Definition
A feeder pattern is a directional school-to-school pathway, such as elementary to middle school. A district-published pathway and a relationship derived from geographic overlaps are different kinds of evidence.
How K12 Atlas represents relationships
The release separates SABS-derived geographic matches from broader district fallback links. “SABS exact” is a matching-method label; it does not mean a current district has confirmed the assignment. Neither tier measures actual student transfers or an individual’s admission eligibility.
Historical boundaries
The NCES School Attendance Boundary Survey collected attendance areas for 2013–14 and 2015–16. Boundaries, grade spans, and programs can change. Verify an assignment against the district’s current enrollment locator and policies.
Verify a pathway
The feeder-pattern guide explains how to check a candidate pathway. The public feeder summary reports the number of rows in each method tier.