Open Enrollment Flexibility

Due to housing shortages near military installations, military families often experience delays in receiving permanent housing upon a PCS move. Many states have updated education statutes to improve access to interdistrict and intradistrict transfer programs for military families with school-aged children, both upon initial PCS and subsequent changes of residence.

Open enrollment is a form of K-12 public school choice that allows students to attend a different school than the one to which they are assigned based on their place of residence. Most states have one or more policies providing for varying degrees of open enrollment, but they can differ greatly across state and even district lines. These policies can be mandatory or voluntary for the school or district; may apply to interdistrict transfers or be limited to intradistrict transfers; and may provide priority to students who are part of designated categories.