How to Enroll

Choice and Magnet School Application Period for 2026–2027 School Year

Applications for Choice and Magnet School programs for the 2026–2027 school year will be accepted from January 12 through March 6, 2026.

Important Note: When submitting Choice or Magnet School applications, you will receive an email confirmation with an order number for each application submitted. If you do not receive an email confirmation containing an order number, please contact the Office of Student Assignment to confirm that your application was successfully submitted. Be sure to also check your spam or junk email folder.

Submit an application

Start Your Enrollment Application

The Student Assignment Office is part of our Student Support Services Department. Our goal is to build strong relationships with students and families from the start of the enrollment process. We work hard to create a warm, welcoming environment for all families — whether they’re new to our community or need extra support due to special circumstances or needs.

Student Assignment

Our office is a part of the Student Support Services Department. The goal of the Student Assignment Office is to develop a relationship with students and parents from the beginning of the enrollment process. Our staff creates a welcoming environment for families who are new to our community as well as families whose students have extenuating circumstances or special needs.

Student Assignment

Our office staff is pleased to serve parents wishing to enroll their child in Gaston County Schools. To enroll a student, you must be the biological parent or court-ordered guardian. You must also bring:

Proof of age/birthdate/proof of parentage (birth certificate)
Immunization record and health assessment for first time enrollment in North Carolina public schools
Parent/legal guardian's valid photo ID (driver license, state identification, passport, or military ID)
Withdrawal from previous school (middle and high school)
Scanned copies of TWO (2) proofs of current address received within the last 30 days to verify residence (ex. power bill, gas bill, water bill, cable bill, Internet bill, landline phone bill, home security bill, homeowner's/renter's insurance, sanitation bill, most recent year's home property tax notice and / or lease, rent, or mortgage records).

*If the parents(s) or court-ordered guardian resides with another person who is the homeowner/lessee, you will need to provide a copy of that person's ID. The homeowner/lessee will need to provide two proofs of address.

A student enrolling in the sixth grade or higher who does not currently attend a Gaston County school will need to come to the Student Assignment Office to complete a Discipline Status Document.

Students in Group Homes or Foster Homes

It is our pleasure to serve students living in foster homes and group homes. The legal guardian and the foster parent or group home representative must be present during the registration process. The following documentation is needed for initial enrollment and for changing school assignment:

Guardianship/parental placement form
Person Centered Plan
Individualized Education Plan
Previous school withdrawal and transcript
Discipline information
Special needs information

In-District Transfers

The application window for in-district student transfers for the 2025–2026 school year was open from April 1 through July 15, 2025. At this time, the standard transfer application process is closed.

Families who did not apply during the open window may submit a request only through the Emergency/Hardship Transfer Process.

These requests will be considered only for extenuating circumstances, such as an unanticipated or significant change affecting the student’s assignment to their zoned school that occurred after July 15, or other situations outside the parent or guardian’s control that prevented them from meeting the deadline. If you believe your request qualifies, you may submit the required documents as outlined in the Emergency/Hardship Transfer document linked above.

Please note that reasons related to personal preference, convenience, program offerings or athletics are not considered valid or sufficient for a transfer request.

Foreign Exchange Programs

All foreign exchange programs in Gaston County Schools must have prior approval from the Student Assignment Office to enroll in our school system. Placement in schools with host families must occur by July 15 for the student to be cleared for enrollment. Schools will have no more than two foreign exchange students each year. The application for enrollment can be found in our policy.