Schools of Choice
Schools of Choice (SOC) Lottery for the 2026-27 School Year:
November 7- December 1, 2025, at 4 pm
Schools of Choice (SOC) is the process Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) uses to give parents who reside within the VUSD boundary a choice to select a school within VUSD that they feel will most benefit their child. Schools and programs are identified based on space availability for additional students. SOC online applications are selected for approval via a random and unbiased lottery. Online applications are not selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so you may submit anytime in that window. The online application window for the 2026-2027 school year is November 7 - December 1, 2025 at 4 pm. Should you miss applying during these dates, and if you reside within the VUSD boundary area, you may submit an intradistrict transfer to a VUSD school other than your boundary school.
Instructions for filling out SOC Lottery Application- English
Instructions for filling out SOC Lottery Application- Spanish
Schools of Choice Lottery Application- Current VUSD Families
Schools of Choice Lottery Application- families with No Current students attending VUSD Schools
Additional Enrollment Options:
Neighborhood Boundary School
This is an excellent option as all our schools are staffed with exemplary teachers and amazing support staff. Pay a visit to your neighborhood school and you will see rigorous and relevant academics that challenge each student. To discover which neighborhood school is in your boundary, visit MySchoolLocator.
Please note that Transitional Kindergarten enrollment will be boundary-based beginning the 2026-27 school year, except for Pierpont, as they do not offer this program. This means you can enroll at your boundary school without using the SOC process or apply through SOC to attend a non-boundary school. Pierpont boundary TK families must apply through the SOC lottery as Pierpont does not offer a TK program.
Please note, the 2025-26 SOC TK placement for students expires at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Starting with the TK students who enroll through SOC for the 2026-27 school year, reapplication will only be required at the end of 5th grade.
Transferring Options for 2026-27 (For use only after the SOC lottery window expires)
Submitting an Intradistrict Transfer - FOR GRADES K-12 IN 2026-27 WILL BE ACCEPTED BEGINNING JANUARY 6, 2026.
- This is an option for families residing within the VUSD boundary and requesting their child attend a school other than their boundary/neighborhood school.
Submitting an Interdistrict Transfer - FOR 2026-27 WILL BE ACCEPTED BEGINNING JANUARY 20, 2026.
- This is an option for families requesting their child attend VUSD schools but do not live in the VUSD District boundaries.