School Transition Hub

Many District 65 students will be assigned to a new school for the 2026-27 school year. We are committed to ongoing support, collaboration, and transparent communication to ensure that students, staff, and families are cared for and that the transition ahead is as smooth and thoughtful as possible.

Below you'll find resources for navigating this change as well as logistical information about enrollment options and attendance boundaries. This page will be updated often and we hope it will serve as a hub for all things related to school transitions for the 2026-27 school year.

NEW: Attendance Boundaries

View PDF or interactive map versions for each school

Resources: Navigating Change

Worksheets, playlists, articles and more for students and parents/caregivers

School
Open Houses

All schools are hosting open houses in February and March. All are welcome!

School Transition FAQ

These cover enrollment, student experience, staffing, transportation, and more.

Translation
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More Information

School Assignment Notifications

In the first week of February, all District 65 families received an email with their child(ren)’s school assignment for the 2026-2027 school year. The purpose of this notification is to ensure all parents/guardians are aware of their child’s school assignment for the 2026-2027 school year and understand their options.

Action is required: Families MUST confirm the assignment, request a permissive transfer, or indicate a return to their designated home school by March 1, 2026.

To view your child’s school assignment for next year, open the attachment and enter your child’s birthdate (MMDDYYYY) as the password. If you need technical support, please visit our PowerSchool webpage or connect with a member of our team on or before March 1.

How to Complete the School Assignment Form:

Open School Assignment Email

Open the email attachment and enter your child’s birthdate (MMDDYYYY) to view their school assignment.

When was this sent? Many families received this February 4, 2026. Some families may have received it on February 5, 2026.
What is the subject line? 2026-2027 School Assignment / Asignación de escuela para el ciclo 2026-2027
Can I complete the form without opening the attachment? Yes! Just begin with Step 2 below.

Log into PowerSchool Parent Portal

Username: your email address
Password: if you’ve forgotten your password, click “Forgot Username or Password.” If you do not receive a link with instructions, please email registrationinfo@district65.net.
For additional help, visit the D65 PowerSchool page

Navigate to the Form

Select Forms on the left-hand side of your screen.
On the Forms page, under the Enrollments tab, click the form titled 2026-27 School Assignment.

Complete the Form

Select one of three options, which are explained in detail within the form:
- Accept New Assigned School
- Request to Attend Local-Area School (Home School)
- Request a Permissive Transfer
Fill in any additional information as needed.

Complete for Additional Students

If you have another student enrolled in District 65, select your next student at the top left (under the PowerSchool SIS logo) and repeat for each student.

Upcoming Events

To see the full range of events, view the School Transition Calendar

Schedule of school open houses in February and March

date/time	location	meeting	topics	links
2/11/2026 8:00-8:45 a.m.	Lincolnwood Elementary 2600 Colfax St.	Lincolnwood Prospective Family Tour	Brief presentation from Principal Laura Pinsof Tour of the building (Please note: The tour will include going to our second floor and we do not have an elevator. If using the stairs is not possible for you, we can adapt the tour; please make a note in the RSVP link.) Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1, on Colfax) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP
2/12/2026 8:15-8:45 a.m.	Orrington Elementary 2636 Orrington Ave.	Orrington Prospective Family Tour	Brief introduction from Principal Dr. Alison Schoeffmann Tour of the building (Please note: The tour will include going to our second floor and we do not have an elevator. If using the stairs is not possible for you, we can adapt the tour; please make a note in the RSVP link.) Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP
2/14/2026 9 a.m.-noon	Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center 1655 Foster St.	In-person enrollment support	D65 staff will be on-site to answer questions in English or Spanish related to: Logging into PowerSchool Locating school assignment email Discussing options related to school assignments Completing 2026-27 School Assignment form in PowerSchool	One-page explainer of the school assignment process (action required by March 1, 2026): English / Spanish Email explaining the process, supports available, and more: English / Spanish
2/17/2026 8:15-9:00 a.m.	Willard Elementary 2700 Hurd Ave.	Willard Prospective Family Tour	Brief presentation from Principal Khloe Battle Tour of the building Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP
2/18/2026 4:45-5:30 p.m.	Willard Elementary 2700 Hurd Ave.	Willard Prospective Family Tour	Brief presentation from Principal Khloe Battle Tour of the building Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP
2/20/2026 8:00-8:45 a.m.	Lincolnwood Elementary 2600 Colfax St.	Lincolnwood Prospective Family Tour	Brief presentation from Principal Laura Pinsof Tour of the building (Please note: The tour will include going to our second floor and we do not have an elevator. If using the stairs is not possible for you, we can adapt the tour; please make a note in the RSVP link.) Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1, on Colfax) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP
2/21/2026 10 a.m.-noon	Kingsley Elementary 2300 Green Bay Road	In-person enrollment support	D65 staff will be on-site to answer questions in English or Spanish related to: Logging into PowerSchool Locating school assignment email Discussing options related to school assignments Completing 2026-27 School Assignment form in PowerSchool	One-page explainer of the school assignment process (action required by March 1, 2026): English / Spanish Email explaining the process, supports available, and more: English / Spanish
2/25/2026 8:15-8:45 a.m.	Orrington Elementary 2636 Orrington Ave.	Orrington Prospective Family Tour	Brief introduction from Principal Dr. Alison Schoeffmann Tour of the building (Please note: The tour will include going to our second floor and we do not have an elevator. If using the stairs is not possible for you, we can adapt the tour; please make a note in the RSVP link.) Time for questions Please plan to arrive at the main entrance (Door #1) a few minutes before the tour begins, and check in at the front office. The tour is geared towards adults but students are welcome if parents/caregivers feel that their child will be able to engage with the tour.	RSVP

PAST MEETINGS

date/time	location	meeting	topics	links
1/22/2026	Joseph E. Hill Education Center 1500 McDaniel Ave., Evanston	Special Board of Education Meeting	Vote on the Resolution for Closure of Kingsley Elementary and Reassignment of Attendance Area Boundaries	Resolution Meeting recording

date/time

location

meeting

topics

links

1/22/2026

Joseph E. Hill Education Center

1500 McDaniel Ave., Evanston

Special Board of Education Meeting

Vote on the Resolution for Closure of Kingsley Elementary and Reassignment of Attendance Area Boundaries

Resolution

Meeting recording

Timeline of Next Steps

date	action	details
February 2, 2026	Registration opened!	View D65 Registration page This includes registration for: All rising 6th graders (will be in 6th grade in 2026-27 school year) Kindergarten (must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2026, to register) — learn more about kindergarten in D65! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School Selective enrollment programs: African-Centered Curriculum (ACC) Two-Way Immersion (TWI) lottery
february 4, 2026	School Assignment Letters sent to all D65 families	Families will receive a letter for each of their children in D65. This letter will detail where each student has been assigned to go to school next year (2026-27 school year). Families will be asked to log into PowerSchool and do one of three things: Accept their school assignment (no further action needed) Request a Permissive Transfer: MUST be completed by 11:59 p.m. on March 1, 2026 Request a Return to Home School These steps will be explained in detail in the letter. For an overview of the process, view this one-page explainer: English / Spanish
week of february 9, 2026	Family-Teacher Conferences	District staff will be at Kingsley, Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, and Willard to answer questions about next steps.
march 1, 2026	Permissive Transfer Application Window Closes	All permissive transfer requests MUST be submitted by 11:59 p.m. March 1, 2026, to be considered for the 2026-27 school year.
april 1, 2026	Initial Permissive Transfer Determinations Communicated	Initial permissive transfer request determinations will be shared with families. Families can expect one of three things: Request is accepted. Request is declined. Request is on the waitlist. This happens in cases where we are still evaluating whether space is available at the requested school. If your permissive transfer request concerns Two-Way Immersion (TWI) placement, determinations will be sent for rising 1st-4th and 7th-8th students only at this time.
april 26, 2026	Registration deadline for rising 6th graders, selective enrollment programs (ACC and TWI), and magnet schools	Note that registration for incoming kindergarteners and students who are new to D65 remains ongoing!

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