Special Permission Application Period for the 2026/27 School Year

• Special Permission for full-time school-based and non-school-based staff is anticipated to open on January 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

• Special Permission for LCPS families (community) will open on February 2, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

• Should LCPS schools and offices be closed on either of these dates due to inclement weather, Special Permission will open on the next business day.

• Special Permission for both LCPS staff and families will close on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

• Special Permission is for one year and must be applied for each year if the parent/guardian wishes for their student to attend a school other than their home school.

A student registered in Loudoun County Public Schools is expected to attend the school assigned to the student’s home address. The student’s assigned school can be identified by entering the student’s home address in the LCPS Attendance Boundary E-Listing. A parent/guardian may request permission for their student to attend a different school. This process is called Special Permission. The guidance for Special Permission is found in Policy 8155, School Assignment, and the corresponding regulation.

Loudoun County parents may submit a Special Permission request before the student's registration is complete. However, all students must be registered at their assigned school within 30 days of submitting the Special Permission request. Unregistered requests will be voided. For more information on the registration process, see the general registration and kindergarten registration requirements. 

Special Permission is only permitted if the school requested has the capacity for additional students. If a school’s projected enrollment is 90% of its base capacity, the school is classified as over-enrolled. Special Permission requests for these schools will not be accepted, and no appeal process is available. If the student previously attended a school by way of Special Permission and that school is projected to be over-enrolled, the student’s Special Permission request may be renewed for that school in accordance with Policy 8155 deadlines. In addition, school principals have the discretion to allow LCPS employees' children to enroll, regardless of school capacity determinations. In this scenario, the principal must provide a signed approval form.

During the Special Permission application period, a list of schools projected to be over-enrolled is posted. Please be aware that this list is subject to change. 

Special Permission is approved for only one school year.