Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is accepting Special Permission Applications from parents or legal guardians seeking permission for their child to attend a school outside of their designated attendance area through May 15.

Once completed, the application must be returned to the school to which a family is requesting permission to attend. A letter indicating the special permission decision will be mailed in the month of June.

WCPS' regulation for student enrollment stipulates each student shall attend the appropriate school in their designated attendance area. However, special permission can be requested to attend a school outside of a student’s designated attendance area under certain conditions including:

• There is a need for a specific academic or special program or course, which is not available in the home designated attendance area, including Magnet programs.
• The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) is/are employed and the student is under the care of a daycare provider who is located in Washington County but outside of the student’s designated attendance area (applicable only for students under the age of 13).
• School boundaries have been changed and a student is in the last year of a program at a particular middle school or in the last two years of a program at a particular elementary or high school.
• A student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) with current Washington County residency presents a bonafide plan to move into the requested school attendance area within 90 calendar days of the original request for special permission. Bonafide plans include a completed real estate contract (for rental or purchase) with completion or “move in” dates specified.
• A unique set of circumstances is determined to exist by the school principals and/or Department of Student Services.
• A student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) is employed with WCPS, is a resident of Washington County, and the employment location of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) is outside the student’s designated attendance zone.
• A student has a sibling who is enrolled in a Magnet program may be granted special permission at the sibling’s school where the Magnet program is located.

However, special permission may still be denied in circumstances where the request otherwise meets one of the criteria listed above if the student has documented poor attendance, failing grades, or demonstrates chronic and disruptive behavior as documented on a WCPS Student Misconduct referral.

When special permission is granted, transportation is the responsibility of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s), except in cases when WCPS is required by law to provide transportation. In certain situations, transportation may be provided by WCPS if the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) transport their student to a bus stop where there is space available on a specific bus and arrangements have been confirmed with the WCPS Transportation Department.

2024-2025 Special Permission Application

2024-2025 Special Permission Application (Spanish) 

Additional Details About Special Permission