Enrollment Policy and Practice Frequently Asked Questions

Can a school carry, or "roll," its waitlist from one year to the next?

No. In general, the "rolling" of waitlists is prohibited. The amended charter school regulations permit schools to keep waitlists for only the current school year. 603 CMR 1.05(10)(a). If a student applies and is not admitted, they must reapply the following year to be considered for admission.

Note that the regulations do allow charter schools to use waitlists that were established prior to March 31, 2014, until the current waitlist is exhausted. The school must make clear in its enrollment policy and to all students seeking admission whether the school is currently exhausting an old waitlist or if students must apply for admission again in subsequent years if they do not receive an offer of admission in the current year. These waitlists, however, can only be used until they are exhausted or expired¹. For schools that are carrying over a waitlist (established prior to March 31, 2014) from one year to the next, students who have been added to the waitlist at any point after March 31, 2014, and have not been admitted, must reapply the following year to be considered for admission. It is recommended that schools inform these families who have applied after March 31, 2014 that they must reapply the following year to be considered for subsequent admission.