Eligibility
All students who reside in the state of California are eligible for admission to the Novato Charter School.
Application Procedure
Parents of prospective students must complete and submit an online (paper copies can be submitted if needed) application each year to participate in the annual enrollment lottery. Applications do not carry over from year to year. The deadline for applications is the last Sunday in February.
Parents of prospective students are strongly encouraged to attend a school tour prior to the lottery date and to carefully consider the School and Family Partnership Agreement before applying.
We use Lotterease to run our annual lottery. Lotterease is an independent automated lottery system.
Register for the Novato Charter School Lottery here
Link for the Lotterease login page
View anonymous applicant/lottery results
Lotterease Parent Manual
The Lotterease Seal of Transparency and Fairness
Sign up for a School Tour Here
Lottery Information
If there are more applications than spaces available in any grade level, NCS will hold a lottery at the completion of the open enrollment period.
All applications will be separated by grade level and enrollment priority as follows:
1. Children of NCS employees
2. Siblings of students admitted to or attending NCS.
3. Students residing in the Novato Unified School District (NUSD).
4. Students residing outside of NUSD.
When an opening occurs, applicants will be notified via email in order of wait-list rank to determine their interest and to complete the enrollment process. After direct contact has been made, applicants will be given one (1) business day to respond. Should they fail to accept or fail to respond, NCS will offer the opening to the next applicant in rank order.
Completing the enrollment procedure includes a family conference (all grades), and an orientation (kindergarten only).
The student’s age must match the correct age range for the class in which you plan to enroll. You will need to submit a birth certificate when you submit enrollment paperwork.
NCS has the right to refuse admission to any child whose birth date falls outside of the age requirements of each grade level.
To qualify for the in-district priority group in the lottery, the student’s primary residence must be in the Novato Unified School District prior to the enrollment lottery. You will need to submit two proofs of residency at the time you submit enrollment paperwork. Acceptable documents include Utility bill (current bill within 30 days), Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, Lease agreement, Current property tax bill, Valid California Driver’s License, Current pay stub, or bank statement recent within 30 days. You can check here to see if you are a resident of NUSD: https://nusd.org/nusd-school-boundary-maps/
All steps in the application process must be completed every year for admission consideration.
Any information that is misrepresented on the Application for Admission could invalidate eligibility for enrollment in the Novato Charter School.
NCS follows a developmental approach and therefore has different requirements for minimum age in each grade level. Grades are determined by the ages and dates listed below.
| Transitional Kindergarten: |
5 years old between June 2 and April 2 of the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Kindergarten: | 5 years or older by June 1st, prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| First Grade: | 6 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Second Grade: | 7 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Third Grade: | 8 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Fourth Grade: | 9 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Fifth Grade: | 10 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Sixth Grade: | 11 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Seventh Grade: | 12 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
| Eighth Grade: | 13 years or older by June 1 prior to the school year for which the applicant is seeking enrollment |
Admission Policies and Procedures (4870-7146-0866.v3)
Students with Special Needs
NCS complies with all applicable state and federal laws in serving students with disabilities including, but not limited to, Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act. The Novato Charter School intends to function as a “public school of the local education agency (LEA) that granted the charter” for purposes of providing special education and related services pursuant to Education Code Section 47641 (b).
NCS complies with all applicable federal laws in regard to services and the education of English Language Learner (ELL) students. NCS develops, implements, and maintains policies and procedures for the provision of services to ELL students in accordance with state and federal mandates.