Our District’s commitment to School Choice uniquely offers students a variety of high-quality educational options at all levels by giving families a choice on deciding where their children attend school to learn and grow. The School Choice Lottery is widely popular, with nearly 20,000 applications each year.

If your student is considering applying to another school within our the District, the important information below will be helpful.

Use this link or the navigation to the left to view the School Choice Lottery process!

The online Infinite Campus Parent Portal process is easy to use. You might already be using it to monitor real-time progress on your student. The Parent Portal also allows you to update emergency contact information, view course schedules, grades, attendance and assignments that have been turned in/or missing, even e-mail child’s teacher directly from the portal using the planner feature.

Before you can log in, you will need a Parent Portal Global Unique Identifier (GUID) Access Key. Each parent/guardian has a personalized GUID code. If you need to obtain your GUID access code, contact your student's school directly or email a picture ID and name and birthdate of your child to parentportalaccess@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Types of School Choice Applications:

The following types of School Choice applications must be submitted via the Parent Portal:

School Choice Lottery: For parents/guardians of KG-12th grade students wishing to apply to attend a school other than the school assigned.

Reservation Admissions:  For students who currently attend a school that is eligible to reserve a seat in the next school with the same programming.  Reservation applications will be available on January 6, 2025 and must be submitted by January 31, 2025 via the School Choice link in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

Request to Return to Home School: For students attending a school in Columbus City Schools that is not their school of address.  The request will be available for submission beginning on January 6, 2025 and must be submitted via the School Choice link in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal by March 21, 2025.

Selective Admissions: For students who meet specific criteria.  The Selective Admissions application will be available on January 8, 2025, for students who qualify, and must be submitted via the School Choice link in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal by January 31, 2025.

Inter-District Open (IOE) Enrollment: For students living outside of the Columbus City Schools boundaries and wish to attend a school in the CCS District.  IOE application deadlines follow the same deadlines as the School Choice Lottery.

Airforce Junior ROTC: For students entering 9th-12th grade who want to join the Airforce Junior ROTC on the campus of Fort Hayes HS.  Students who are accepted to Fort Hayes through the Junior ROTC lottery, must adhere to all ROTC guidelines. Students who are accepted to Fort Hayes through the Junior ROTC lottery will be returned to their school of address should a decision be made that drops ROTC from the student's schedule.  ROTC applications will be available on January 6, 2025 and must be submitted by February 21, 2025.