Cluster Transfer Enrollment Option

Full-time school-based employees, bus drivers, and bus monitors are eligible to apply for a student-of- employee cluster transfer. 

Schools under 95% of capacity are eligible to accept student-of-employee cluster transfers. If a school receives more interest at a specific grade than there is capacity (classroom space), a random lottery specific to children of employee students may be required to fill available seats. At the elementary level, it is recommended that employees submit an application for at least three different schools to ensure one of their preferred options is granted. 

For any schools deemed to have insufficient capacity (over 95%), transfer options will be limited as defined below:

• Student-of-employee cluster transfers are limited to the children of full-time, certified APS employees, residing within the City of Atlanta (APS District) 

Eligible employees can apply online via the Jotform Application System. If you need assistance, please contact the Office of Student Assignment to schedule an in-person or virtual appointment. 

Cluster Transfer Application

The application window will open Monday, January 26th, through Friday, February 20th of this current semester. If you are a new employee after this deadline, you will need to contact Student Assignment at 404-802-2233 or studentassignment@apsk12.org to request access to the application. New employees are eligible to apply for a cluster transfer within 30 days of their start date. After this timeframe, employees may need to wait for the next open application window. 

Employees will be notified on or before March 20, 2026.

As a benefit of employment, APS will make best efforts to offer eligible employees access to a school within their assigned cluster. Schools over 95% of capacity will not be deemed eligible for out-of-zone students and a lottery may be required for schools that receive more interest than available capacity or classroom space. We anticipate that few schools within APS will require a lottery. 

A lottery is the ranking of applications by a random method. The transfers will be filled in order of the ranking. 

If a school must have a lottery, impacted employees will be notified via email by April 18, 2025. 

No, the parent is responsible for transportation. Students on transfer are not eligible to ride an APS school bus. 

A student with disabilities who applies will need to have his or her individualized educational program (IEP) or Section 504 plan evaluated to determine if services required under the IEP or 504 plans are available at the school. The district is not required to add services to a school. If services are not available, your transfer may be denied. 

Yes, your application can be denied for one of the following reasons: 

• Lack of capacity at the requested school; 
• Lack of capacity for students with disabilities with Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) or Individualized Accommodation Plans (IAP) that call for placement at a particular school or indicating program needs not available at the requested school. 

No, your child cannot participate in any activity at an out-of-zone school until the student has officially received their approved out of zone transfer. 

The children of full-time non-resident employees are considered residents and allowed to attend APS schools tuition-free. The children of full-time non-resident employees of organizations which partner with APS to operate district schools are also considered residents and allowed to attend APS schools tuition-free. 

A transfer is valid to the highest grade of the school contingent upon the employee’s continued assignment in the cluster in which the student’s transfer was approved. Employees should re-apply at the transition grades for the feeder school pattern. 

If you need assistance or still can’t figure out the status of your application, you may contact Student Assignment at 404-802-2233 or studentassignment@apsk12.org.