PCS Street School Lookup to determine your School of Residence. This document provides a listing of streets within Petaluma and their corresponding school of residence. This information is for general guidance only, please feel free to call or email the district office for further questions: 707-778-4813 or communications@petk12.org.

         

  District & Elected Official Lookup Elementary School Boundaries PCS Street School Lookup
• Is your school of choice not your neighborhood school?

  That's okay! Your Aeries Online Enrollment application serves as your Intradistrict Transfer application as well. 

• When is the priority registration window for 2027-28 school year?

  The priority registration window for 2026-27 school year opens on January 1st, 2027 and closes on January 31st, 2027. This is the first phase in our enrollment window. Priority registration is intended to allow families to select the school of their choice and start planning for the next school year.

• What is the age range for Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten?
  • Transitional Kindergarten - Your child must turn 4 on or before September 1 in which they're starting school. 
  • Kindergarten - If you child turns 5 on or before September 1  they will be enrolled in kindergarten.
• Can I apply to more than one elementary school?

  Yes! During the application process, you will have a chance to select two schools and rank them in your preferred order. If you would like to change the order you have ranked schools or apply to a different school, please contact our enrollment team at communications@petk12.org.

• Does my student need a transfer? If so, how do I know what kind?

  To determine if you need a transfer, you will first need to know what your District and School of Residence are. You can find out more on our Find Your School page.

  To find out more about transfers please visit our District Transfer Information page.

• My student is currently enrolled at a PCS school but I'm considering a different PCS school for next year. What do I do?

  If your student is enrolled at a Petaluma City School and you wish to transfer, you will need to fill out a transfer form. The type of transfer will depend on where you live. Find out more about transfers and download the appropriate form on our District Transfer page.

  If you are not enrolled at a PCS school, please complete our Enrollment Process!

  If you have any questions, email our communications coordinator at communications@petk12.org.

• What happens if I missed the priority enrollment date?

  You can still apply to the school of your choice even if it's outside of the priority window. For applications submitted outside the window, we will extend offers based on available space at your school of choice. 

• I'd like to learn more about a school but tour season is over. What should I do?

  While we don't offer tours outside of our tour season, many of our campuses are open on the weekends and after hours for families to come, use the playground and facilities and see the campus. Additionally, check the school calendar and join us for a community event such as an open house, back to school night, salsa festival and more!