Fort Wayne Community Schools - Enroll

Step 1. Determine eligibility

• Determine which school your child is assigned to based on your home address in our online Address Lookup.
• Indiana State Law (Indiana Code 20-33-2-7) requires that a child must be five years of age by Aug. 1 to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten. Parents can apply for early entrance into kindergarten by submitting an application. Applications are due no later than May 31, 2019.  Late applications will not be accepted.  Application forms are available at the Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE Center), 230 E. Douglas Ave., Ft. Wayne, IN 46802. Application may be made through Student Services. Please call 260-467-2120 for further information.

Step 2. Identify / Choose the school

• You may decide to enroll your child in a magnet school, a high school Program of Study or a school outside the assigned attendance area by participating in the FWCS school assignment lottery. To do so, you must complete a school assignment (transfer) application during the annual lottery enrollment period. Students are accepted based on space availability. If a school has more applications than space available, names will be selected in a public lottery. Students not selected in the lottery are placed on a waiting list. Transportation is not provided for students who transfer to another school except for magnet schools and Programs of Study.
• Complete details and school assignment (transfer) applications can be found in the School Catalog or by calling Student & Family Support Services at 260-467-2120.
• Looking for more information on pre-K and Kindergarten? You’ll find it on our Early Childhood Education page.

Step 3. Gather required documentation

• Completed Student Enrollment Forms

• Proof of age

  To enroll a child in school, a parent or guardian must provide a birth certificate and the name and address of the last school the child attended, if any.

• Immunization Requirements

  • Fort Wayne Community Schools requires the parent/guardian of a child newly enrolled in our school corporation to furnish a written statement of the child’s immunization record no later than the first day of school. This statement should be accompanied by the physician’s certificates or other documentations.
  • The parent/s or guardian may file a written statement of medical or religious objection annually. Medical objections must be signed by your physician. Forms are available at each school. However, if an objection is made, the Personal Health History and Student Physical Evaluation should still be completed and returned to the school.

• Proof of residence

  Any combination of two of the following: (Homeless families should contact Student Services for assistance)
  • Letter or Check from any governmental agency
  • Letter from an attorney or court papers
  • Letter or card from Allen County Office of Family and Children Services
  • Social Security Benefits
  • Medical doctor, dentist or eye doctor statements
  • Paycheck
  • Established Bank Account statement (Not a newly established account or bank papers indicating you have changed your address with them)
  • Utility Connect Notice
  • Utility Bill dated within the past 30 days
  • Lease printed on letterhead from an established apartment / mobile home leasing office with a contact name and phone number. Hand written leases or those printed from the internet are not acceptable.

• Notes:

  • If you are new to the area and residing with a friend or family member, they must be present with you at the time of enrollment, sign an Affidavit of Residence, and provide two proofs of residence in their name. You then have 30 days to produce two proofs of residence in your name.
  • A student found to be living outside of Fort Wayne Community School boundaries due to falsification of records will be expelled for legal settlement.
  • A student found to be living outside the enrolled school’s boundaries due to falsification of records will be immediately returned to their home school.

Step 4. Complete required forms

All required forms for registration can be found here. Additional forms for students having special health issues can be found in the Health Services area.

Step 5. Register

FWCS conducts registration for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students , in March. Registering early allows parents to collect materials to help prepare their student for kindergarten, and gives students the opportunity to become familiar with their school ahead of time. Click here for full information.

If you missed early Kindergarten registration, come to the regular registration in August as noted above.

Additional Information

• Nutrition Services

  If the household has a current food stamp case number, the enrolled kindergartner may be automatically eligible for benefits. A meal/textbook before the first day of school. Call Nutrition Services at 260-467-2055.

• Conferences:

  All Kindergarten students and parents will receive information from the school with a time and date for a conference before school starts. Students may bring their supplies and meet their teacher at this time.