Page 8 - Pathways to Possibilities

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility Guidelines - Residency Requirements Eligibility Guidelines - Program Requirements
Your residency status is a critical part of the Choice application To be included in the Choice lottery, each applicant must first
process. Please review these rules carefully to ensure your meet a set of eligibility requirements. Please review the following
application remains valid. criteria carefully to ensure your student qualifies for their selected
programs.
Palm Beach County Residency Required
Choice and Career programs are exclusively for full-time residents Core Requirements for All Applicants
of Palm Beach County. The student and their parent/guardian · Age & Residency: All students must meet the district's
must have established residency at the time of application standard age and Palm Beach County residency requirements.
submission and maintained throughout the assignment process. · Age Requirements for Pre-K & Kindergarten: To be eligible for
An application submitted by a non-resident, whether due to an the 2026-2027 school year, students must meet the following
administrative error or incorrect information provided by the age requirements by September 1, 2026:
applicant, is considered invalid. If it is discovered at any point · Pre-K3: Must be 3 years old
in the application, lottery, or assignment process that a student · Pre-K4: Must be 4 years old
resides outside of Palm Beach County, their application will · Kindergarten: Must be 5 years old
be immediately deemed ineligible. If a seat has already been · Program Criteria: Applicants must meet the specific eligibility
assigned through the lottery, that assignment will be revoked. requirements for their chosen program, as detailed on pages
This policy applies regardless of the reason for the error and 11-13 of this guide.
ensures that all program seats are allocated to eligible, in-county
students as intended. GPA Calculations for Eligibility
Some programs have a minimum GPA requirement. To be eligible
Important: Have You Moved Recently? for the lottery, applicants must meet the minimum academic
The student's address in the school district's Student Information eligibility as outlined on pages 11-13. GPA is determined using
System (SIS) must be current and match the parent/guardian's the criteria below:
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primary address when you submit your application. · Incoming 9 grade applicants: GPA is calculated using the
unweighted average of all classes for the 4th quarter of grade
· If you have recently moved, you must update your address at 7 and the 1 & 2 quarters of grade 8.
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your child's current school before you apply. · Incoming 10 –12 grade applicants: GPA will be based on
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· Please Note: After the school updates your address, you must student’s earned unweighted GPA at the time of eligibility
wait one business day before submitting your application. The determination.
new address syncs with the application portal overnight. · Report cards for any private school applicants on trimester
· For separated or divorced parents, the primary residential schedules must be submitted by January 30, 2026. Parents/
address listed in the Student Information System (SIS) will be guardians are responsible for submitting report cards or
the one used for the application. transcripts in order for program eligibility to be determined.
· Report cards or grades for any student enrolled in Home
Student ID Request - Residency Requirements Education or Virtual School must be submitted by January
A valid Palm Beach County Student ID is required to submit 30, 2026. Parents/guardians are responsible for submitting
a Choice program application. If you meet the residency report cards or transcripts in order for program eligibilty to
requirements, and your child will be new to the district, a Student be determined.
ID number can be created for you. · Current charter school applicants may be required to submit
their appropriate report cards if the school does not record
Before requesting a new ID, please be aware that your child has student grades using the Student Information System (SIS).
likely already been assigned one if they have ever been associated
with: a district-operated school, a district charter school, or the For Programs with Special Requirements
district's Home Education office. In addition to a minimum GPA, some programs have program-
How to Request a New Student ID specific criteria such as auditions, portfolios, or prerequisite
Applications can be submitted at www.mypbchoiceapp.com. courses. To be eligible for the lottery, an applicant must meet all
requirements for their selected program.
You must submit two verified proofs of residency, such as a current · Prerequisites: If a program requires specific courses (such as
lease agreement, utility bills, or auto registration. Affidavits of math), you must provide proof of enrollment at the time of
Residency or Person Acting as Parent forms cannot be accepted application and have the course completed by the school's
as proof of residency for this specific request.
deadline. Please contact the Choice Coordinator at the
Please allow up to 10 business days for your Student ID request selected school for details.
to be processed. Incomplete applications will not be processed. · Auditions & Grade Levels: Be aware that programs requiring
auditions may have higher score requirements for students
entering higher grade levels.

4 EDUCATE · AFFIRM · INSPIRE