Magnet / Specialty Programs
Transfer Information for the 2025-2026 School Year
ELEMENTARY FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS who are currently on a transfer and wish to continue in the feeder pattern for middle school DO NOT need to submit a new transfer.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS who are currently on a transfer and wish to continue in the feeder pattern for high school DO NOT need to submit a new transfer.
The K-12 transfer window for the 2025-2026 school year opens December 17, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. and closes January 17, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Pre-K transfer applications will begin on April 3, 2025.
The purpose of our Specialty programs is to provide students opportunities that are not available at other schools. These programs attract students from outside the neighborhood attendance zones, are instructionally different and offer a variety of courses and opportunities. The schools with these programs offer core curriculum instruction, enriched academic courses, specialized curriculum, instructional strategies, and/or additional curricular, co-curricular, or extracurricular activities. Students interested in attending specialty schools must apply for a transfer.
All students in Lubbock ISD are assured admission to the schools in the attendance area in which they reside. Students may apply online for a transfer from one school to another within Lubbock ISD. This is referred to as an intradistrict transfer (in-district). A non-resident student living outside the Lubbock ISD boundaries that desires to attend school in the district may apply online for a transfer to a school found on the “open to transfer” list during the transfer application window. This type of transfer is referred to as an interdistrict transfer (out of district). After reviewing enrollment projections and the capacity of our campuses (physical space and staffing), a list of schools open to this type of transfer is established. All transfer applications will be approved and or denied due to existing criteria established by the Lubbock Independent School District.
Transfer Process
Students may apply online for a transfer during the open transfer window. The transfer window opens on December 17, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. and closes on January 17, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
For the 2025-2026 school year, only one transfer application of any kind (intradistrict or interdistrict) is permitted. Only one choice of schools may be selected from the list of open campuses for the following transfer reasons: Dual Language, ROTC, Standard, or Specialty. The only transfer category that will have a second choice will be a magnet transfer. The magnet campuses of Talkington School for Young Women Leaders (TSYWL) or Commander William C. McCool Academy must be the first choice. The second choice can be the other magnet school that is not selected as the first choice or another specialty campus.
After the window closes, all students that have applied for a transfer for the kindergarten grade level will be determined by a lottery system as long as there is space available at the selected open campuses.
All students’ (grades 1-12) applications for transfer will be evaluated by using school attendance (i.e. number of unexcused absences) and discipline records (i.e. office referrals). For interdistrict transfer (out of district) applicants, the evidence of criteria outlined on the following form, Out of District Transfer Verification of Attendance and Discipline, must be obtained by the parent/student from the student’s current campus and uploaded with the online application. Failure to provide any of this information may result in the denial of the application.
The student will receive a number from combining the number of unexcused absences for the first semester to the number of discipline incidents for the first semester.
A list of eligible candidates will be established from least to greatest based on rank score.
A student’s placement in a school will be determined by rank score order (attendance and discipline) and the number of available spaces allowed at the campus. The transfer placement will be made by the department of Student and School Support.
In the event of a tie (multiple students with the same rank score), a lottery will determine which student is approved for a transfer up to the limit a campus can accept.
In the event a student does not get placed at his/her first magnet choice and a second choice was selected, the student will enter the same process for their second choice campus. This is subject to space availability.
For all other transfer requests, if the student is not placed at their one school of choice due to the capacity of our campuses (physical space and staffing), the student will enroll in his/her home campus.
If the student’s transfer application (intradistrict or interdistrict) is approved, the student is not required to submit a new application each year.
Students completing elementary school shall automatically be eligible, without applying for a transfer, to attend the middle school assigned to the feeder system applicable to the elementary school at which he or she completes grade 5, regardless of transfer status or attendance area of residence, so long as the student’s transfer has not been nonrenewed (revoked).
Students completing middle school shall automatically be eligible, without applying for a transfer, to attend the high school assigned to the feeder system applicable to the middle school at which he or she completes grade 8, regardless of transfer status or attendance area of residence, so long as the student’s transfer has not been nonrenewed (revoked).
It is important to note that at the conclusion of the school year, a transfer may be nonrenewed (revoked) for one of the reasons addressed in the transfer agreement (i.e. poor attendance, persistent and or serious misbehavior, numerous write-ups in behavior folder, failing citizenship grades).
Pre-K: Pre-K transfer applications will begin on April 3, 2025. For more information contact the Early Childhood department at (806) 219-0340.
Deadline: Online transfer applications are due January 17, 2025 by 4:30 p.m. for the 2025-2026 school year.
Transportation: It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to provide transportation for the student for which a transfer into Lubbock ISD has been granted.