SMMUSD Enrollment Information

  • ENROLLING NEXT YEAR'S KINDERGARTENERS IN EDISON LANGUAGE ACADEMY

    2022-23 School Year:

    Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten: Orientation for Prospective Applicants for 2022-2023
    Orientación para Solicitantes Prospectivos de Kindergarten y Kindergarten Transicional para el 2022-2023

    Birthdate Enrollment Guidelines

    Enrollment Guidelines and Preferences for Edison’s Bridges TK program and Edison K-5 Programs

    Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions

    The Edison Dual Language programs represent unique curriculum options in SMMUSD. Edison is one of SMMUSD’s two elementary schools of choice. It is not a neighborhood or home school for anyone.   Parents or guardians of all students desiring to apply to the dual language programs must come on a school tour for the program to which they are applying to make sure they understand the program and can make an informed choice.  Parents also must submit an application within the application window.  Applications submitted after the due date lose any priority to which they might otherwise have been entitled and are only admitted on a space available basis.

    Since Edison Bridges TK, and Edison K-5 programs are Dual Language programs, each entering cohort of students must be composed of enough Spanish speakers and English speakers to provide adequate peer language models in both languages. When possible, we find that enrolling slightly more Spanish-dominant children than English-dominant children is beneficial to both groups.   Edison provides language screening for applicants whose parents indicate that they are Spanish speakers to ensure that children are placed in the appropriate language pool for the purpose of enrollment decisions.

    In addition to striving to provide an appropriate language balance, Edison’s enrollment decisions are guided by a series of enrollment priorities, consistent with SMMUSD’s enrollment and permit policies. All applicants must have a birthdate appropriate for enrollment in the program for which they are applying.  Dates for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten are determined by California Education Code. There is no flexibility in birthdates.

    In making enrollment decisions, Edison also considers whether or not placement in a dual language program seems appropriate for an individual student.  Dual Language programs are wonderful, but they are not the right choice for every child.   Please provide complete answers to the questions on the application.  If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), please share a copy with us so we can make sure that all services to which your child is entitled can be provided at this school.  SMMUSD offers a variety of Special Education programs but not all programs are offered at all facilities.  And admission to Special Education programs with an inter-district attendance permit depends on availability of room in the appropriate program.  Edison offers Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) and Speech and Language programs, OT, PT and Social Skills services for qualifying students.  Please contact the case manager at your child’s school to have a discussion at an IEP meeting regarding whether your child’s needs can be met in a dual language program.

    All the Edison programs generally receive more applications than can be accommodated each year. When that happens, within each language group, students are admitted according to the following priorities, in this order:

    • Younger siblings of dual language program students and children of SMMUSD employees working in the dual language program;

    • Students enrolled in the Edison Bridges Transitional Kindergarten Programs receive a priority for Kindergarten admission;

    • While Edison is NOT a neighborhood school, next priority goes to students who reside within the immediate Edison neighborhood. Please click for map to see the neighborhood assigned to Edison for the purpose of this priority list only;

    • Students from other neighborhoods within SMMUSD, and employees of SMMUSD and the City of Santa Monica and City of Malibu. Final enrollment of all students is contingent upon the procurement of the appropriate intra-district permit.  For children who are SMMUSD residents, Edison then becomes their home school for the duration of their enrollment in SMMUSD.

    • When space is available in either language group and if there are not enough applications from students in the above categories, Edison also admits students who live in other neighboring school districts. Consideration among out-of-district applicants is given to children of parents who participated in the immersion program themselves as children, children whose parents are graduates of one of SMMUSD’s high schools, and children with parents who work within the boundaries of SMMUSD (see Board policy on preferences for out-of-district permits). Final enrollment for out- of-district students is contingent upon the procurement of the appropriate inter-district permit, as specified by the district permit policy and the special education policy regarding permits.

    Inter-district permits are granted for the general education program in the TK and K-5 programs and are renewable annually. These permits are for the purpose of participating in a dual language program and are not transferable to other elementary schools within SMMUSD.

    If more students apply to Edison Language Academy than the school can admit in any category, a waiting list is created for that category, by language. Students are assigned numbers on the waiting list by lottery and any remaining openings are filled from the appropriate waiting list.

    Beyond Kindergarten, Edison has much more limited opportunities for enrollment of new students. The number of students accepted at any given grade level is contingent upon the enrollment profile of the entire school.   If parents are interested in enrollment at a grade beyond Kindergarten, they should sign up for a school tour and submit an application within the application window. Enrollment beyond Kindergarten occurs on a space available basis and each application is evaluated individually.  Students entering beyond Kindergarten (if vacancies are available) are screened by the teaching staff at that grade level to evaluate language skills. Enrollment beyond 1st grade requires that students be proficient Spanish speakers, and demonstrate adequate literacy skills in Spanish.  Since we often do not know how many spaces will be available in grades 1-5 until later in the year, admission decisions are usually not made until May of each year.

    New Student Registration for Santa Monica and Malibu Residents

    Registering your child in a school for the first time can be relatively easy if you are prepared. The following are a few guidelines to help you:

    1. You will need to verify your address. Click here for examples of proof of residency. Other documents such as a driver's license or business mail may be requested to confirm your address.
    2. You will need to verify your child's birth date with a birth certificate or passport.
    3. You will need to bring complete immunization records for all students and a doctor's verification of a physical examination for Kindergarten and First Graders. Up-to-date immunizations must be completed before your child may enter the classroom. Click here to see immunization requirements.
    4. For elementary school enrollment, you will need to provide a recent report card, with exit grades/progress reportcard (for mid-year enrollment).

    Your school of residence will provide you with a packet of forms and information which must be completed and returned. Enrollment requirements may vary slightly at each school.