Park City Schools to open K–5 enrollment to out-of-district students for 2025–26

McPolin Elementary School. Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — For the first time in several years, the Park City School District will open enrollment to out-of-district students in kindergarten through fifth grade for the 2025–26 school year. The Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve up to 150 open seats for nonresident students across its four elementary schools.

The decision was based on current enrollment projections and class size guidelines. The district’s target class size ratio is 23-to-1, though for the purposes of open enrollment, the administration set a more conservative planning threshold of 20 students per class to accommodate in-district families who may move in during the year.

“We really want to get close to that threshold,” said Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman, who presented the recommendation. “We feel confident with 150.”

The breakdown of available seats is as follows:

• McPolin Elementary – 82 seats

• Jeremy Ranch Elementary – 38 seats

• Parley’s Park Elementary – 34 seats

• Trailside Elementary – 17 seats

District staff noted that applications from out-of-boundary families are already in the system. Those applicants will be included in the 150-seat limit.

Applications will be time-stamped and reviewed on a case-by-case basis by a district committee, which includes administrators and school principals. Families with multiple children may not be placed in the same building, though efforts will be made to keep siblings together.

Huntsman emphasized that the plan will not require additional staffing. “We felt this was the right time to open our elementary school boundaries,” said Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman. “While we remain committed to small class sizes and outstanding student support, we’re also responding to shifts in enrollment trends. This decision creates an opportunity to welcome new families into our schools, where
students will be supported, challenged, and inspired by some of the best educators in the state.”

Board members supported the move, noting that Park City has seen a slight decline in enrollment and that Summit County is projected to gain school-aged children in the coming years, while nearby Wasatch County is projected to lose population in that age group.

The board agreed to keep grades 6–12 closed to new out-of-district students for now and revisit secondary enrollment in 2026 after the first year of the district’s new alignment model.

Applications and detailed instructions will be available starting Monday, June 23rd on the district home page at www.pcschools.us.