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Home > Enrollment > Schools of Choice at FHPS: For Families Who Live Outside the FHPS District and District Boundaries

Schools of Choice at FHPS: For Families Who Live Outside the FHPS District and District Boundaries

Key Points for Kent ISD Collaborative Schools of Choice

    • If selected, we will do our best to place your child at your requested school. However, class sizes may require an alternate placement. Initial placements are tentative and may be changed any time prior to the first day of school.
    • Placement may be denied for students who have been suspended, expelled, or convicted of a felony.
    • Once accepted into SOC, there is no need to apply every year as long as you reside in a qualifying district.
    • Transportation is the responsibility of the parent.
    • There are MHSAA requirements for transfer students. Please review the sport-specific transfer rules from the MHSAA .
    • For additional information about the Schools of Choice program, please visit the KISD Schools of Choice website. 
  • Please note: Schools of Choice is ONLY for families who live outside the FHPS district. The school in-district FHPS families attend is based on place of residency. If you have questions about what FHPS school your child will attend based on residency, please call the FHPS administration building, 616-493-8800.
Must Reside within the Kent ISD
FHPS participates in the Kent County Collaborative Schools of Choice Program. At the time of application, families must physically reside in one of the Kent ISD school districts, but not in the Forest Hills Public Schools District.
FHPS does not participate in the State of Michigan 105/105c Schools of Choice Programs. These programs are for families residing outside of Kent County.

Schools of Choice for the 2026-2027 School Year

The Schools of Choice Application Window for the 2026-27 School Year Opens April 13, 2026, at 8 a.m., and Closes on May 15, 2026, at 4 p.m.

brochure cover to the KISD schools of choice program in Spanish with a link

Spanish brochure

KISD collaborative schools of choice program brochure. application period is April 13-May 15. Parents notified by May 29 is student accepted. Parents confirm decision to attend by June 5, Wait list families notified about opening by June 19 SOC slots not filled remain open until Aug. 24, 2026. It is a link a a brochure with a child on a school bus.

English brochure

For Schools of Choice families interested in either the FHPS Spanish Immersion or Mandarin Chinese Immersion program, there are limited spots available. Please note, the district is not offering a Junior Kindergarten option for either language immersion program.

2026-2027 Application Timeline

  • Parents notified by May 29 if student accepted.
  • Parents confirm decision to attend by June 5.
  • Wait list families notified about openings and confirm decision to attend by June 19.
  • Schools of Choice slots not filled during the initial application period remain open until August 24, 2026.

Application Process

The Kent ISD Collaborative Schools of Choice Program is a lottery-oriented system and is not based on a first-come, first-served process. Applicants who submit applications to more than one district will be disqualified from the Schools of Choice program.

Two proofs of residency must be submitted with your application.

Acceptable documents are:

  • Lease Agreement (including the page with the landlord and tenant signatures)
    • All students must be listed as residents on the lease.
  • Mortgage Statement (within last month)
  • City Assessor’s Tax Statement (current year)
  • Current Utility bill or Cable bill (within last month)

Lottery

We anticipate receiving more applications than available openings. Therefore, applicants are drawn through a random drawing.

Notification of Placements

Forest Hills Public Schools will have 150 openings for grades Jr. Kindergarten/Kindergarten through 11th grade in the 2026-2027 school year. Parents will be notified about placement by May 29, 2026. Families will receive, via email, a Letter of Acceptance indicating placement details. A parent/guardian must sign and return the Letter of Acceptance no later than June 5, 2026, to soc@fhps.net to confirm their child’s placement.

Waiting List

Applicants not initially selected for placement are put on a waiting list. If openings become available, parents will be contacted throughout the summer.

Applicants on the waiting list will have their applications forwarded to their second- and third-choice districts for possible placement.

Contact Us

If you have any further questions about this process, please email soc@fhps.net or call (616) 493-8826.

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Contact the District

Forest Hills Public Schools
620 Forest Hill Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Phone: (616) 493-8800
Fax: (616) 493-8519

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