Pitt County Schools is committed to providing families with meaningful options when selecting the best learning environment for their children. For the 2026–2027 school year, families may pursue school choice through two primary pathways: the School Lottery and School Reassignment, which includes Open Enrollment. Recent updates to PCS Student Assignment Policy 4150 have adjusted several dates and timelines, so families are encouraged to review the information carefully.
School Lottery
The PCS School Lottery offers families the opportunity to request placement in schools with extremely limited capacity, including schools outside their base attendance zone.
Key Dates
- Application Window: March 1–15
- Notification Date: March 31 (email notification of approval, denial, or waitlist status)
Selections are made through a randomized process after the application window closes. Families receiving an approval will also receive next‑step instructions for enrollment.
You can view the Board‑approved School Lottery List for 2026–2027 HERE
The 2026–2027 Lottery Application will also be published HERE on March 1st, 2026.
School Reassignment (Including Open Enrollment)
School reassignment provides additional school choice options for both current PCS students and students enrolling in PCS for the first time. This includes Open Enrollment, based on the Board‑approved list of Open Enrollment Schools which can be viewed HERE. Additional requests for Reassignment include: sibling enrolled at a non-open enrollment school, PCS employee, hardship or special circumstance, and curriculum availability.
For Current PCS Students:
Reassignment Request Windows
- April 1 – June 30
- Last five days of the first semester
Once submitted, requests may take up to ten days to process.
For Students New to PCS:
Reassignment Request Windows
- Opens: April 1
- Closes: Last five days of the 3rd reporting period (grades K–8) and the 5th six‑week grading period (grades 9–12)
Requests are reviewed on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Grade levels may close once capacity is reached. Families should wait for approval before completing registration.
The 2026–2027 Reassignment Request Form will be available HERE on April 1, 2026.
Registration for the 2026–2027 School Year
All new student registration is completed online through a centralized PCS portal. After submitting the online form, your child’s school will contact you to finalize enrollment and collect required documents.
Documents Needed for Registration
- Parent/guardian photo ID
- Student birth certificate
- Up‑to‑date immunization records
- NC Health Assessment (required for first‑time NC public school students; may be based on any well‑child visit within 12 months of the first school day)
- Two proofs of residence
- Affidavit A (for students transferring from another district, private school, or charter school)
Registration links for incoming kindergarteners will be published HERE and for new students in all other grade levels will be published HERE on March 1, 2026.
Find Your Zoned School
Not sure what the base schools are for your residence? Families can use the PCS School Zone Finder tool to identify their assigned elementary, intermediate, and high school based on home address.
Click HERE to access the PCS enrollment page on the district website for additional information
If you have a student that will be starting kindergarten in the fall and did not get a chance to attend one of the recent Kindergarten 101 Workshops, you can view a recording of one of the 2026 workshops HERE. The workshop included presentations from district leaders and community members sharing helpful information and answering questions about the preparation for the kindergarten experience for your student in a few months.
