There are three high schools in the Stamford Public School system: Stamford High School, West Hill High School, and The Academy of Information and Technology. All 8th graders will be districted for either Stamford High School or West Hill High School depending on their residence. If a parent chooses for their 8th grader to apply to either AIT or another high school in Stamford and the student is accepted, the records will be transferred from the district high school to the appropriate school during the summer after 8th grade year. Open Houses for all district high schools are held in the Spring, and notification of these should come through the mail.

The guidance counselors work with 8th grade students and parents from February until June each year to get them prepared for the highschool transition. By the end of March, 8th graders will have a completed course selection sheet which will be sent home for a parent signature. 8th grade students and their parents will have some freedom in selecting certain highschool courses; however, other highschool courses (Math, Science, English, and Social Studies) are driven by a Stamford Public Schools criteria grid. 8th grade teachers base their recommendations by this grid along with an assessment of student work ethic and classroom performance.

Below is the criteria grid used for the 2002-2003 8th graders' high school placements. The 2003-2004 criteria grid should be published by March 2004.

*Please note that the Math CMT scores drive both Math and Science placements and that the Reading CMT scores drive both English and Social Studies placements.