January 1, 2022
By Lynzi Whalen

Getting your child enrolled and ready for their public school adventure can be daunting, so we put together a how-to guide on the process of registering your kids for New Orleans public school online. 

Do I need to do this?

Nola Public Schools (enrollnolaps.com) is the New Orleans public school website where you will begin your child’s enrollment process. Formerly known as OneApp, the NOLA-PS Common Application Process (NCAP) should be completed if: 

• Your child is new to New Orleans or public schools.​
• Your child is seeking to transfer from their current school to a new school for the 2022-23 School Year.​
• Your child is a transitional student, or their current school does not offer their promotion grade next school year. 

How do I navigate the website?

If you don’t already have login credentials for the NCAP, you will create an account and verify your email address. Upon following the link in your email to your Parent Portal, you will log in and begin filling out your family information.

It is important that you add every child in your household to your Family Profile if you want sibling priority. Sibling priority is used when your child applies to the school their sibling currently attends and will continue to participate in next year. This may not guarantee placement, and some schools may require verification of sibling status. It is recommended you list all of your application choices in the same order for all children for their best chance of getting siblings placed together in the same school.

After setting up your Family Profile, you will create an application for each child who is entering school or applying to change schools. If your child is already in the public school system, or you have created a OneApp for them before, you can simply look them up via their OneApp ID to avoid re-entering their information. 

Documents you may need:

• Parent/Guardian Photo ID​
• Birth Certificate​
• 2 Proofs of Residency​
• Proof of Income
• Sibling Verification

Be aware that a few schools may have additional requirements and testing. Make sure you research the schools you are interested in before applying. 

How do I choose preferred schools?

Nola.explore.avela.org is a website you can use to search schools, read their mission statements, gather information on their before- and after-school programs, and see their performance records. If you are unsure which schools you would like to choose, you can schedule school visits to tour their grounds which may help narrow down your choices. Keep in mind that school performance records may not be a good indicator of your child’s ability to thrive there.

It is okay to pick several school choices for your child. The NCAP uses an algorithm to place your student in a school, so adding more school choices will not affect your student’s chance of getting into your preferred school. 

How do I complete the process?

After submitting your Family Profile, child applications, verification documents, and choice of schools, you have completed the enrollment process. Pat yourself on the back! Applications are due by January 21, 2022, and you can expect results by the end of March 2022. 

Is support available?

Visiting enrollnolaps.com/faqs will answer most of your questions and explain the step-by-step process of enrollment. You can also email enroll@nolapublicschools.com with any other questions you may have. If you would like in-person help, you can visit a Family Resource center on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can find a list of Family Resource centers at enrollnolaps.com/family-support. If you would like to speak to someone on the phone, you may leave a voicemail at (877) 343-4773. We know that the school application process can be complicated, but by following these steps and having these resources in your back pocket, enrolling is a lot easier.