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For 6th to 8th grade, students can attend a neighborhood school or choose a citywide school or program.
Applicants Who Are Not Current City Schools Students or Are Nonresidents of Baltimore City:
If you are a resident of Baltimore but do not currently attend a Baltimore City public school or if you are nonresident of Baltimore City, you may use the Updated Choice application to apply to a Baltimore City public middle or high school. Proof of student identity (i.e. birth certificate), two proofs of residency (i.e. lease agreement, mortgage statement, utility bill) and copies of report cards must be attached to the application form and submitted to the Office of Enrollment, Choice and Transfer, 200 E. North Ave., Room 106, Baltimore, MD 21202, by April 21, 2023. You may also visit the Office of Enrollment, Choice and Transfer starting June 26th to request other placement options for the 23-24 school year.
Updated Choice (Round 2)
For families who missed the original choice application deadline or want to try to apply to a different school than the one they were placed in, we offer a second round of choice.
Fill out the Updated Choice application and either mail it to 200 E. North Ave, Enrollment Choice and Transfers, Baltimore, MD 21202 or email it. If you do not have access to download, print, or email the updated application, please call 410-396-8600.
The deadline to fill out the updated choice application is April 21st. Decision letters will be mailed out after May 19th. If families do not fill out a choice application, students will be assigned a school.
Registration
- Browse and compare schools that might be right for your child and family. You can consider your neighborhood school or charter schools located across the city.
- Complete the registration form for your selected school – available online and accessible via computer, tablet, or mobile devices
- Gather and upload the required documents (see below).
- Await communication from a school/district enrollment official
- Charter schools: Contact the school directly to ask about the registration process. (Note that the application deadline for most charters schools was Wednesday, February 15).
- Technology access: If unable to complete the online registration process, please fill out the traditional registration form (in English or Spanish, gather/submit the form and required documents (see below) to the Office of Enrollment, Choice & Transfers (200 East North Avenue, Room 106, Baltimore, MD 21202) or any Documentation Support site – location details are forthcoming.
- Transfer Requests (Existing Students) – The window to request transfer consideration is set to tentatively launch on July 17, 2023.
- Additional support and/or questions: Please contact the school’s enrollment official directly (school telephone #); or reach out to the district office team at enrollment@bcps.k12.md.us or 410-396-8600.
Different middle school options, different ways to enroll
Neighborhood schools
If your child goes to a neighborhood elementary/middle school and you want your child to stay at the school through 8th grade, you're all set. Your child is automatically enrolled at your school.
If you're new to the district and would like to enroll your child in a middle school close to your home, find your neighborhood school and stop by to find out what you need to register.
Feeder schools
A few neighborhood elementary schools are "feeder" schools for nearby schools with middle grades. This means that 5th-grade students at the neighborhood elementary school are automatically enrolled in a nearby school for 6th grade. Check with your neighborhood school for more details.
Charter schools
Most charter schools have a different admissions process. Contact the school for information.
Middle School Choice
All 5th-grade students can choose their school for 6th grade — and those whose school does not have middle grades and does not feed to another school must fill out the choice application. Options include elementary/middle schools with special academic programming, schools that serve only grades 6 to 8, and combined middle/high schools.
The school choice application is typically due in January. To help students and families figure out what schools might be right for them, there are open houses and a school choice fair every fall, and a "school choice liaison" at every elementary school can answer questions.
Some middle school programs have academic entrance criteria — meaning you need to do well in 4th and 5th grades to be accepted. (Entrance criteria include results on a standardized test; final 4th-grade results in math, English language arts, social studies, and science; first-quarter 5th-grade results in those subjects; and first-quarter 5th-grade attendance.)
Here are some tips to make sure you keep options open and are ready to make the best choice for you.
3rd grade:
- Join after-school clubs so you’ll have lots of different experiences and can find out what you like best
- Think about your talents and what interests you most
- Visit middle and high school websites
- Talk to friends, neighbors, and family members about where they go to school
- Find out about special programs like TWIGS, Ingenuity Project, Gateway to Technology, and gifted and advanced learning, and what’s required for each one
4th grade:
- Talk with the choice liaison at your school about options for middle grades
- Think more about your interests and talents and what kind of school would work best for you
- Go to open houses at different types of schools, so you can see the range of options available
- Stay focused on doing well, so you’ll meet requirements for special programs
5th grade:
- Narrow down your choices by visiting schools you’re interested in, going to the school choice fair, and talking to current students, parents, and staff members
- Stay focused on doing well, so you’ll meet requirements for special programs
- For the Ingenuity Project, register for the test; for charter schools, make sure you know the application deadlines
- Meet with your choice liaison to get your questions answered and for help with your choice application
Students who are learning English for the first time
Students who are in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs can participate fully in the choice process.
Some schools that participate in middle or high school choice are ESOL sites; however, services are adjusted as necessary to ensure all English learners are able to participate fully in the choice process.
For more information, contact the school counselor or choice liaison at your school.
