Lottery Process

Priority Preferences for Enrollment

Compass Public Charter School will have admission preferences for enrollment of students in subsequent school years, with the selection hierarchy with respect to such preferences as follows:

  1. First, to pupils returning to Compass in the second or any subsequent year of operation.
  2. Second, to children of charter school founders (Original Corporate Principals, Governing Body, and Chairpersons of the original organizing committees) and children of full time employees for Compass Public Charter School, not to exceed ten percent (10%) of student seats.
  3. Third, to siblings of pupils already enrolled in Compass Public Charter School.
  4. Fourth, to prospective students residing in the attendance area of Compass Public Charter School.
  5. Fifth, all other students will be selected by an equitable selection process, such as by lottery or other random method.

Proposed Attendance List

Each year Compass Public Charter School will maintain a proposed attendance list containing the names of all prospective students on whose behalf a timely request for admission was received, separated by grade level. The proposed attendance list will contain columns next to the name of each student, in which Compass will designate admission preferences applicable to each prospective student. The columns will designate “A” for returning preference; “B” for founders preference; “C” for sibling preference, with a corresponding cross-reference to each of the siblings of the prospective student; “D” for attendance area preference; and “E” column for students outside of the attendance area.

Equitable Selection Process

If the initial capacity of Compass Public Charter School is insufficient to enroll all prospective students, or if capacity is insufficient to enroll all prospective students in subsequent school years, then Compass will determine who will be offered admission to Compass by conducting a fair and equitable selection process. That process will use a randomized method for student applications. The method will be transparent and follow a clearly defined process. Compass will be using the randomized method in an effort to increase the accuracy of the data and reduce the amount of time required to perform the lottery.

Final Selection List

The names of the persons in highest order on the final selection list will have the highest priority for admission to Compass Public Charter School in that grade, and will be offered admission to Compass Public Charter School in such grade until all seats for that grade are filled.

Notification and Acceptance Process

  1. Within two business days after conducting the selection process, Compass Public Charter School will send an email to the parent, guardian, or other person (qualified applicant) who submitted an admission request on behalf of the student, advising the qualified applicant that the lottery is complete. The qualified applicant will have previously used an online account to submit a lottery application. They will be instructed to log in to their account to check the lottery results for their student(s).
  2. Selection in the Lottery:  If a student has been selected for enrollment, qualified applicant will have 7 days to accept or decline enrollment online.
    1. If a qualified applicant receives an offer of enrollment on behalf of a student and declines admission, or fails to log in and accept the offer (or contact the registrar) by the date designated in the lottery email, then the name of that student will be stricken from the final selection list, and that seat will be made available to the next eligible student on the final selection list.
  1. Placed on Waiting List:  The qualified applicant will be informed that if their student is placed on the waiting list, the student may be eligible for admission at a later date if a seat becomes available. They will have access to log in to their account at any time to check for an update on their student’s waiting list number.
  1. If a student withdraws from Compass Public Charter School during the school year for any reason, then the seat that opens in that grade will be made available to the next eligible student on the final selection list.
  2. For enrollments that are offered post lottery, based on the waitlist, and after the annual registration window closes, offers made will be given to the end of the next business day to accept or decline the offer. Those accepting enrollment will be given 2 subsequent business days to complete the online registration. 
  3. Compass enrollment offers are delivered via email and voicemail. Applicants are responsible for checking their email and meeting the deadlines as listed above. 
  4. Link to enrollment policy.

Subsequent School Years

The final selection list for a given school year will not roll over to the next subsequent school year. If the capacity of Compass Public Charter School is not sufficient to enroll all prospective students during the next subsequent school year, then a new equitable selection process will be conducted by Compass Public Charter School for that year.

All prospective students who miss the enrollment deadline will be placed at the bottom of the final selection list in the order in which they are received. They will only receive admittance to CPCS when all prospective students on the final selection list have been given the option of acceptance and there are still vacancies in the grade level needed.

Maximum Enrollment

The maximum number of students who may be enrolled in the school shall be 1600 students. The Compass board of directors will establish grade-based enrollment caps annually in advance of the school’s application deadline. For purposes of the enrollment selection process, the Compass board of directors will establish overall and per-grade enrollment caps on an annual basis. The board will set these caps no later than two (2) months before the school’s request for admission/application deadline and will post them on the school’s website within five (5) days of the vote that establishes the annual caps.

Student Handbook

An annually updated student handbook will be made available both in hard copy and on the school website. The handbook will include general school information, a summary of discipline policies, attendance policies, dress code, etc.

Policy of Internet Safety

CPCS has adopted a Policy of Internet Safety for minors that include the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access and that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or other content harmful to minors in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

2025-2026 Enrollment/Lottery Caps

Approved by the Board 11/14/24

K – 24 (4 classes) – Cap = 96

1 – 26 (4 classes) – Cap = 104

2 – 26 (4 classes) – Cap = 104

3 – 28 (4 classes) – Cap = 112

4 – 28 (4 classes) – Cap = 112

5 – 28 (4 classes) – Cap = 112

6 – 30 (4 classes) – Cap = 120

7 – 32 (4 classes) – Cap = 128

8 – 32 (4 classes) – Cap = 128

9 – 30 (3 classes) – Cap = 90

10 – 30 (3 classes) – Cap = 80

11 – 27 (3 classes) – Cap = 75

12 – 30 (2 classes) – Cap = 75

Total = 1,336

 
Lottery Notice in English or Spanish