At Stillwater Public Schools, we champion academic and personal growth for every student and do our best to welcome additional students wishing to transfer to our district whenever possible. The district makes decisions about student transfers in accordance with the Stillwater Board of Education SPS Board Open Transfer Policy and Oklahoma state law. 

Please check the current SPS Transfer Capacity Numbers below before applying for a transfer.

SPS does not maintain a transfer waitlist, so transfer applications for grades or schools without capacity will be denied.

Key Links

• Oklahoma State Department of Education Transfer Website

• SPS Policy on Out-of-District Transfers: FE Transfers

Please review the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Parent’s Guide to Student Transfers. It will answer many common questions about student transfers.

Requesting an Out of District Transfer

To request a transfer to SPS, please complete the online Oklahoma State Department of Education Open Transfer Application.

Families who need access to technology to print or complete the form may do so at the SPS Administration Building located at 314 S. Lewis St.  Organizations that provide public Internet access, such as the Stillwater Public Library, are another option.

Consideration of Applications

The board of education delegates to the superintendent, or designee, authority to approve or deny a transfer application pursuant to the criteria listed in board policy.

• New transfers are considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Students who attended the district on a transfer during the current school year will be automatically accepted pending approval from the district. 

• Children or wards of individuals employed as teachers or staff by the school district shall be allowed to transfer into the school district without regard to capacity. Attendance and behavior criteria still apply.

• Oklahoma law gives preference to children of active-duty military personnel, making them eligible for admission regardless of district capacity.

• Transfers for siblings are considered separately.

• To accept a transfer, enrollment in the grade/school the parent requests must be under the district-established capacity: current available capacity for SPS schools. 

The following questions and answers are unique to Stillwater Public Schools:

Q: Where do I submit the state’s paper form?

A: We encourage parents to fill out the state’s online application. If you decide to use the paper form, it must be submitted to the SPS Administration Building at 314 S Lewis.

Q: Do I enroll my student(s) first or submit a transfer request?

A: Please submit a transfer request first. When your transfer is approved, you will be provided next steps to  complete the enrollment process. 

Q: Can Pre-K students transfer into SPS?

A: Yes, per state law, Pre-K students can transfer into SPS if capacity is available for the current school year. For the upcoming school year we anticipate the state department of education opening the application process in early July. 

Q: If I move out of the district during the academic year, can my student (s) continue at SPS?

A: Yes, for the remainder of the school year.  According to Transfer Policy FE, a student whose family relocates from the school district may continue attendance to the end of the current school year, provided the student began the school year in the school district. Transportation is not provided and a transfer request must be submitted for the next school year.

Q: Is bus transportation provided if my student has an out-of-district transfer?

A: No, parents are responsible for providing transportation to and from school sites.

Q: Can I transfer into the SPS Virtual Academy?

A: Yes! Due to a change in state law in 2022, transfer students can now be full-time virtual students. SPS can accept virtual transfer students from anywhere in Oklahoma, subject to district capacity limits.

Q: Can my Open Transfer be revoked?

A: Yes, as outlined in Policy FE, if a student fails to comply with district policies or fails to comply with district attendance policies their transfer can be revoked and canceled.

Q: If a school is at capacity, can I be placed on a waiting list?

A: Stillwater Public Schools does not maintain a waitlist for transfers.

Q: When can I apply for a transfer for the upcoming school year?

A: We anticipate the state department of education opening the application process for the new school year in early July.

Q: Are there any limitations on transfer students' participation in activities?

A: Transfer students must abide by eligibility requirements established by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) for OSSAA-sanctioned activities. A transfer student granted an open transfer may not be eligible to participate in school-related interscholastic competition governed by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (“OSSAA”) for a period of one year from the first day of attendance at this district, unless the transfer is from a school district not offering the grade the student is entitled to pursue. Whether a student granted an open transfer will be eligible to participate in school-related interscholastic competition shall be determined by OSSAA.

Q: How do I appeal a denial?

A: If a transfer request is denied by the administration, the parent or legal guardian of the student may appeal the denial within ten (10) days of notification of denial to the board of education. The board of education shall consider the appeal at its next regularly scheduled board meeting if notice is provided prior to the statutory deadline for posting the agenda for the meeting. If notice is after the deadline for posting, the board shall consider the appeal at a special meeting of the board of education.

During the appeal, the board will review the action of the administration to make sure that the district policy was followed with regard to the denial of the transfer. The board of education will meet in an executive session to review the educational records of the student. If the policy was not followed, the board of education shall vote to overturn the denial and the transfer will be granted. This will be a paper appeal and will include the written documentation utilized by the school district as well as a written response from the parent or legal guardian which explains why the policy was not followed.

If the board of education votes to uphold the denial of the transfer, the parent or legal guardian may appeal the denial within ten (10) days of the notification of the appeal denial to the State Board of Education. The parent or legal guardian shall submit to the State Board of Education and to the superintendent of the district, a notice of appeal on the form prescribed by the State Board of Education.

Answers to many other transfer questions may be found at the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Parent’s Guide to Student Transfers. 

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions about the transfer process, please contact the district registrar at registrar@stillwaterschools.com.