Two Rounds of Open Enrollment
Open enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is conducted in two rounds. The information below will help you navigate the process.
First Round: November 3 – December 1, 2025
The first round of open enrollment opens at 8:00 a.m. on November 3, 2025, and closes at 4:00 p.m. on December 1, 2025.
- All students open enrolled during this period are randomly sorted on their respective grade-level lists.
- Students with a priority status will earn priority placement only if they are open enrolled during the first round.
- Tip: At the end of the Open Enrollment process, please email yourself the school selections. This is the only way to confirm your submission was successful.
Important Note about Tours: To help you make the most informed decision for your child, we strongly recommend parents attend a school tour before offers are extended. Tour spaces and dates are limited and are scheduled independently from the offer timeline.
Offers and Deadlines
- You can log in to the EngagED Parent Portal to check for offers starting at 8:00 a.m. on December 11, 2025.
- The deadline to accept an enrollment offer is 4:00 p.m. on December 18, 2025.
- The Parent Portal will be closed from December 18, 2025, to January 22, 2026.
- Accepting an enrollment offer is the first step.
- For new students and those returning to the district after a previous withdrawal, you must also complete the required registration process. Look for a separate email with instructions and a deadline for registration.
- Locate your child’s required registration paperwork in advance of an offer, as some items might not be readily at-hand.
- If you do not complete registration by the deadline, or registration is incomplete, the offer will be withdrawn.
- Beginning January 6, 2026, our Director of Admissions may extend new offers to students on the waitlist as spots become available.
- All offers made from January forward will be sent via email.
- Parents have 24-36 hours to reply to an offer.
Waitlist Status: For general, non-priority waitlist status inquiries, please email BFAs Director of Admissions/Registrar no earlier than the third full week of January.
Second Round: January 22 – August 3, 2026
If you were unable to complete open enrollment during the first round, you can do so during the second. Second-round submissions are added to the bottom of the existing waitlists in the order they are received.
Offers and Deadlines
- All offers made from January forward will be sent via email.
- Parents have 24-36 hours to reply to an offer.
- Accepting an enrollment offer is the first step. For new students and those returning to the district after a previous withdrawal, you must also complete the required registration process by the specified deadline.
- Locate your child’s required registration paperwork in advance of an offer, as some items might not be readily at-hand.
- If you do not complete registration by the deadline, or registration is incomplete, the offer will be withdrawn.
- Tip: At the end of the Open Enrollment process, please email yourself the school selections. This is the only way to confirm your submission was successful.
Important Note about Tours: To help you make the most informed decision for your child, we strongly recommend parents attend a school tour before offers are extended. Tour spaces and dates are limited and are scheduled independently from the offer timeline.
Douglas County School District (DCSD) Open Enrollment
Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) participates in the annual DCSD Open Enrollment (OE) process to fill available kindergarten through 8th-grade spots. To be eligible for an offer, you must complete the Open Enrollment process for your child. Please note that previous year’s waitlists do not roll forward.
Questions?
- For the most up-to-date information and questions about the process, please review the FAQs on the DCSD Open Enrollment page.
- For questions specific to our school, please visit the BFA’s Enrollment FAQ.
- If your question is not answered in either of those resources, you can email BFAs Director of Admissions/Registrar.
How Open Enrollment Works
Creating/Accessing Your Parent Portal Account
If you are new to DCSD (no prior students):
- You can create a DCSD Parent Portal account only during an active Open Enrollment window.
- Important: You will be unable to create an account during the closure period between Round 1 and Round 2 of Open Enrollment.
If you are a current or past DCSD family:
- You already have a Parent Portal account (even if you’ve never used it).
- Do not create a new account on the Open Enrollment site, as this could void your child’s application(s).
Need help with an existing account? If you have trouble accessing your username or password, please contact either your child’s current DCSD school or the DCSD Choice Programming office for assistance.
Registration Paperwork – Collect Important Documents Now!
If your child is new or returning (after withdrawal) to DCSD, be prepared! You will need to complete registration. Registration includes completing DCSD forms, as well as providing the following documents:
- Parent/Guardian Government Issued ID (e.g. Drivers License)
- Student(s) Government Issued Birth Certificate
- Student(s) Immunization Records (Colorado Law/CDPHE website)
- Student Learning Plans (IEP, 504, ALP, etc.) if applicable
- Proof of Residency (one from list below)
- Signed Lease Agreement, including tenant names, address, lease term dates and signature of both the Lessee and Lessor
- Signed Purchase Agreement, including address, buyer names and signature of both the Buyer and Seller
- Warranty Deed, Property Tax Notice, or County Assessor’s Page
- Notarized Proof of Residency Letter from the person you are living with, along with their proof of residence