Washington State Charter Schools: How to Enroll

Just checking in on how families can access charters in our state.  As of now, I see only online as the way to enroll.  Varies on when application is due and when lottery occurs (if needed). 

Green Dot - Tacoma
  • in Spanish and English
  • tagline -  More than 90% of Green Dot Public Schools' graduates are accepted to college. Your child could be too
  • Only enrolling 6th grade
  • they ask about how you heard about Green Dot including mailers/postcards
  • signature line, I am meaningfully interested in enrolling my student at this Green Dot Public School.
  • deadline is March 18, 2015 at 5 pm.  If a lottery is needed, it would be March 21st. 
Excel (Kent)
Can't see it because you have to have an online account with them to enroll. 

Summit Olympus Tacoma/Summit Sierra
Same enrollment platform as Excel so you have to create an account to enroll.  I did create an account but you cannot see the complete enrollment form without filling it out page by page (finish page one to go to page two). 


Pride Prep (Spokane)
  • taking applications for 6th/7th. 
  • They want your student's phone number AND your phone number.  
  • They do not explain how students are selected in a clear manner.  They make it sound like it's a lottery but, according to the law,  that only kicks in if they are overenrolled.  Hmmm. 
  • Interestingly, they have board minutes and agendas.  (This is likely a legal mandate.)  But, if you read them, they are completely vague.  Basically, people were at the meeting and talked.
  • They are going to provide transportation.
  • Most information of all charter websites
Rainier Prep (Highline)
  • asks for ethnicity (optional)
  • asks for primary spoken language
  • enrolling 100 kids before lottery kicks in 
SOAR Academy (Tacoma)
  • March 15, 2015 deadline
  • K and 1st grade Fall 2015
  • asks for ethnicity (optional)
  • multi-part "acknowledgement of information" on the part of the person filling out form.  
  • 105 spaces
  • An acknowledgement will be sent upon receipt of the mailed or emailed application.  
Spokane International Academy
  • enrollment deadline - March 2nd 
  • shortest enrollment application
  • going to be in a former Catholic school building
  • using Cambridge curriculum
  • 60 minutes a day of "daily Learning Lab time"
  • language taught via online "Middlebury Interactive Languages" along with "native-speaking community volunteers"
  • All graduating 8th grade students will participate in an international humanitarian trip at the end of the school year following the completion of our Global Perspectives course.  The international travel experience will be free to all students who have met both behavior and academic qualifications necessary to attend.  Wow, how will they afford this?

Comments

Lynn said…
Here's the website for First Place Scholars. I could not find any enrollment info.
11/4/14, 12:53 PM
Anonymous said…
Cambridge curriculum info is here:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/12/04/13cambridge.h33.html

So Common Core for charters? SBAC? Or do they get to cherry pick standards and assessments just like they do kids?

CT
11/4/14, 11:16 PM
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