To enroll a child in kindergarten, please be prepared to provide:

• Immunization records Immunization Requirements
• Proof of address (if within Shoreline Schools boundary) such as a utility bill, lease agreement, mortgage statement
• Emergency contact numbers, cell phone numbers, etc.
• Phone number(s) for doctor

Proof of age is also required to register. Acceptable documentation to provide proof of child's age documents could include, but are not limited to:

• a birth certificate
• a passport
• a religious, hospital, or physician’s certificate showing date of birth (Certificate of Immunization Status is acceptable)
• an entry in a family bible
• an adoption record
• an affidavit from a parent
• previously verified school records

Open enrollment for in-district students begins on Saturday, January 25 and ends on Friday, February 28. If enrolled by February 28, you will receive priority placement at your neighborhood school, but we accept students at any time.

Registration is not on a first-come, first-served basis. All in-district students and children of staff members who are enrolled by the close of business on February 28 will be put in a drawing to fill Kindergarten spaces available. Incoming kindergarten students who have a sibling currently enrolled in a Shoreline elementary school will be placed at the same school if enrolled prior to the close of business on February 28. Those enrolling after February 28 will be added to the wait list as they register.

No, kindergarten is free. 

Shoreline strives to place kindergarteners at their neighborhood schools. Registration, enrollment, and available classroom space determine how many kindergarten classes are created in each neighborhood school. Because of this, we do not predetermine a specific number of classes.

After the priority registration window closes, each school will confirm enrollment for resident students and students of staff. If enrollment exceeds available spots, each school will conduct a lottery the first full week of March  (after Cascade K-8 and Dual Language program drawings) to determine priority placement. Students who are not assigned to their home school during the lottery process will be placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted students will be offered spots in their neighborhood school as they become available. Students who are unable to attend their neighborhood school will be placed at another school in Shoreline and will receive district transportation. 

Eligibility for transportation is based on the distance from your home to the school. If you live outside of the one-mile walk area or in an area designated as a hazardous walk area by the district, your student will be eligible for bus transportation. Please visit our Transportation page for more information.

In the state of Washington, students must be five years old by August 31 to register for kindergarten. Children whose 5th birthday falls between September 1 and October 31, and whose parents believe them to be exceptionally qualified, may apply for early entrance to kindergarten. Children whose fifth birthday falls after October 31 are not eligible to apply for early entrance to kindergarten. Find more information about the process for Early Entrance Kindergarten.

Resident transfers will be considered upon availability. Families should enroll their incoming Kindergarten student at their neighborhood school first and then submit an In-District Transfer Request Form to the registrar at their desired school. Families are encouraged to submit a resident transfer request before the end of the school year for consideration before school opens in the fall. Families must register at their neighborhood school prior to submitting an In-District Transfer request form, which can be found here: Download the Resident Transfer form.

If your resident transfer request is granted, you are required to transport your child to and from school. 

The exception is those who are requesting either Cascade K-8 or Shoreline’s Spanish Dual Language program at Briarcrest. Drawings for kindergarten spots at Cascade K-8 and Briarcrest's Dual Language program will be held after open enrollment closes (March 3, 2025), for those who have applied. Families will be notified via email of their offer of a spot on March 3 and will need to accept or decline the offer of a spot by 3:00 pm on March 4.

Shoreline School District elementary schools are open to transfer requests from out-of-district students. Choice Transfer Requests for families who live outside the Shoreline district boundaries will be considered beginning on March 6 for 2025.

If a family that lives outside of the Shoreline Schools boundary would like to be considered, the first step is to visit this state portal and complete a Choice Transfer Request for their child. Each building will consider the transfer request based on factors described in Board Policy 3141P. Once notified of acceptance, the family may then complete the standard enrollment process for their child. 

Please note that transportation is not provided for out-of-district students; if a Choice Transfer Request is approved, the parent/guardian assumes responsibility for transporting the student to and from school daily or allows his/her child with a valid driver's license to drive to and from school daily.

Out-of-district employees may enroll their child during the Open Enrollment period (January 25 - February 28, 2025) for priority consideration. Kindergarten children of employees shall be assigned to a school on the same basis as resident students. All children of District employees are guaranteed placement in one of Shoreline’s elementary schools.

Most schools send a back-to-school letter toward the end of August, which includes a supply list. Many schools also post the supply list on their website.

School offices will open August 11, 2025.

The Dale Turner YMCA offers their Before and After-School Enrichment (BASE) program at all Shoreline K-5 schools. Registration, rates, subsidies, and other program information is provided by the YMCA.