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Massachusetts Charter Schools

Enrollment Policy and Practice Frequently Asked Questions

(Updated September 2016)

The Enrollment Processes Technical Advisory and the following Enrollment Policy and Practice Frequently Asked Questions provided by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) should be read carefully and reviewed in its entirety. An answer to one frequently asked question might lead a reader to an inaccurate conclusion when read in isolation from the Department’s guidance and answers to other frequently asked questions. Answers should not be reviewed or relied upon in isolation from the entirety of the Department’s guidance regarding enrollment processes. Please reach out to the Department if you have a question or concern that is not currently found in this FAQ.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Does a student need to be a Massachusetts resident to apply for admission and to attend a charter school?
  2. What constitutes proof of residency?
  3. If a student is homeless, what documentation is sufficient to receive an enrollment preference based on residency?
  4. Can a foreign exchange student seek admission to or attend a charter school?
  5. Other than establishing residency in Massachusetts, are there other eligibility requirements that charter schools may consider for students?
  6. How can a student prove successful completion of the prior grade if they were previously home schooled?
  7. Can a charter school require a student to repeat a grade to be eligible for admission?
  8. May a charter school set eligibility requirements based on age?
  9. Does a student need to attend a district school to be eligible to attend a Commonwealth charter school?
  10. May a Commonwealth charter school impose enrollment preferences other than those permitted under the charter school statute, such as preference for English language learners or students with disabilities?
  11. Does a student need to attend a district school to be eligible to attend a Horace Mann charter school?
  12. Can a Horace Mann charter school directly admit a student who does not reside in the district in which the school is located and the student is not attending a school in the district?
  13. May a district impose enrollment preferences at Horace Mann charter schools other than those permitted under the charter school statute, such as preference for English language learners or students with disabilities?

Enrollment Process and Lottery Procedures

Waitlist

Backfilling

Acceptance of an Offer of Admission and Students Attending

General Inquiries

All

Eligibility Criteria

4.

Can a foreign exchange student seek admission to or attend a charter school?

No. Charter schools may not admit foreign exchange students. Because foreign exchange students are not Massachusetts residents, they are not eligible to attend Massachusetts charter schools. Because they are not eligible to attend, they cannot enter the lottery, receive sibling preference, or be admitted. Charter schools would not receive any tuition or other funding for foreign exchange students and may not charge tuition to any foreign exchange student, a condition of eligibility for an F-1 visa to attend a secondary school. For additional information on F-1 visa requirements, please see Foreign Students in Public Schools.

Last Updated: April 28, 2020

 
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