Optional Attendance Areas
Certain areas of the San Diego Unified School District have been designated Optional Areas between multiple schools. If a student resides in one of these areas, he or she is considered a resident of the listed schools for that Optional Area only. The selected school remains the school of attendance for the duration of the student's attendance at that level (elementary, middle, or high). Students are not permitted to switch between the schools otherwise.
Optional Areas are reviewed annually and subject to change.
How do I know if my address is located within an optional attendance area?
You will know if your address is located within an optional attendance area because there will be two schools in the results pane for each division (Elementary, Middle and High School). This identifies the address as an optional attendance area.
For example, your results may yield two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Or it may yield two elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools. Or it may yield one elementary school, two middle schools, and one high school and so forth.
In summary, two schools of the same division denote the address is in an optional area.
Shared Boundaries
Farb and DePortola middle schools share an attendance area. Both schools serve grades 6-8. Please contact either school or the Neighborhood Schools and Enrollment Options office for more information.
Dana and Correia middle schools share an attendance area. However, the grade ranges do not overlap. Dana serves 5-6 and Correia serves 7-8. Also, the Grant UTK-8 attendance area overlaps with the Dana/Correia-Roosevelt optional area - thus, students residing in this area have multiple options for middle level grades (5-8).
Frequently Asked Questions on Optional Areas
If my home address is an Optional Area, what does that mean?
School Finder shows that I live in an Optional Area. What does that mean? It means your address has more than one neighborhood school. Your student has one-time (for each level – elementary, middle, or high) choice of schools to attend (the choice being limited to the schools listed in the School Finder results.)
I live in an Optional Area with two elementary choices. If I choose one of the elementary schools now, can I choose the other elementary school later?
No - once a school selection is made, that school remains your resident school for the duration of the student's attendance at that school level (for example, if the school is K-5, through 5th grade).
I live in an area that is optional for elementary schools. What are my child’s options for the next level (middle or high school)?
At each school level for which you have an option, you may choose from among the assigned schools. Your choice of elementary schools does not limit your choice of middle or high schools if you have an option at the next level.
Example: A student resident in the Foster-Juarez elementary optional area also has a choice at the middle school level, between Lewis and Taft middle schools. A student may attend Juarez Elementary School, and then decide to attend Lewis Middle School instead of Taft Middle School, even though Juarez students normally progress to Taft.
Can my child attend a school that is not an assigned neighborhood school?
San Diego Unified School District offers a variety of educational enrollment opportunities for parents and students within the district. Parents who would like to have their child attend a school other than the neighborhood school may apply through the Neighborhood Schools and Enrollment Options Office: https://www.sandiegounified.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=27732478&pageId=28006801 or call (619) 260-2410 for assistance.