Kiddo Help — For centers

What is waitlist priority and how is it used?

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Chris

Last updated on Aug 8, 2026

Summary

Waitlist priority (also called enrollment priorities) helps your center rank applications fairly. Families answer priority questions on your waitlist form; Kiddo uses their answers plus your ranking rules to order the waitlist.

Before you start

  • You need admin access to Settings.
  • Priorities work best after you add Schedules and review your default ranking rules.

How priority works

  1. You define priorities — Each priority has a name your staff sees and a question parents answer on the form (for example, "Does your family already have a child enrolled here?").
  2. You set the order — Drag priorities in Settings → Enrollment & Waitlist → Enrollment Priorities to set which answers rank higher. Top of the list = higher priority on the waitlist.
  3. Families answer on the form — When someone applies, they see your questions. Their answers become priority badges on their application.
  4. Kiddo sorts the waitlist — Applications with higher-priority answers appear above others with the same schedule and age group. Priority does not guarantee a spot — it helps you fill spots in the order you choose.

What families see

  • Priority questions on your public waitlist form (worded in plain language).
  • No numeric score or internal rank — just the questions you configured.

What your team sees

  • Priority badges on each child in Waitlist.
  • Filters to find applications by priority.
  • The same ranking when you send offers or review open spots.

Common questions

Do siblings automatically rank higher?

Many centers add a priority for current or returning families. You control the order — place sibling or alumni priorities at the top if that matches your policy.

Can I change priority order later?

Yes. Reordering updates how new sorting is calculated. Existing manual changes you made on individual applications stay as you left them.

What if I do not use priorities?

You can keep default priorities or deactivate ones you do not need. Applications still sort by submission date when priorities tie.

Does priority override my manual waitlist order?

No. Priority is the starting order. Staff can still adjust individual applications when needed.

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