A charter school lottery is a random selection process that determines which students will be offered admission when the number of applicants exceeds the available seats in a school. California law requires charter schools to conduct a public, transparent lottery when demand exceeds capacity. It is not exclusionary but instead creates a fair and transparent process that is compliant with enrollment regulations and provides all applicants with equal opportunity.

Any California student residing within the charter authorizing district or specific geographic boundaries can apply to the lottery. IvyTech Charter School’s lottery is designed to be unbiased and impartial. No student is given preferential treatment based on their academic performance or socioeconomic background. The lottery system ensures that each applicant has an equal chance of securing a seat. Some schools, however, may have preferences for siblings of current students or children of staff members.

Parents must submit the open lottery enrollment form by the deadline set by the school. (This year, it’s April 10, 2026). You can find the Open Enrollment Lottery Form on the Summer Session (Credit Recovery) page. [Opens 2/17/2026] If you need a paper application, please stop by our office during regular business hours (i.e., M-F 8:30 am - 3:30 pm).

IvyTech will conduct the lottery during the week of April 13, 2026. Families will be notified via email if their names were drawn on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

The lottery process must be random and fair. Some schools use a computerized system, while others conduct manual drawings. Preferences may be applied according to school policies.

Yes, IvyTech Charter School may provide priority admission to: All current IvyTech Students Siblings of currently enrolled students Children of school staff or board members (up to 10% of enrollment) Students residing within the authorizing school’s district boundaries All other applicants

Families will be notified if their name was pulled via email. (4/15/26)

What you can anticipate: If your students’ name is pulled during the lottery, IvyTech staff will contact you via email and offer you a spot at our school. (A link to confirm your acceptance of the offer and to schedule your registration appointment will be included in the email message) Once notified, families have the opportunity to accept or decline the offer. Families must accept an offer of admission by April 29, 2026 , or their offer will be rescinded and the spot will be reallocated to an applicant on the waitlist. After accepting, parents will be required to complete the school enrollment process and submit the mandatory documents required by the state for enrollment in a publicly funded school. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) will need to complete the registration form and then schedule a Written Agreement Email appointment. Registration links will be emailed in a separate email than the lottery notification email. NOTE: Due to rising gas prices, IvyTech is not requiring in-person appointments this year. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) and student will be emailed the written agreement on the scheduled day and time. All families must sign their Written Agreements by Friday, May 22, 2026 to complete their enrollment. After enrollment is complete: An Orientation Email with login credentials and information for getting started will be emailed on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Classes open and the summer session begins Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

If no seats are available, students are placed on a waitlist in the order they were drawn. IvyTech is committed to accommodating as many students as possible within our program and will offer seats as they become available.

Lottery results are final, but you may reapply in future enrollment cycles. Students whose name is not pulled during a lottery will be placed on a waitlist.

No, California charter schools are publicly funded and tuition-free.