Frequently Asked Questions

Will my student receive their first choice?

• The only reason a Newark student would not get into his or her first choice would be if the school does not have enough seats for all applicants. When a student does not receive his or her first choice, the matching process will move down the student’s list of schools in order to place the student in his or her highest-ranked school with available seats. Students applying to a magnet or specialized school program must meet the application requirements specific to that school.

How many families get into their top choice, or any of their top 3 choices?

• Last year, 82% of Kindergarten families got their first choice. 94% of Kindergarten families got one of their top 3 choices.

Can my student be matched to a school that isn’t listed on his/her application?

• In rare cases, if a student needs a new school (e.g. 8th grade) and only lists one or two schools, the student may be matched to their neighborhood school if the number of applicants exceeds the number of seats at their ranked schools. Applicants are never matched to a charter school unless they list it on their application.

I would like my children to attend the same school as their sibling. What should I do?

• With the exception of magnets, applicants who have a sibling currently attending the school receives the highest priority at the school. Siblings who are applying at the same time receive priority to be matched together. If one of the students is matched to a school, his/her sibling(s) will be given preference to be matched to the same school. If your children require Special Education services, we may not be able to match them together due to their IEP program requirements.

How does the neighborhood preference work?

• Seats in these schools are prioritized for siblings first. All remaining seats are prioritized for students who live within the neighborhood.

How does the magnet school matching process work?

• All 6 district magnet schools have admission criteria. These schools rank all applicants using different criteria including standardized test scores, grades, and attendance. Some may also require an audition or an interview.

  All students can apply for admission into a magnet school.

  Sibling priority does not apply to magnet schools.

  Please review the magnet criteria information listed on the school’s information page.