Palm Beach County School Choice deadlines for 2027-28
Last updated: 1 November 2026
The School District of Palm Beach County lists 4 December 2026 as the final deadline for all 2027–2028 Choice and Career Academy applications, for all programmes. The application opened on 8 October 2026 at mypbchoiceapp.com, and every applicant needs a Palm Beach County Student ID number. Le Strand builds these dates into each family's Landing Plan.
Independent education advisers deliver the advice; Le Strand coordinates it into the Landing Plan.
What are the 2027–2028 Palm Beach County Choice dates?
The School District of Palm Beach County's School Choice page (checked 30 October 2026) gives three windows for the 2027–2028 school year. Student ID requests run from 8 September to 4 December 2026, Choice applications from 8 October to 4 December 2026, and Controlled Open Enrollment from 1 to 5 March 2027, all at mypbchoiceapp.com.
| Step for the 2027–2028 school year | Window listed by the district | Where it is made |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach County Student ID request | 8 September to 4 December 2026 | mypbchoiceapp.com |
| Choice and Career Academy application | 8 October to 4 December 2026 | mypbchoiceapp.com |
| Final deadline for all applications and all programmes | 4 December 2026 | mypbchoiceapp.com |
| Controlled Open Enrollment application | 1 to 5 March 2027 | mypbchoiceapp.com |
The district's Apply Now page states: "The application deadline for all Choice and Career Programs is December 4, 2026."
Can a family apply before moving to Palm Beach County?
Yes. The district's Choice FAQ answers the question for families living in another county or state who plan to move: "Future residents and out-of-county residents are welcome to apply to a Choice program." The School Choice page describes the programmes as available to all students, within and outside of Palm Beach County.
The same FAQ states that where a student does not have a district student number, a proof of address document is uploaded with the application, and it refers families to School Board Policy 5.011 for the documents that may be accepted. The district's Department of Choice and Career Options may ask for additional documentation to prove residency.
What does a family need before submitting a Choice application?
A Palm Beach County Student ID number comes first. The district's FAQ states that a child who has never attended a district public or charter school first completes the Request for Student ID application in the portal, and the department issues the number once all required documentation is submitted. The family then logs back in to submit the Choice application.
- Student ID: the School Choice page asks families to upload all requested documents at the time of the ID request, so that the request can be processed.
- One application per child: each child has a separate application, and each application allows up to two Choice programmes at any available school.
- Online only: the FAQ states that all applications are submitted online through the application system.
- Matching address: the address on the application is the same as the address on file in the district's Student Information System when the application is submitted.
- Confirmation: a confirmation is sent to the email address attached to the parent account once the application is submitted.
How does the Palm Beach County Choice lottery work?
The district states that entry into any Choice or Career Academy requires an official Choice application, with students selected by a lottery. Its FAQ describes the order: all first-choice applications go through a random selection, then second-choice applicants are considered for the seats that remain. Each student is assigned to a first choice, a second choice or a wait pool.
- All eligible applications submitted by the published deadline are considered in the random lottery.
- First-choice applications are run first and fill the available seats. Any preference is considered only for first-choice applications.
- Second-choice applicants are then assigned to the seats left after the first-choice lottery.
- Families see results on the Family Dashboard at mypbchoiceapp.com and accept or decline an offered seat by the published deadline date.
- Students in a wait pool may be placed up until the first day of school, as seats become available.
What is the difference between Choice and in-house programmes?
The district describes in-house programmes as restricted to students who live within that school's attendance boundary, and Choice programmes as available to all students regardless of zoning. Choice and Career Academy programmes all require a Choice application and selection through the lottery. Programme themes include the Arts, International Baccalaureate, Dual Language, Cambridge, STEM/STEAM and Montessori.
The School Choice page states that the district offers all four International Baccalaureate continuum programmes: the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and Career Programme. It lists other themes as Environmental and Animal Science and Health and Wellness, alongside Career and Technical Education programmes.
What happens for families who arrive after 4 December 2026?
The School Choice page lists the 2027–2028 Controlled Open Enrollment application from 1 to 5 March 2027, and states that after this brief window and the lottery selection process, "we will continue to accept applications through next spring". To apply, the page directs families to mypbchoiceapp.com.
Section 1002.31(2)(a) of the Florida Statutes (2026) requires each district school board to allow a parent from any school district in the state, whose child is not subject to a current expulsion or suspension, to enrol the child in, and transport the child to, any public school, including charter schools, that has not reached capacity in the district, subject to the maximum class size. The district's Controlled Open Enrollment page cites this section.
The district's FAQ adds that a student who is not placed from a wait pool by the first day of school attends the school to which the student is zoned.
How does Le Strand bring these dates into a move?
The Le Strand Landing Plan is a written, sequenced plan with dependencies and dates. It places the Student ID request, the 4 December 2026 Choice deadline and the March 2027 Controlled Open Enrollment window beside the home search, the travel dates and each adviser's work. Independent education advisers deliver the advice; Le Strand coordinates it into the Landing Plan.
Florida real estate representation is delivered directly by Le Strand across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including Boca Raton in Palm Beach County. Serena Orgin is the founder and principal of Le Strand, a practising attorney admitted in New York and a Florida real estate broker. See Schools and family, Palm Beach Private Landing and Boca Raton.
Questions families ask about Palm Beach County School Choice
When is the Palm Beach County School Choice deadline for 2027–2028?
The School District of Palm Beach County lists 4 December 2026 as the final deadline for all 2027–2028 Choice and Career Academy applications and all programmes. The application window runs from 8 October to 4 December 2026 at mypbchoiceapp.com.
Can we apply to a Palm Beach County Choice programme before we move to Florida?
Yes. The district's Choice FAQ answers families who live in another county or state and plan to move: "Future residents and out-of-county residents are welcome to apply to a Choice program."
Do we need a Student ID number to apply?
Yes. Every Choice applicant needs a Palm Beach County Student ID number. A child who has never attended a district public or charter school first completes the Request for Student ID application at mypbchoiceapp.com, between 8 September and 4 December 2026 for the 2027–2028 school year.
How many Choice programmes can each child apply to?
The district accepts one application per student, and each application allows up to two Choice programmes at any available school. Each child has a separate application.
What happens after the Choice lottery?
Each student is assigned to a first choice, a second choice or a wait pool. Families accept or decline an offered seat on the Family Dashboard by the published deadline, and students in a wait pool may be placed up until the first day of school.
What if we arrive in Palm Beach County after 4 December 2026?
The district lists the 2027–2028 Controlled Open Enrollment application from 1 to 5 March 2027 at mypbchoiceapp.com, and states that after that window and its lottery, "we will continue to accept applications through next spring".
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Related: Schools and family · Palm Beach Private Landing · Boca Raton · The Landing Plan · Miami school admissions for 2027–28
Sources (checked 30 October 2026): School District of Palm Beach County: School Choice, Apply Now for the 2027-2028 School Year, Choice FAQ, Controlled Open Enrollment; Florida Statutes (2026) s. 1002.31; Le Strand, About.