Detroit School Decision Timeline
Plan your time for school visits, testing, enrollment and more with our Detroit school decision timeline.
November–December
Transition grade open houses
Many DPSCD schools and charters host open houses for kindergarten and ninth grade. Certain schools begin enrolling as early as fall for the next school year, and some open houses occur in October and November.
Select admission testing
DPSCD exam school admissions testing for fall admission. Click here to learn more.
January–February
Re-enrollment for current schools
After the holiday break, many schools begin re-enrollment for current students and open applications for new students. Schools that follow open enrollment rules host a lottery if applications exceed the number of seats available by grade level. These dates are available on schools’ websites or by calling the school.
Open houses and events
Many charters host activities in collaboration with one another. DPSCD is known to host school tours, a high school expo, and kindergarten round-up events. In May, many schools host a second round of citywide open houses or events to ensure that families who missed the first window can enroll students prior to the end of the current school year.
March–April
Acceptance and waitlist notifications
Families and students typically are notified of their acceptance to a school and/or placed on a waiting list. Some schools continue to accept applications on a “rolling” basis, filling seats as they become available.
DPSCD enrollment center
During spring break, DPSCD opens a full-service center where parents may enroll students for the upcoming school year.
June–August
Summer hours
While most schools are open during the summer, hours may be limited. It’s best for families seeking to enroll for the following school year to call a school prior to visiting to ask questions, schedule a tour, and/or try to enroll. During summer vacation, DPSCD opens full-service centers where parents may enroll students for the upcoming school year.
Special considerations
Transitions
If your child is in a transition grade and you are looking for a new school, contact the school(s) you are interested in to ensure that you are aware of their current timelines for applying and accepting an offer to attend.
Closures
If a Detroit school announces it won’t re-open the following year, DPSCD and many charters host events to support students (and staff) needing new placements.
