Charlotte parents are choosing charter schools. What’s required to enroll your child
More Charlotte parents are choosing charter schools in favor of traditional public schools.
In Mecklenburg County, charter school enrollment continues to grow, while numbers have declined in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools since the COVID-19 pandemic.
From its recent enrollment peak in 2018, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has lost nearly 7,000 students — or about 5% of its population last school year, according to data from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
Meanwhile, charter schools throughout the county saw an enrollment increase by 2,000 students from 2020-21, The Charlotte Observer reported.
But for more competitive charter schools, not all students are granted admission.
For instance, of the 1,167 applications submitted for kindergarten students at Lake Norman Charter School during the 2021-22 school year, only 120 were accepted, according to data from the school.
All charter schools must have an open enrollment period of at least 30 days where applications can be submitted, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. If the number of applications exceeds the number of open seats, then a lottery will be conducted to admit students.
Here’s how the lottery system works for charter schools in Charlotte.
Which students get priority for charter school enrollment?
According to state law, charter schools may give enrollment priority to:
Siblings of currently enrolled students
Siblings of students who completed the highest grade level offered by that school
Students who were enrolled in a preschool program operated by the school in the prior year
Children of school employees or board members
Students who were enrolled in another state charter school in the previous year
A school’s total enrollment of employees’ children or board members cannot exceed 15%, according to state law.
If siblings apply for admission to a charter school where a lottery is needed, the school may enter one last name into the lottery to represent all of the children, according to state law. If that name is selected, all of the siblings will receive admission to the school if there is space available.
If a student is not admitted to a school in the lottery, then they will be placed on a waiting list. If a spot becomes available, state law requires schools to contact families by phone or email.
RELATED: Are Mecklenburg charter schools better than CMS? Here’s what state’s test scores show
Can charter schools refuse admission to students?
Charter schools can refuse admission to students who have been suspended or expelled from public schools until the period of suspension or expulsion has expired, according to state law.
However, charter schools cannot limit admission to students based on their intellectual or athletic ability, race, national origin, religion or county of residence, per state law.
Charlotte Observer reported Gavin Off contributed to this story.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 12:50 PM.
