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Transfer Information

Petaluma City Schools welcomes students who reside outside of our district boundaries, and also allows students who live in our district to transfer to a school outside of their neighborhood. Students who reside within a particular school zone have enrollment priority at that school, and transfer students may be enrolled based on the availability of space and acceptance of a transfer application.

Priority Enrollment for 2027-28 opens January 1

Live outside PCS boundaries? Apply for an Interdistrict Transfer (IDT)

Not every Petaluma address is within PCS boundaries. Use our Find Your School steps to check whether you need an IDT.

Applying to a charter school? You don’t need an IDT. See “Applying to a charter school?” below.

How to apply

  1. Download the IDT application below. Complete it on your computer or print it and fill it out.
  2. Attach copies of your student’s current attendance report, discipline record, and grades.
  3. Email your completed application to transfers@petk12.org as a PDF, scan, or clear photo (the page should fill the frame and be well lit). You can also drop it off in person at the District Office, 200 Douglas Street, Petaluma.

IDT Application - English 

IDT Application - Spanish

Find Your School

Applying to a charter school?

PCS has five charter schools. Charter schools don’t have attendance boundaries, so any student can apply regardless of where they live, and you don’t need an Interdistrict Transfer. 

Applications open January 1, 2027, and are due January 31, 2027.

New to PCS? Complete the Online Application for New Enrollees. You’ll need to upload photos of:

  • Birth certificate
  • Immunization records
  • Proof of residence

Already enrolled in PCS? Sign in to the Aeries Parent Portal and select “School of Choice Transfer Request.”

More Information on IDTs

  • Inter-district Transfer Timeline
    • Priority Application Window: January 1st - January 31st, 2027
    • Priority Deadline: January 31st, 2027
    • Please note that we will notify families who submit a current-year request of our final decision within 30 calendar days of receipt.
    • Please note that we will notify families submitting a future-year request of our final decision as soon as possible, but no later than 14 calendar days after the commencement of instruction in the school year for which the Inter-district Transfer is sought.
    • Failure of the family to meet any timelines established by the school district shall be deemed an abandonment of the request.
  • Grounds For Approval of Inter-district Transfer
    • When the student has been determined by staff of either the district of residence or district of proposed attendance to be a victim of an act of bullying as defined in Education Code 48900(r). Such a student shall be given priority for interdistrict attendance under any existing interdistrict attendance agreement or, in the absence of an agreement, shall be given consideration for the creation of a new permit. (Education Code 46600) (cf. 5131.2 - Bullying)
    • To meet the child care needs of the student. (Such students may be allowed to continue to attend district schools only as long as they continue to use a child care provider within district boundaries.)
    • To meet the student's special mental or physical health needs as certified by a physician, school psychologist, or other appropriate school personnel (cf. 6159 - Individualized Education)
    • When the student has siblings attending school in a receiving district, to avoid splitting the family's attendance
    • To allow a student to complete a school year when his/her parents/guardians have moved out of the district during that year
    • To allow students to remain with a class graduating that year from an elementary, junior or senior high school
    • To let seniors attend the same school they attended as juniors, even if their families moved out of the district during the junior year
    • When the parent/guardian provides written evidence that the family will be moving to the receiving district in the immediate future and would like the student to start the year in that district
    • When the student will be living out of the district only for one year or less
    • When recommended by the School Attendance Review Board or by county child welfare, probation or social service agency staff in documented cases of serious home or community problems which make it inadvisable for the student to attend the school of residence (cf. 5113.1 - Chronic Absence and Truancy)
    • When there is valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the district of residency
    • To provide a change in school environment for reasons of personal and social adjustment

    AR 5117 Students: Interdistrict Attendance

  • Grounds For Denial of Inter-district Transfer
    1. Overcrowding within district schools, program capacity, or limited district resources.
      Students under consideration for expulsion or who have been expelled
    2. Students who are currently attending school under the terms of a Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) contract, or who are not maintaining an attendance rate of at least 90%
    3. Students who are currently not making grade-level progress (K-6), have a current cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 (7-12), or are more than 10 credits behind on-track progress toward a diploma for each year of high school enrollment (9-12).
    4. Students with suspensions for bullying, harassment, threats, violence, possession of weapons, use/possession/sales of illegal substances or alcohol or other suspendible school conduct violations

    The Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of a student who is denied interdistrict attendance regarding the process for appeal to the County Board of Education as specified in Education Code 46601 within 30 days of the denial. (cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)

    AR 5117 Students: Interdistrict Attendance

  • Grounds For Revoking or Rescinding an Existing Inter-district Transfer

    Students under consideration for expulsion or who have been expelled may not appeal interdistrict attendance denials or decisions while expulsion proceedings are pending or during the term of the expulsion. (Education Code 46601)

    Every interdistrict attendance permit shall stipulate the terms and conditions under which the permit may be revoked. (Education Code 46600)

    Grounds for revocation may include:

    1. Information on the permit, or information upon which the permit was granted, is determined to be false or fraudulent;
    2. The terms of the Interdistrict Attendance Agreement are not met; See E 5117 Students: Interdistrict Attendance
    3. The district makes a determination that the continuing presence of the student would interfere with the needs of the district, the best interests of the students, or both.
    4. The district will give ten school days' notice to parents/guardians prior to the revocation of the permit. (cf. 5144 - Discipline)

    AR 5117 Students: Interdistrict Attendance