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Application Windows for Student Reassignment for 2025-2026 School Year

March 17th, 2025

Through the student reassignment process and based on a specific set of criteria, a parent/guardian can request enrollment at a school that is not located in their designated school attendance area.

Each of the four categories of student reassignment—Relocation; Build/Buy/Lease; Hardship; and Employee—has an application window and request form. An overview of each category and corresponding application windows are provided below.

Student reassignment is guided by Howard County Board of Education Policy 9000 Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment. Requests are reviewed by the Office of Pupil Personnel Services, and determinations are issued within 45 business days from the date the reassignment request form and supporting documentation are received.

More information about student reassignment is available online and on the HCPSS Help Site. Inquiries about student reassignment should be sent to residency@hcpss.org.

Please note, for the 2025-2026 school year, the first day of school for students is Monday, Aug. 25. Applicable dates are calculated from that date.

Relocation

The relocation category applies to students who move out of district or out of Howard County on or after the first day of a new school year, and to students who move after reaching junior status. Students who are eligible for the relocation category and move out of Howard County will be assessed tuition. Current residency documents must be on file at the student’s current school before a relocation reassignment request can be submitted or processed.

Relocation application window for the 2025-2026 school year:

Build/Buy/Lease

The build/buy/lease category applies to families moving into a new home within 90 calendar days of the student’s first day of attendance.

For the 2025-2026 school year, the first day of attendance is scheduled to be August 25, 2025; 90 calendar days later is November 23, 2025. Regardless of building delays, the student must be living in their new home by November 23, 2025 (or 90 calendar days from their first day of attendance).

Build/buy/lease application window for the 2025-2026 school year:

Hardship

The hardship category applies when there is a documented extraordinary hardship that meets the standard for exception.

Hardship application windows for the 2025-2026 school year:

Employees

The employee category applies only to .5 or greater full-time equivalent HCPSS employees. Eligible employees may request that their child be reassigned to the school to which they themselves are assigned or a school within a prescribed feeder pattern cluster. Employees who are non-Howard County residents are assessed tuition at a discounted rate.

Employee application windows for the 2025-2026 school year: