District of Choice
Information on the District of Choice program, which allows local educational agencies (LEAs) to accept student transfers under the "District of Choice" provisions.Program Information
The District of Choice Program is governed by California Education Code (EC) Sections 48300 through 48316
and allows a student to transfer to a school district whose governing board has elected to operate as a school district of choice and accept transfers from school districts of residence as described in California Education Code (EC) Section 48301.
Districts of Choice shall determine and adopt the number of transfers they are willing to accept and shall accept all pupils who apply to transfer until the school district of choice is at maximum capacity. Districts of Choice shall ensure that pupils admitted into the program are selected through an unbiased process that prohibits an inquiry into or evaluation or consideration of whether or not a pupil should be enrolled based upon academic or athletic performance, physical condition, proficiency in English, any of the individual characteristics set forth in Section 200, and, except for purposes of determining priority for pupils eligible for free or reduced-price meals pursuant to Section 48306, family income.
Data Reporting Requirements
Under EC Section 48313, the CDE is required to collect and report specific data from and about school districts of choice. The CDE uses data reported by LEAs through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) to obtain much of the required student data. Other data not available through CALPADS is collected through the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) data collection.
For additional information on data collected through these systems, visit the District of Choice Data Reporting web page.Registration Requirements
Under EC Section 48301(g), a school district of choice shall register as a school district of choice with both the Superintendent in a manner specified by the Superintendent and the county board of education where the school district of choice is located.
For additional information or to register as a district of choice, visit the District of Choice Registration web page.
Data
Participating Districts
A list of districts who have registered with the CDE as participating in the District of Choice Program for the current and next school year are provided below. (Note, The participating Districts of Choice list for 2026-27 will be available soon.):
District of Choice Data Files
District of Choice Data Files
Downloadable data files for Districts of Choice and Districts of Residence.
Resources
District of Choice Frequently Asked Questions.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the District of Choice program.
District Transfers
information about different types of district transfers.