An out-of-area transfer is a request for his or her special permission for a student residing in Anne Arundel County to attend a school within the county other than assigned boundary school (often referred to as a student's home school). To find out what school is a child’s “assigned boundary school,” go to Locate your School.

A parent or court-appointed guardian must enroll a child in the assigned boundary school prior to requesting an out-of-area transfer. If a child attends private school, he/she must first be enrolled in an Anne Arundel County public school prior to submitting a request.

Where/When to Submit a Transfer Request

Elementary School

All applications should be submitted to the principal of the requested school.

Middle/High School

Applications that are submitted due to daycare with a documented hardship or for continuation at a particular school will be submitted to the principal of the requested school. All other middle and high school requests must be submitted to the home school. 

Even if a child already attends a school as an out-of-area approved student, the application must be completed and submitted each school year. The continuation is not automatic, and the application must be submitted to the school during the out-of-area application window, which is from March 1–May 1.

NOTE:  If you are requesting transfer to a secondary school for a reason other than daycare or continuation, the application must be submitted to the principal of the home school. All other applications are to be submitted to the school you are requesting a transfer to. See "Applications" above for a fillable pdf form (which can be printed and saved).

There are four reasons transfer requests are considered:

1. The family moves after the first day of school.
   If a family moves out of the attending school’s attendance area after the first day of school, the student may finish the current school year only. The following school year, the student needs to attend the assigned boundary school based upon the new address.
    
2. To complete the final year at a school.
   If your child is in 4th, 7th, or 11th grade and you move within Anne Arundel County during the school year, your child may remain at the school to complete the final year of attendance at that particular school.
    
3. Daycare (for students Grades K–8 only).
   Verification of daycare services must be completed and signed by the provider. We only consider daycare if you have a documented hardship, which requires you to use a provider outside your assigned attendance area.
    
4. A professional recommendation
   A physician or licensed mental health professional may recommend that a student attend a different school and must submit a letter explaining the need for the transfer. Click here for a letter to submit to your provider. A recommendation which identifies a specific school for the student to attend is not appropriate and a revised letter outlining the needs rather than the specific location will be requested. The professional providing the recommendation should provide the diagnosis, treatment plan, and anticipated outcomes for the student. Anne Arundel County Public Schools will determine where the needs of the student can best be met.

The Approval Process

Parents will be notified about the decision for the request by mail, including a copy of the original application with a decision indicated near the bottom of the form.

Requests will be approved if the requested school is not closed and the reason for the request is one of the four reasons transfer requests are considered. Schools receive an open/closed designation based upon capacity. A school is also closed if it is under construction or the area has been redistricted. When a school reaches 90% of the state-rated capacity, the school is closed to out-of-area transfer students (Title I schools are closed at 80%).  Find out if your school is open for out-of-area transfers here

Other Conditions for Approval
A student must maintain a “C” average, maintaining satisfactory attendance, 94% or better daily attendance, and have no suspensions or expulsions from school.

Additional Information about Out-of-Area Transfers

Closed Schools

All schools within the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) are assigned a capacity in accordance with a prescribed formula as determined by the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP). Annually, each school undergoes a utilization study to determine how each instructional space within that school is utilized. Those results are then forwarded to MDP for certification of a state-rated capacity. In order to not purposely place a school over the state-rated capacity, the Board of Education, through review, approved the “90% Rule” in determining the maximum enrollment in which out-of-area transfers could be accepted into a school. Per review of the out-of-area process, the Board of Education determined that any school in which the enrollment exceeds 90% of the state-rated capacity (or, for Title I schools, exceeds 80% of the state-rated capacity), shall be deemed closed to out-of-area transfers. Specific schools may also be closed due to individual circumstances.

What if I refuse to send my child to the assigned boundary school?

Contact the principal of your child’s school to discuss your concerns. Maryland law states that children between the ages of 5–16 must be enrolled in school. It is important to note that as of July 1, 2015, a student may not withdraw until age 17 and as of July 1, 2017, a student may not withdraw from school until age 18, except in a few special cases listed in the law.

Documented "Hardship"

Documented hardship includes families with documentation supporting: participation in witness protection, protective orders, pending foreclosure, serious illness of parent, or other unusual and extraordinary circumstances.

What if my child is on an out-of-area transfer to a school for daycare but it is not due to hardship?
Your child may continue to attend the school as an out-of-area transfer as long as the conditions of approval are met and your child is not riding an AACPS bus to and from the school. What about siblings? Siblings are treated separately. You need to provide documentation of a hardship.

Transportation

Transportation is the responsibility of the parent or court-appointed guardian. Students approved to attend an out-of-area school may NOT ride an AACPS school bus.

What if the bus stops in front of my daycare provider’s house?
As stated on the application, transportation is the responsibility of the parent or court-appointed guardian. Students who are not attending the assigned boundary school cannot access public school bus transportation.

Deadlines

Applications are accepted from March 1–May 1 for the following school year. Applications submitted after May 1 must include documentation of a bona fide emergency or event unforeseen prior to May 1.

Out of County Residents

Only residents of Anne Arundel County may apply for an out-of-area transfer. Out of county residents may not apply.