- Mill Valley School District
- Registration
- FAQ - Registration & School Placement
Frequently Asked Questions - Registration & School Placement
-
When can I begin the registration process?
Families are eligible to register their students as soon as you are physically living full-time in the Mill Valley School District. Simply owning property or holding a lease does not qualify as residency.
-
Can I register my child prior to moving to Mill Valley?
No, only current Mill Valley residents who have verified their residency through the Declaration of Residency Form and have provided the four proofs of residency may officially register.
-
We are moving to Mill Valley and purchased a house near a Mill Valley school. What can we do to make sure our child attends our neighborhood school?
In the Mill Valley School District, registration is not done by neighborhood school boundaries. It’s not uncommon to have students attending schools that are not in the vicinity of their homes. Why is this? In Mill Valley, we have wonderful historical schools that have been community hallmarks for years. Unfortunately, the district’s two smallest schools serve the largest city population areas. Therefore, the enrollment of students is not done by neighborhood boundaries, but district-wide. When enrollment preferences exceed space at a school, a waiting list is created.
-
How is school placement decided?
A common misconception is that parents "choose" their child's school. Parents have the opportunity to state a preference for a particular school. Actual placement, while taking preferences into consideration is dependent on the following criteria.
- Siblings of currently enrolled students residing in the District are considered residents of the sibling's school and will be enrolled in that school if they wish and if there is space. The currently enrolled sibling must be in attendance at the school when the new enrollee enters the school.
- Facility capacity and class size.
- Proximity of residence to the school of choice.
- Identified special education and program needs.
- Balance of class size across the District.
-
When will I be notified of my school placement?
Students registered in first enrollment period (January & February) usually will be notified of school assignment by May 1. Students registered after first enrollment period will be notified of school assignment by August 16. Students registering after the last day of current school year will be notified of school assignment prior to the opening of school.
-
I don’t understand why my child cannot get into the school of our first preference when the nearest school has two more students per class.
The enrollment numbers per school are different. This is because each school has different factors that affect enrollment. Also, the district must balance class sizes, while trying to project grade 4-5 enrollment. A school's mobility rate is considered when loading primary grade classes and projecting upper-grade class sizes.
-
When can I officially place my child on a waiting list?
After you have received your initial placement notification letter, you may place your child on a waiting list for the school of your choice. You can only be on one school waiting list. Your child must be a registered student in the Mill Valley School District (private school students cannot be placed on the waiting list).
-
Is it “first come, first serve” on the waiting lists? Can I bump ahead of another student if I protest to the District/Superintendent or if I live right next to the school?
Students new to the waiting list after being placed at a school during one of the registration rounds are prioritized within that round by siblings in the school and then by proximity. Students new to the waiting list during the school year are placed behind the last student on the list. Excepting special program student needs/special education, students cannot bump ahead of other students once they are placed on a waiting list. The proximity of your home to a school or whether a written protest is provided has no impact on the list.
-
Will my child be guaranteed placement at the school closest to my home?
No. While the proximity of residence to the school of choice is a factor for placement, it is not a guarantee. Some students may not be placed at the school closest to their home.
-
What if my child is not placed in my preferred school?
When demand exceeds capacity a waiting list is established and parents may exercise their option to have their child’s name placed on the list. Additional placements in a school may be taken from the waiting list but may not be made until August.
-
Is there a Board Policy (BP) and Administrative Regulation (AR) related to Student Enrollment and School Assignment?
BP 5111.4 Board Policy 5111.4 and AR 5111.4 AR 5111.4
-
Are my children guaranteed to be placed at the same school?
No. The District makes every effort to keep siblings together but due to class configurations and space availability, students at the K-5 level may be placed at different schools.
-
What are the Kindergarten registration dates for enrollment and when will we be notified?
First Round Registration
Register for the current school year here.
For an upcoming school year:
- Students registered during kindergarten and new student registration in January and February will be notified of school assignment by May 1. *Details and dates to be posted on the MVSD website in November.
Second Round Registration
- Students registered after the First Round and up until the last student day will be notified of school assignment by August 15.
Third Round Registration
- Students registering after the last student day up until August 3 will be notified of school assignment prior to the first day of school.
-
What are class size averages for the district?
-
The district’s current class sizes are as follows:
Current Average ClassGrade
Average Class Size
Adult to Student Ratio
TK
22
1:11
K
22
1:11
1st
19.5
2nd
21.1
3rd
20.4
4th
20.5
5th
23.7
6th
24
7th
26
8th
26.3
-
-
What are the required minutes for instruction for the state of California and how does that compare locally?
Required Instructional Minutes
Mill Valley
Kentfield
Larkspur Corte Madera
*Reed
Ross
State
RequirementsKindergarten
51,440
42,220
50,178
54,770
45,875
36,000
Grade 1
54,075
50,450
56,535
52,070
54,300
50,400
Grade 2
54,075
50,450
56,535
52,070
54,300
50,400
Grade 3
54,075
55,568
56,535
57,420
54,300
50,400
Grade 4
54,075
55,568
56,535
57,420
56,590
54,000
Grade 5
54,075
61,014
56,535
57,420
56,590
54,000
Grade 6
58,630
61,204
62,124
60,546
60,296
54,000
Grade 7
58,630
61,204
62,124
60,546
60,296
54,000
Grade 8
58,630
61,204
62,124
60,546
60,296
54,000
*2019