The enrollment process for charter schools can be a bit more complicated than traditional public schools. Unlike traditional public schools, students are not automatically assigned to charter schools based on their zip code or region. Instead, parents must actively apply to their charter school of choice.
Since charter schools often receive applications from a wide geographic area, the demand for enrollment may outnumber the actual number of seats available. To keep things fair for everyone who applies, charter schools use a lottery and waitlist system to fill open seats.
The term “Open Enrollment” describes schools that do not restrict students based on factors like traditional attendance zones or academic performance. Open Enrollment also refers to the period of time when charter school applications open for a new school year.
Learn more about how Open Enrollment works for charter schools and find out how you can apply to join the BASIS Charter Schools network.
Note: The enrollment information in this article applies to our schools in Arizona, Louisiana and Texas. BASIS Washington, D.C. has unique enrollment policies, as it participates in the My School DC common citywide lottery. For more information, visit MySchoolDC.org.
Charter schools are open to all students
Charter schools are a type of tuition-free public school. They are open to everyone! By law, charter schools cannot restrict admission on the basis of academic achievement or any protected class.
To learn more about the differences between charter schools, traditional public schools and private schools, check out our article “How Do Charter Schools Work?”.
The Open Enrollment period is the best time to apply
An Open Enrollment period is a designated timeframe during which families can apply for the upcoming school year. Every charter school has different Open Enrollment policies, so be sure to reach out to the schools you’re interested in for more information.
BASIS Charter Schools in Arizona, Texas and Louisiana have an Open Enrollment period in the fall for the following school year. For example, the Open Enrollment period for the 2025–26 school year starts in October 2024 and ends in December 2024. Applying during Open Enrollment allows you to be included in our enrollment lottery if we do not have enough open seats to accommodate all applications. We highly recommend applying during the Open Enrollment period. Our schools are in high demand, and participating in our random lottery is your best chance of securing a seat!
Charter schools use lotteries to make enrollment offers
Most charter schools use a lottery system for enrollment. Charter schools often receive more applications than they have available seats, and lotteries ensure that all families have a fair chance of admission. Specific lottery processes will vary from school to school.
The BASIS Charter School network typically holds its lotteries in mid-January. Our lottery is an electronic system that randomly identifies students for enrollment. Only applicants who applied during the Open Enrollment period are included in the lottery.
Charter schools often grant enrollment priority in certain instances. For example, at BASIS Charter Schools, children of current employees and siblings of current students are both given enrollment priority. Within each priority group, applicants are sorted and numbered in a random order.
Waitlists are formed after the Open Enrollment period
Charter schools typically have a waitlist for families who did not receive enrollment offers during the lottery. Waitlist policies and procedures vary from school to school.
At BASIS Charter Schools, applicants who applied during the Open Enrollment period but were not selected during the lottery are placed on a grade-specific waitlist. Waitlist numbers are assigned at random as part of the lottery process. We make enrollment offers to waitlisted families as seats become available during the spring, summer, and even into the beginning of the school year.
Join the BASIS family! Apply to BASIS Charter Schools
BASIS is the #1 tuition-free public charter school network in the U.S. Our schools are consistently ranked among the best in the nation, with BASIS Peoria claiming the top spot as the #1 High School in the U.S., per U.S. News & World Report.
We are proud to serve families across Arizona, Louisiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. Our accelerated K–12 academic program ignites a passion for learning and empowers students to achieve at globally competitive levels.
To apply to BASIS Charter Schools, visit our Apply page and select your region. From this page, you can read our enrollment FAQs, view our detailed enrollment policies, and begin the application process. Open Enrollment for the 2025–26 school year starts October 23, 2024. We can’t wait to welcome you to the BASIS family!
