Completing all steps in the registration process will assist us in enrolling your child in a timely manner. Students transferring in from another school/school district should provide withdrawal papers from the previous school/school district.

Kindergarten and first-grade students entering a Georgia public school for the first time must be age 5 on or before September 1 to enter Kindergarten and age 6 on or before September 1 to enter first grade.

The following items are needed when a parent or guardian enrolls their child:

1. Birth Certificate (copy acceptable): If no birth certificate is available, other documents may be accepted, such as INS document or state/federal form with date of birth.
2. Custody Documentation: Upon registering in the Marietta City School System, a parent must provide satisfactory documentation of a relationship with the student to be registered. Satisfactory documentation includes:
   • Natural parent: Birth certificate
   • Adoptive parent: Official adoption decree
   • Foster parent: Official foster parent letter
   • Guardian: Official guardianship decree
   • If the person enrolling a student cannot supply guardianship paperwork, then a Kinship Caregiver’s Affidavit (PDF, 267 KB) must be completed. Contact Dr. Brittney Bridges, Executive Director of Innovative Practices, at brittneybridges@marietta-city.k12.ga.us or (770) 422-3500, ext. 7216 for more information or clarification.
3. Hearing, Dental, Vision and Nutrition Screening Certificate as required by Georgia Law 20-2-770: A Georgia Form 3300 (PDF, 355 KB) must be filled out for all kindergarten and new first grade students, all students new to Georgia, and any child enrolling from a private school dated within 12 months prior to the day of enrollment. However, if a student is enrolling from another Georgia public school, a completed 3300 Form will be accepted by any District school.
4. Certificate of Immunization as required by Georgia Law 20-2-771: A Georgia Form 3231 (PDF, 164 KB) must be submitted for all kindergarten and sixth grade students, all students new to Georgia and students coming from any private school. Students must have the form signed by a licensed health-care provider or the county health department. To be enrolled in the District, ALL certificates of immunization must be marked “Complete for Attendance” OR have a future expiration date. Expired certificates will not be accepted for enrollment.
5. Child’s Social Security Number:
   • Optional with SSN Exemption Waiver (PDF, 32.3 KB) application.
   • You can apply for a Social Security card if your child currently does not have one.
6. School Health Record: Optional
7. Discipline Record: Mandatory for grades 7-12; 10 day grace period or signed record release form
8. Grade Record or Transcript: Mandatory for grades 7-12; 10 day grace period or signed record release form
9. Proof of Residency, for example:
   • A lease or rental agreement consisting of written evidence that the agreement is valid and current and a current utility bill (gas, electric, water, home telephone or cable TV). Records must include the name and address of the third person signee.
   • OR a current residential property tax statement or deed and a current utility bill (gas, electric, water, home telephone or cable TV). Records must include the name and address of the third person signee.
• Lease, rental agreement or rent receipt consisting of written evidence that the agreement is valid and current and a current utility bill (gas, electric, water, home telephone or cable TV). Records must include the name and street address of the parent/guardian.
• A current residential property tax statement or deed and a current utility bill (gas, electric, water, home telephone or cable TV). Records must include the name and street address of the parent/guardian.
• A third person affidavit of residency signed, completed and notarized (good for 30 days, if temporary) and either:

Note: Parents or guardians are required to provide proof of residency upon initial enrollment of their child in a Marietta City School and may be required to periodically verify their residency in the Marietta City Schools district at random times thereafter.

Marietta City Schools also allows students in grades K-12, who reside outside the district, to attend our school system. To qualify, interested parents must complete both a Non-Resident Student Enrollment Application (PDF, 268 KB) and an MCS Enrollment Agreement (PDF, 120 KB) and be approved. Both forms must be re-submitted yearly.

The superintendent approves all applicants based on the stated criteria and available space in school programs. Questions regarding non-resident student enrollment may be directed to the school principal or the Deputy Superintendent.

The application must include the student’s most recent school record, including:

• Academic grades and test scores
• Attendance
• Discipline

If the student is accepted as a tuition student, they will then have to complete the standard registration process for the particular school they will be attending (see "Resident Enrollment" section for more details on required forms and documents).

The Marietta City Schools Choice Program allows students to attend a different elementary school than the one for which they are zoned. Please visit our Choice Academies page for more information on which school may best meet your student's needs.

This does not include the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (MCAA), which is a STEAM magnet school. For information on applying to the MCAA Magnet Program, please visit MCAA Application Procedures.

The application window for Choice (not including MCAA) opens November 1st and closes November 30th. This process is NOT first-come, first-served; students will be accepted based on availability in the requested school. 

Students will be notified of their acceptance status the Friday before Winter Break.

New Choice Applicants:

The annual application period for Choice schools is November 1-30 and will be made available online. Incomplete applications will not be considered for approval.

Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will need to be submitted between November 1-30, 2023.

Current Choice Students:

Complete an MCS Enrollment Agreement and submit to your school by the November 30th deadline. If the form is not received by November 30th, you will forfeit your current Choice status and will attend your zoned school for the next school year.

• MCS Enrollment Agreement (PDF, 174 KB)
• Acuerdo de Inscripción MCS (PDF, 189 KB)
• MCS - Contrato de Matrícula (PDF, 167 KB)

The Marietta City Schools Tuition Program allows students who do not live in the Marietta City School district to attend an MCS school by paying tuition. (Out-of-district students interested in applying to the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics STEAM Magnet Program should visit MCAA Application Procedures for more information.)

The school year application window for Tuition opens on January 1st and closes on January 31st. Students will be accepted based on availability in the requested school. Students will be notified of their acceptance status the Friday before Spring Break.

Current tuition cost is $150 per month, per student. 

The following criteria must be met for consideration:

• Above average grades and standardized test scores, history of good behavior, good attendance, and timely payment of past tuition fees.
• Student can be accommodated by current instructional program services which will meet the educational, physical and emotional needs of the student without overcrowding classrooms.
• Marietta City Schools must be able to accommodate the applicant without placing undue financial burden on the school system.
• The student must provide Marietta City Schools the following documents in acceptable form before enrollment can be considered:
  • The Transcript (report card and standardized test scores) from the student’s former school.
  • Discipline records from student’s former school as required by the laws of the State of Georgia.
  • Attendance Record from student’s former school.
• Students are subject to suspension, dismissal or expulsion in accordance with all Marietta City Schools’ policies or regulations and, upon any such dismissal or expulsion, all obligations of Marietta City Schools shall be null and void.
• Students will not be eligible to play in varsity competition for the first year of enrollment, as governed by the Georgia High School Association By-Law 1.63.
• Marietta City Schools does not provide transportation for tuition students. Parents or Guardians are solely responsible for the student’s transportation to and from school. The Superintendent shall have the right to refuse admittance to any applicant if, in his/her opinion, accepting the student would not be in the best interest of the school system.

The Emily Lembeck Early Learning Center (ELC) is the district's Pre-K program, committed to encouraging student voice and laying a solid foundation for literacy and social emotional learning. 

The registration window for the 2023-2024 school year runs from February 1 - March 30, 2023. Families will be notified of acceptance the week of April 3, 2023. Any registrations completed after March 30, 2023 will be placed on a waitlist.

To be eligible for admission in the 2023-2024 school year, your child must be four (4) years of age on or before September 1, 2023 and live within the Marietta City Schools District (look up your address with the Property Search Tool to confirm your district.) If assistance is needed with registration please conact our front office at (678) 919-4590.

In order for acceptance to be confirmed, all required registration documents should be uploaded into Registration Gateway. See below for required registration documents:

• Proof of Residency, such as lease or tax bill (all families, including employees)
• Utility bill
• Birth Certificate
• Social Security card or waiver
• Form 3231-Immunization (time extension can be granted)
• Form 3300-Hearing, Dental, Vision, Nutrition (time extension can be granted)
• ELC Employee Agreement (Marietta City Schools employees only)

The Emily Lembeck Early Learning Center has a set number of seats. If more children register than seats available, a lottery will occur. The lottery will be electronic and overseen by Central Office. The following weights will apply to the lottery and are cumulative (for example, if you are a resident and employee you will have two opportunities to qualify for a seat.):

1. All Marietta City Residents will have their name in the lottery once.
2. All Marietta City Employees will have their name in the lottery once.
3. All Marietta City Residents who live in a zoned elementary school area whose 3rd grade reading scores are below 50% will have their name in the lottery once.

The grades 3-5 magnet program at Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (MCAA) offers students a technology-driven curriculum that emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Non-residents who meet MCAA admissions and eligibility criteria may also apply to the magnet program at MCAA and pay the same tuition schedule as all non-resident students, which is $1,500 annually, paid in $150 monthly installments from August-May.

Please visit MCAA Application Procedures for more information on the program and its requirements, and to download an MCAA Magnet Application (PDF, 194 KB) form.

There is an exception to the stated residency requirements for children experiencing homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act assures all children free and equal access to public education, regardless of housing status.

Any parent/guardian who may be experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity should complete the Student Residency Statement (PDF, 145 KB) and contact Ana Mateo, District Homeless Liaison Support, at (770) 422-3500 for more information and to arrange an interview.

Employees of the Marietta City School District may elect to have their child(ren) attend Marietta City Schools. There are two Employee Child Programs: Non-Work Site and Work Site.

The yearly application window for Employee Child Programs opens on January 1st and closes January 31st. Students will be accepted based on availability in the requested school, with the exception of Work Site placements. Work Site placements are guaranteed by Georgia law.

Students are notified of their acceptance status the Friday before Spring Break.