Boston, MA

Boston school assignment rules for movers

See the exact Boston Public Schools K-8 home-based assignment and citywide high-school rules before moving.

Quick answer

See the exact Boston Public Schools K-8 home-based assignment and citywide high-school rules before moving.

Source-first Reviewed Jul 2026
Exact district rule

Boston Public Schools: what the rule actually says

Boston does not assign every K-8 student to one neighborhood school. For kindergarten through grade 8, the home address creates a customized Home-Based choice list that includes every school within one mile plus additional options when needed. BPS then uses an assignment algorithm, so a top choice is not guaranteed. BPS 7-12 and 9-12 high schools are citywide options.

Answer type: exact enrollment ruleDistrict: Boston Public SchoolsPolicy basis: Current policy, reviewed July 28, 2026Reviewed July 28, 2026

Assignment rules at a glance

These are the district-specific fields that determine what happens after an address or school request is submitted.

K-8 defaultHome-Based choice list generated from the student's home address.
Choice-list floorEvery school within one mile is included, with additional schools added when needed.
High schoolBPS 7-12 and 9-12 high schools are citywide options.
Final assignmentAn algorithm assigns seats; a family's top choice is not guaranteed.

Moving checklist

  1. Use the new home address to generate the student's Home-Based list.
  2. Rank only schools the family is prepared to accept.
  3. Treat the returned list as choices, not as a guaranteed assigned school.

Official policy sources

The answer above is stated on-page; these links document the district rules and policy year.

Other exact moving rules

Compare how address assignment, school choice, and enrollment work in other districts.