How to Get Into a Charter School?
Admission requirements to the charter school do not differ from the requirements set by to other public schools in the USA.
To get into a charter school, the applicant must:
- live in the city where the school is located;
- reach the age of 5 or to reach the age determined by the requirements of a particular charter school;
- be under 21 years of age and not have a high school diploma.
Each charter school has its own procedure for receiving and organizing the lottery. Children have the right to apply to several charter schools. Their parents should contact the schools directly in order to get detailed information about the admission process and its period.
Application
As a rule, accepting applications for the upcoming school year continues until April 1. In most schools, the lottery is held in April. For application forms, parents need to contact directly the desired charter school. They can do this by phone or by visiting the school. Many schools also post applications on their websites.
When filling out an application, it is not necessary to share information about the special needs of the child (special education), however, some schools that provide advantages for enrolling certain categories of students suggest that parents share this information at their discretion. After enrolling the child, the staff at the charter school may contact their parents with questions to determine the child’s needs.
Lottery
If the number of applications exceeds the number of available places in the recruiting class, charter schools are required to hold a lottery or use another type of random selection. The lottery continues until all the places are filled. Then the school makes up a waiting list, which includes the names of non-enrolled children. They notify parents whether about enrollment or the number of the child on the list. To guarantee impartiality, charter schools invite third-party observers to the lottery or hire an independent auditing company to conduct the lottery.
Admission
If the child is currently attending another school, the parents must notify the administration of his upcoming transfer to a charter school. The charter school sends them the necessary forms to be completed. The documents include a birth certificate or passport of the child, a certificate of vaccinations and proof of residence.
Open days
On average, open days are initiated before the start of the acceptance process and the lottery. These activities are usually posted on school websites. They give parents the opportunity to visit the school, talk with teachers and staff, and get an idea of the curriculum and available education programs. Parents need to contact the schools directly in order to get information about the open door schedule and visiting rules.
How to find a charter school online?
To find a charter school on the web, you should enter its name in the School Search window on http://www.nysed.gov. Here you can get information about all the information about the school: address, school website, etc.