Audition and Application Information: 

• Online Applications Open for 2025-2026 school year - November 1st, 2024.

• New Student Information Night (view previous presentation slides - PDF) - October 16th, 2024 and November 7th, 2024. Tours start at 5:30pm, Presentation 6:30pm - 7:30pm.

• Audition Workshop (all majors except visual art) - November 2nd, 2024, 9:00am - 11:00am.

• Audition Workshop (visual art majors only) - November 9th, 2024, 9:00am - 11:00am.

• IFAA On-Time Applications Close for 2025-2026 school year - January 3rd, 2025.

• Auditions for On-Time Applications only - January 11th, 2025 (8am - 6pm)

• LATE Applications begin for 2025-2026 school year - January 11th, 2025.

• Acceptance letters emailed out On-Time Applications only - on or before January 25th, 2025.

Audition Introduction and Purpose

To select incoming students for placement at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy (IFAA), West Ada School District employs an audition process at all grade levels. The purpose of the audition is to provide a system for selecting students when more applications are submitted than there are seats available.

Application Process – before the auditions

• Parents of currently enrolled students return an intent to re-enroll letter indicating their intent to return for the coming year.  This response sets the number of seats available within each artistic major at each grade level.  Responses are due to IFAA before the on-time application deadline.  All students who are currently registered at and attending may continue to attend the following year.

• Parents of new applicant’s complete applications from the district website and get an audition appointment time. Portfolio's will be due the day of auditions.  Siblings of current students are considered new applicants and must complete applications and auditions. 

• At the time of application, parents and/or students identify the ONE or TWO artistic majors in which the student will audition for placement: Dance, Film & Media, Theatre, Visual Arts, Vocal Music, or Instrumental Music.  Parents and students follow the directions provided within the application to sign up for an audition day and time.

• A spreadsheet of those applying and seats available for all grades is created at each site.  These are downloaded directly from the online application data.

Audition Process – establishing priority

• IFAA’s primary attendance area includes the entire West Ada School District boundary.  All applicants from the primary attendance area are given an equal opportunity to audition.  Out-of-district applicants may apply and audition, and will be considered for placement.

• IFAA selects students using a specific set of criteria in the discipline of audition/study.  Given the audition requirements, siblings and children of IFAA faculty and staff do not receive priority placement.

• Because the school is filled via audition, late applications are not given priority over timely applications.

Audition Process

• Auditions are held at IFAA.  Exact dates vary year to year and are published each November on the district’s School of Choice website.   Parents and/or students sign up for an audition as part of the application process.  In most cases, digital applications are accepted and are considered equally with live auditions.

• Audition requirements are articulated in a separate document posted on the district’s School of Choice website and IFAA’s Audition Information page.  These documents may be updated yearly in November.

• Each audition is evaluated by at least two West Ada school district employees, one of whom is the IFAA lead content teacher in the major area.  All audition judges are content area specialists. District or building administrators do not participate in evaluating auditions.

• Please bring a current photo (5x7 or smaller) with you to the audition-interview for all majors. You may include this on a resume with a list of schools, studios, theaters or programs where the applicant has received training.

Audition Requirements and Evaluation

• Each audition is evaluated using a district-developed rubric specific to that content area major.  Rubrics are posted on IFAA’s Audition Information page.

• Judges score auditions and rank them using the specific content rubric within each grade level.

• Based on the rank of each audition and the available space within each grade level and content area, students are identified for placement and/or wait list status.

Parent and Student Notification

• Parents and students are notified of placement or wait list status via email after auditions are complete. Exact dates vary year to year and are published on the Schools of Choice website in November.

• Parents must respond to the placement invitation by the date given in the email by completing online school enrollment and submitting valid proof of residency (a copy of a utility bill dated within 30 days with the customer’s full name and service address clearly visible, a home purchase agreement, or a home rental agreement).  Proof of residency will be confirmed and checked against the address provided at the time of application.  Any preference given at the time of the audition is contingent on valid proof of residency.

• Once parents respond, IFAA becomes the student’s home school. School records are sent to IFAA from their former school once the former school is notified of students’ commitment.

• Once placement occurs, a family must follow the in-district transfer process if they change their mind. A transfer back depends on space availability and a principal and director signature.

Placement During the School Year

• If seats become available during the school year, the wait list is accessed.  If there is no wait list at a given grade level, then a secondary application may be opened and an audition may be held in late fall for 2nd semester.  Open seats and audition times will be communicated through the homepage of the IFAA website.

Special Considerations

• In the event of grade acceleration or retention after the time of application and prior to placement, parents need to contact the School of Choice Coordinator at the district office to update their child’s application to the appropriate grade level.  Failure to do so will jeopardize placement in the appropriate grade.

• In the event of grade acceleration or retention after the time of placement at IFAA, the school cannot guarantee that space is available in the new grade level.  Continued placement is contingent on space available.  If space is not available, students will need to return to their home school.

• Not all programs are offered at all schools.  IFAA does not offer gifted education services.  For students who qualify for special education, placement at IFAA is dependent on both audition outcome and the ability of the school to serve the students’ needs.  Please contact the school for more information.