Enrollment Option Program

General Information

Sections 79-232 through 79-246 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes define the Enrollment Option Program and its limits.

Effective July 18, 2026 Nebraska Revised Statute 79-238 was updated as follows:

Districts shall automatically accept applications for siblings of an option student that is currently enrolled in the option school district without regard to capacity limitations.

Effective July 19, 2024 the Enrollment Option Program was updated as follows:

The Enrollment Option Program allows a student entering kindergarten through twelfth grade to attend a different public school district other than the school district they reside in. The option shall be available once during elementary school, once during middle school or junior high school, and once during high school for a total of three times to each student, except that the option does not count toward such limitation if such option meets or is met at the time of the option as prescribed in Section 79-234 of the Nebraska Revised Statute.

Important Filing Information

September 1

• Earliest date for submitting the Enrollment Option Application to the Option District for the next school year.

March 15

• Deadline for filing applications with the Option District without requiring Resident District approval in addition to the Option District’s approval.
• School boards may, by Board of Education policy, set deadlines later than March 15. When applications are submitted after the March 15 deadline, both school districts may, upon mutual agreement, waive deadlines.

April 1

• Final date for option district to respond to application.

The authorized official must indicate the date the application was accepted or rejected in Section 3 of the Application for Student Transfer.

Application, Instructions & FAQs (Revised July 2026)

• Enrollment Option Application and Instructions [Adobe PDF]
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)  [Adobe PDF]

Spanish Version

• Enrollment Option Application and Instructions [Adobe PDF]
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) [Adobe PDF]

Additional Resources

• The statutes and other provisions regarding the Enrollment Option Program can be found in Rule 19 [External Link]
• Mileage Reimbursement Rates (for Enrollment Option transportation) [External Link]
• To locate the district name, follow these steps:
  • Click on the following link: https://educdirsrc.education.ne.gov/ [External Link]
    • Click on “Quick Lists” button
    • Scroll down to “PUBLIC DISTRICT AND SCHOOL INFORMATION”
    • Click on the “sorted by county/district number” link to access the list of public school districts. The district name and district number are referred to as “agency ID.”

Program Contacts:

• Kelsey Larsen: (402) 450-1418 or kelsey.larsen@nebraska.gov
• Michelle Cartwright: (402) 450-0867 or michelle.cartwright@nebraska.gov

Appeal Process [External Link]