Filed under Schools & Settling In · 4 min read
If you are moving into the City of Richmond with school-age children, Richmond Public Schools is your public school division. Enrollment is done online, and the address you live at decides your starting school. Here is the process step by step, based on RPS’s own enrollment pages and the Code of Virginia.
Who can enroll, and when it is required
Virginia law makes public schools free to every school-age person who resides in the school division, typically by living with a parent. In practice that means proof of a Richmond address is the key document.
Attendance is compulsory. Under section 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia, a child who turns 5 on or before September 30 of the school year must attend school, or an approved alternative such as private school or home instruction, until turning 18. RPS kindergarten follows the same date: children who turn 5 by September 30 are eligible.
The law also allows a five-year-old to meet the requirement through a public pre-kindergarten program such as Head Start, or a private one, and it lets families choose private school, a qualified tutor or home instruction instead of public school at any age.
Step 1: Create an Enroll RPS account
RPS says all families must create a parent account at Enroll RPS and complete an online registration form when enrolling for the first time, for preschool through grade 12. As part of registration you upload several documents. If anything is unclear, the enrollment office answers questions at enrollrps@rvaschools.net.
Step 2: Find your zone school
All students must register at their zone school unless they have received a seat at another school through Open Enrollment. Use the RPS School Locator Map with your exact address. For the coming school year, RPS says enrollment at zoned schools opens in spring for all new students, and families arriving during the school year should contact the enrollment office at enrollrps@rvaschools.net.
Tip: Do not rely on a neighborhood name or a real estate listing to tell you the school. Zone assignment is by address. Check the locator before you sign a lease if a particular school matters.
Step 3: Decide whether to apply elsewhere
Families who want a K-12 school other than their zone school can apply through Open Enrollment. It covers:
- All elementary schools, including Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts
- All middle schools except Franklin Military Academy
- The five comprehensive high schools: Armstrong, Huguenot, John Marshall, Richmond High School for the Arts and Thomas Jefferson
- Two programs: the Governor’s STEM Academy for CTE and the Richmond Career Education and Employment Academy
One major condition: RPS does not provide transportation for students attending through Open Enrollment, with the exception of Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts. Plan the commute before you accept a seat.
Selective admissions schools
RPS also has selective admissions and governor’s schools with a college-preparatory curriculum. They require a separate application with an interview and an essay, and the enrollment team holds information sessions every fall.
Key dates for the 2027-28 school year
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Selective admissions school applications | October 1 to December 4, 2026, closing at 4:30 p.m. |
| Open Enrollment applications | October 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, closing at 4:30 p.m. |
| Initial offers and seat results posted | March 5, 2027 |
| Zone school enrollment for new students | Opens spring 2027 |
Preschool
RPS offers preschool seats through Head Start and the Virginia Preschool Initiative to eligible children who turn 3 or 4 by September 30. Applications open in the spring of the year before. Where a child is offered a seat depends on several factors, including how close the family lives to the school. Families apply through the same Enroll RPS account.
Moving within Richmond
If your child is already an RPS student and you move to another address in the city, bring proof of your new residency, such as a lease, deed or mortgage statement, to either the current or the new school. RPS says records transfer to the new school within 1 to 3 business days. If you move out of the city, ask the current school for a withdrawal form; you then enroll in your new division.
What kindergarten covers
RPS describes kindergarten as a foundational academic year with daily phonics and reading instruction. By the end of the year, students are expected to count to 100, add and subtract within 10 and read grade-level high-frequency words. Classes also include science, social studies, art, music, library and physical education.
Before you choose an address, it helps to look at the state’s school data; see Comparing Schools in the Richmond Area: How to Read Virginia’s School Quality Profiles. If you are still deciding between the city and the counties, Richmond City, Henrico or Chesterfield? How the Three Localities Compare for People Moving In compares them.