Saint Paul Public Schools provides transportation to students who are eligible under state regulations and Saint Paul Board of Education policies. Generally, a student is eligible for transportation if the student lives within the school attendance area and is at least one walking mile from school. A walking mile refers to a one-mile distance when a student walks on city streets taking the shortest route from his/her home to school. In most cases, transportation is also provided to Saint Paul students living more than one walking mile from the magnet/citywide option or secondary school they attend. Call the schools you are considering to find out if your student is eligible for transportation based on where you live.

What is an attendance area?

An attendance area defines which addresses are assigned to which schools. Each address is assigned to one elementary, one junior high/middle school and one high school. Students living in an attendance area (those whose addresses are assigned to a school) will get preference for that school. NEW in 2009: If the school is a neighborhood elementary school, you need to fill out an application to apply to that school. If the school is an elementary (magnet/citywide option or neighborhood) or secondary school, students must still apply to that school. Acceptance to elementary or secondary schools is not guaranteed. Some elementary magnet/citywide option schools also have preference areas, which give preference to students living in certain areas if the student
indicates the school as his/her first choice and turns in the application by the deadline.

For more information on attendance areas and preference areas, you can use the School Finder to find out which schools are in your attendance area; click on the appropriate link to find schools: Elementary School Finder; Middle School Finder, High School Finder. You can also call these numbers for assistance:  (651) 632-3760 (elementary) or (651) 632-3761 (secondary/high school).

Can my student attend a neighborhood elementary school that is not the one assigned to our attendance area?

A transfer to a neighborhood school outside of your attendance area is possible as long as there is space available at the school you are choosing and the transfer complies with school district and state policies. Transportation is not provided. For more information, call (651) 632-3760.

Can my student attend the elementary school nearest to our day care rather than our attendance area school?

In most cases when the day care is in Saint Paul and you want your student to attend an elementary neighborhood school near your day care, your student will be able to attend that school. Often it is more convenient for an elementary-age student to attend a neighborhood school close to day care rather than close to home, so the school district makes this option available to families. Parents who want their students to attend a magnet/citywide option school near their day care must apply to the school, but are not guaranteed acceptance. Day care transfers are issued to neighborhood schools only and are valid only for the year in which they are issued. Day care transfers are not guaranteed, and there is a possibility that transportation will not be provided by the school district. For more information, call (651) 632-3760.

Can my student remain at the same school if we move during the school year?

Once your student has attended a Saint Paul Public School, he/she may remain at that school unless there are special program considerations. If the student continues to live in Saint Paul, transportation will continue to be provided to most elementary magnet/citywide option and to all secondary schools. Transportation is generally not
available to students at neighborhood schools who live outside their attendance area or students who live outside Saint Paul city limits. Ask the school for more specific information about transportation. If your student is accepted to a magnet/citywide option school or a secondary school and your family moves out of the city before school starts, your student most likely will NOT be able to attend that school if the school has a waiting list of students who live in Saint Paul. For more information, call (651) 632-3760 (elementary) and (651) 632-3761 (secondary).