FAQs
May a charter school exempt certain categories of applicants from the lottery and admit them automatically?
State law provides that only the following categories of applicants may be exempted from the lottery process: students who have been admitted to the charter school through an appropriate admission process and remain in attendance through subsequent grades; and siblings of students already admitted to, or attending, the same charter school. There is no exemption…
Read MoreWhat information can the application for admission to the charter school request before the names are placed in the lottery pool?
The application for admission to the charter school should only request information necessary to enable the school to identify the student and determine what grade the applicant is seeking to enter. Basic contact information such as address telephone number and e-mail address can be requested. Applications should not request ethnic, racial, religious, or language information…
Read MoreCan enrollment be on a first-come, first-served basis until all available spaces are taken and then use a lottery selection process to develop a waitlist?
No. A charter school must first establish an enrollment period and, if at the end of the enrollment period the total number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, a lottery selection should be conducted. If the number of applicants does not exceed the number of spaces available, a lottery selection is not necessary,…
Read MoreWhen and how is the lottery conducted?
South Valley Preparatory School typically holds its Lottery within the first month after Winter Break. South Valley Prep opens the lottery window for three (3) weeks. During those 3 weeks, lottery applications are received and assigned a lottery number. After the lottery window closes, if the school has received more applications than available spaces then…
Read MoreMust a charter school admit students through a lottery process?
New Mexico, by statute, requires a charter school to employ a lottery selection process, if the total number of applicants exceeds the space available, 22-8B-4.1 NMSA (1978). A charter school will need to use a lottery selection process any time the total number of applicants exceeds the spaces available.
Read MoreCan My Child Ride the School Bus to a Charter School?
Charter schools are not required to provide transportation to and from their school. SVP contracts with a local bus company to bus students to school on a very limited route. Please call the school for further information.
Read MoreMy Child Has a Disability. Will the Charter School Follow Their IEP?
Charter schools are obligated to meet all federal and state laws regarding special education, including following a child’s IEP or 504 Plan. Providing a copy of your child’s IEP/504 Plan or alerting school staff during registration that your child has an IEP will help your child receive the services they need.
Read MoreCharter Schools: Are They Public or Private?
Charter schools are public schools and are accountable to the same requirements as traditional public schools such as mandated assessments like the NM-MSSA, standard graduation criteria, serving students with disabilities, and providing English language instruction for English Learners.
Read MoreHow Are Charter Schools Funded?
Like traditional public schools, charter schools receive state and local funds based on the number of students they enroll, as well as money from the federal government to provide special education services, just like traditional district schools. In New Mexico, two percent of a school’s budget is granted to the school’s authorizer. Charter schools-like district…
Read MoreWho Runs Charter Schools?
On a day-to-day, operational level, a charter school is run by a school leader or principal and overseen by an elected board just like a local district.
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