Westside Guide to Public Elementary Schools:
Navigating Magnets, Charters, Permits & More
by Tanya Anton  

CONTENTS

Note  2
Contents  3
Overview: Why Public?  5

1
Begin in The Beginning: Some General Info
Why a Westside Guide?  6
Choices, choices, where do I begin?  6
What is the age requirement for Kindergarten? 7
How do I enroll my child in my local Kindergarten?  7
What if I am opposed to immunizations? Will I be denied enrollment?  7
When does school start?  8
What is Open Enrollment?  8
What if my child tests Gifted? 8
What do I look for while touring a school? 9
Some specific things I’d look for  9
How do I choose a school? 10
Priorities, priorities, what are my priorities?  10

2
Where to Look First: Your Neighborhood School
Why would I consider my local school?  12
How can I make a difference?  12

3
Magnets: One Choice
What is a Magnet School? 14
How do I apply to a Magnet School?  14
How many Magnet schools can I apply to?  15
Do Magnets come with transportation?  15
What is this “Point System” I keep hearing about?  16
How do I find out if my school is either PHBAO or Overcrowded? 16
What if we are an inter-racial family, which ethnicity do we check?  16
What if I have twins? 16
What are the requirements for applying to a Gifted Magnet?  16
When do I find out if we got in?  16
What if I am waitlisted?  17
If I hold my kid back, reapply next year, can I keep my Waitlist points? 17
Are Magnet schools that much better than regular schools?  17
What if we want to apply for a Magnet for Middle School?  17
Magnet Recap 18
Other program choices on the Choices brochure: PWT & PSC  18

4
Charters: Another Choice
What exactly is a Charter School?  19
What’s an “Independent Charter” and an “Affiliated Charter?  19
Do I have to live in the LAUSD district to apply to a Charter?  19
How do I apply to a Charter?   20
Do Charter schools provide transportation?  20
What is this “ring of 5 Charters” in the Palisades?   20
How do I apply to one of the PCC Charters?  20
When do I find out if we got in our chosen PCC Charter?   21
Will the PCC Elem Charters feed into their MS and HS Charters? 21
What are other Charter options?  21
Are Charter Schools that much better than other schools?  21

5
Permits: Another Way In
What is a permit and how do I get one?  22
How do intra-district permits work and how do I apply?  22
What types of outgoing inter-district permit requests does LAUSD accept?  23
How do I apply for an inter-district permit to leave LAUSD?  24
When do I apply for a permit?  25
Can my permit be revoked? 25
How does SMMUSD prioritize their permit requests? 25
What if I live in SMMUSD, can I permit into another SMMUSD school?  26
What if I live in SMMUSD, can I still apply to a LAUSD PCC Charter? 26
What if I live in LAUSD, can I permit into a different LAUSD school? 26
What about permitting into or out of Culver City?  27
Can your neighborhood school refuse to release you?  27
LAUSD, SMMUSD and CCUSD Permit Office Contact Numbers  28

6
Waitlisted: The Inter-Dynamic Game          
Norm Day: what’s that?  29

7
Handy Bonus Materials:
Application Timeline  30
Complete Contact List of Westside Public Elementary Schools 31
Resources  35