On this page
Public schools are a big reason families choose Palo Alto. Our schools and universities hub covers the district's history, enrollment numbers and the two main high schools. This page goes into the practical side: every school the district lists, how to find the one that serves an address, how to enroll, the age rules for kindergarten and how the choice programs and transfers work.
We do not publish rankings or test score comparisons. If you want performance data, use the state's California School Dashboard, which reports results for every public school in a consistent format. Dates and rules below come from PAUSD's enrollment pages in October 2026. Confirm anything time sensitive with the district.
The district at a glance
The Palo Alto Unified School District serves most of the city along with the Stanford campus area. The California Department of Education counted 10,124 students in the 2025 to 2026 school year. The district office and Registration Services are at 25 Churchill Avenue, beside Palo Alto High School. The main district line is (650) 329-3700.
A small part of south Palo Alto, the Monroe Park area, is outside PAUSD and served by the Los Altos School District and the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District. Families there should read about schools in Los Altos as well.
Nearby districts. Our school guides also cover high schools just outside PAUSD. Los Altos High and Mountain View High belong to the Mountain View Los Altos district to the south. To the north, the Sequoia Union High School District runs Menlo-Atherton, Woodside and Sequoia high schools.
Every PAUSD school
The district lists 12 elementary schools, three middle schools and three high school programs.
Elementary schools (kindergarten to grade 5)
| School | Notes |
|---|---|
| Addison | Neighborhood school |
| Barron Park | Neighborhood school |
| Duveneck | Neighborhood school |
| El Carmelo | Neighborhood school |
| Escondido | Neighborhood school and home of the Spanish dual immersion program |
| Fairmeadow | Neighborhood school |
| Hoover | Choice school that blends direct instruction with structured student-centered work |
| Juana Briones | Neighborhood school |
| Lucille M. Nixon | Neighborhood school |
| Ohlone | Choice school with an open school philosophy and home of the Mandarin dual immersion program |
| Palo Verde | Neighborhood school |
| Walter Hays | Neighborhood school |
Middle schools (grades 6 to 8)
| School | Location | Choice program on campus |
|---|---|---|
| Ellen Fletcher Middle School | Arastradero Road, south Palo Alto | Sustainability for All |
| Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School | North California Avenue, midtown | Language Bridge in Mandarin and Spanish |
| Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) Middle School | East Meadow Drive, south Palo Alto | Connections |
Greene and Fletcher carry their current names since the 2018 to 2019 school year. Before that they were Jordan and Terman. The schools hub explains why the board renamed them.
High schools (grades 9 to 12)
- Palo Alto High School (Paly), 50 Embarcadero Road, next to the Stanford campus.
- Henry M. Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Road, near Stanford Research Park.
- Palo Alto Middle College, a program at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills that combines high school with college courses. It opened in the 2024 to 2025 school year.
The district also runs the Palo Alto Adult School and preschool programs. For children under 5, see our preschools and childcare guide.
Attendance boundaries and the School Finder
PAUSD assigns students to a neighborhood school based on home address. To find yours, enter the address in the district's School Finder, linked from the school placement and transfers page. Do this before you sign a lease or make an offer. Streets that look close together can sit in different attendance areas.
Clusters and feeder schools
Elementary schools are grouped into clusters that feed the same middle and high schools. The district's placement page does not publish the full list of which elementary feeds which middle school, so use the School Finder or ask Registration Services for the pathway from a specific address.
Overflow
When a neighborhood school is full in a grade, the district may place a new student at another school in the same cluster. PAUSD calls this overflow. The child is automatically waitlisted for the neighborhood school and can move back when a space opens. Families who register late are more exposed to overflow because seats may already be filled.
If you are comparing homes partly on school assignment, our real estate guide and neighborhoods guide describe the areas around each campus.
How to enroll a new student
New students start on the district's new student enrollment page. The basic steps:
- Confirm your address in the School Finder.
- Read the residency rules. Students must be living currently and continuously with a parent or guardian inside district boundaries. PAUSD has a separate residency information page that explains what counts.
- Gather required documents. The district lists them on its registration pages. Expect to show proof of residency and records such as a birth certificate and immunizations.
- Register online, then book an in-person appointment if Registration Services asks for one.
- Wait for placement. The district confirms the school after it reviews your file.
Families moving in can register up to two weeks before their move-in date. For the 2026 to 2027 school year, priority registration opened online on December 1, 2025 and in-person appointments began December 8, 2025. Expect a similar winter window for 2027 to 2028 and check the district's important dates page for the exact days.
Registration Services is reachable at RegistrationServices@pausd.org or (650) 329-3707.
Kindergarten and transitional kindergarten
To enter kindergarten in PAUSD, a child must be at least 5 years old on or before September 1 of the enrollment year. The district does not allow early admission.
Children who miss that cutoff may qualify for transitional kindergarten, or TK. California has phased in TK as a free grade for 4-year-olds in public schools. PAUSD publishes its own TK birthday cutoff for each year on its transitional kindergarten page. Read that page closely, since the wording of the cutoff matters for children with spring and summer birthdays.
Choice programs and the lottery
PAUSD offers several choice programs that families apply to by lottery. According to the district's choice programs page:
- Hoover Elementary pairs explicit direct instruction with structured, student-centered activities.
- Ohlone Elementary follows an open school philosophy focused on developmental education, with personalized instruction and peer tutoring.
- Mandarin dual immersion at Ohlone runs from kindergarten through fifth grade with an option to continue in middle school.
- Spanish dual immersion at Escondido teaches English speakers and native Spanish speakers together from kindergarten through fifth grade.
- Connections at JLS is an inquiry-based, project-driven middle school program.
- Language Bridge at Greene continues Mandarin or Spanish for students who completed elementary immersion or pass a fluency assessment.
- Sustainability for All at Fletcher has an environmental focus and is open to students from outside the Fletcher attendance area.
Lottery dates for 2027 to 2028
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Application window | January 19 to February 19, 2027, closing at 4 p.m. |
| Lottery | February 26, 2027 at 10 a.m., district office boardroom |
| Family decision deadline | March 3, 2027 at 4 p.m. |
Each student may apply to only one program. The lotteries are for incoming kindergartners and rising sixth graders. Taking a choice seat gives up the neighborhood school seat. The district strongly recommends attending a program information night first.
Transfers within and into the district
Current PAUSD students who want a school other than their assigned one can request an intradistrict transfer. Approval depends on space. For the 2027 to 2028 school year, the request window runs January 7 to February 19, 2027. Decisions for grades 6 to 12 are completed by the end of April. Elementary decisions go out from late July through the summer.
PAUSD also takes part in the Voluntary Transfer Program, often called Tinsley after the court case that created it. It allows students who live in the Ravenswood City School District, which serves East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park, to attend PAUSD schools. The district's VTP page explains eligibility.
Good to know
- Check the School Finder for the exact address before you rent or buy.
- Register as early as you can to reduce the chance of overflow.
- PAUSD runs only limited bus service, including Voluntary Transfer Program (VTP) and special education routes, so plan your own commute.
- Kindergarten requires turning 5 by September 1, with no early entry.
- Mark January and February on your calendar for lotteries and transfers.
- Considering other options too? See our private schools guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which PAUSD school my address is assigned to?
Enter the address in the district's School Finder tool, linked from the PAUSD enrollment pages. Elementary schools are grouped in clusters that feed the same middle and high schools. If you have questions about a specific property, call Registration Services at (650) 329-3707.
Can I register for PAUSD before I move to Palo Alto?
Yes, within limits. PAUSD says future residents can register two weeks before their move-in date. Students must be living with a parent or guardian inside district boundaries and you will need to provide proof of residency.
What happens if my neighborhood school is full?
PAUSD may place your child at another school in the same cluster, which the district calls overflow. The student is automatically put on the waitlist for the neighborhood school and can move back if a space opens.
How do the PAUSD choice program lotteries work?
Incoming kindergarten and rising sixth grade students can apply to one choice program, such as Mandarin or Spanish immersion. For the 2027 to 2028 year, applications run January 19 to February 19, 2027 and the lottery is February 26, 2027. Accepting a choice seat gives up the neighborhood school seat.
How old does my child need to be for kindergarten in Palo Alto?
PAUSD requires children to be at least 5 years old on or before September 1 of the year they enroll. Early admission is not allowed. Younger children may qualify for transitional kindergarten. Check the district's TK page for the cutoff that applies to your year.