Enrollment Policy

DEADLINES FOR 2026/2027 SCHOOL YEAR:

December 15, 2025: Enrollment and lottery application window closes
December 18, 2025: Lottery to be held 10:00 AM Central on Zoom | Click to Join Zoom

We look forward to continued growth for Adeline Montessori School (AMS) and stability for all students, families, and faculty. The timing of the re-enrollment and new enrollment is intended to confirm with families that the students will continue to attend AMS and to give AMS adequate time to plan for any new students. All enrollment steps are administered through Skyward.

Consistent with our Charter contract:

The Grantee acknowledges and agrees that if the capacity of the School is insufficient to accept all pupils who apply, state law requires that the School accept pupils at random, in which case the Grantee agrees to hold a lottery or other random selection method no later than 30 days prior to the start of each academic year. The following exceptions apply to this requirement:

The Grantee is required to give preference in enrollment to all grade-eligible pupils who were enrolled in the School in the previous school year and all siblings of pupils who are enrolled in the School; and
The Grantee may give preference in enrollment to children of the School’s founders, governing board members, and full-time employees, but must limit the number of such children given such preference to no more than 10% of the School’s total enrollment.

All returning students to AMS Charter School retain their places each year, thus avoiding the lottery, but must complete the enrollment contract via Skyward by the deadline* to determine the number of openings in the lottery.

The following applicants will receive enrollment preference and be exempt from the lottery, provided they submit an application by the well-advertised deadline for the next school year*. Any application received after this date will be treated as any other applicant and placed on the waiting list in the order received. If there are more priority applicants than open seats, a lottery will be held for each respective priority group in accordance with the lottery protocols below:

1st Priority lottery:

Siblings of students enrolled at AMS at the time of the lottery

2nd priority lottery:

Children of founders ¹
Children of AMS staff members at the time of the lottery ¹
Children of current Governing Board Members ¹

¹(not to exceed 10% of the student population)

*December 15, 2025 for the 2026-2027 school year

Any remaining open seats will be selected by a lottery conducted in the presence of a representative of the AMS Board, the AMS Administration, and the AMS faculty.

Lottery Protocols:

All applicants of the same family will be assigned one “Family Number.” Duplicate numbers will be placed in a drum or similar container.
A Board representative who does not have a child in the lottery will draw numbers from the drum or similar container.
Open seats will be filled beginning with Middle School and moving down to Primary.
Siblings in the same grade will be given concurrent priority.
Once given a seat, accepted students must accept or decline by the date stated in the acceptance letter. Declined seats are given to students on the waiting list in the order determined by the lottery.
Waiting lists are held open for 5 school days from the start of the new school year. At that time, new students will not be enrolled to AMS unless transferring directly from a Montessori school, following an orientation interview with the principal and/or classroom teacher.
Waiting lists do not roll over from year to year. Prospective students must reapply each year until accepted. Students enrolled in AMS do not need to reapply each year but must confirm their enrollment.

Non-discrimination Policy:

Enrollment will NOT be limited in any way on the basis of sex; age to the extent such age is consistent with the charter contract; race; religion; color; national origin; ancestry; creed; pregnancy; marital status; parental status; homelessness; sexual orientation; gender identity; gender expression; gender nonconformity; physical, mental, emotional or learning disability/handicap; or any other legally-protected status or classification.