FAQ

No. Charter schools are free, public schools and do not charge tuition.

Charter schools are also expected to promote diversity and are held accountable for serving students with special needs, English learners (ELs), and students from low-income backgrounds.

Any applicant who submits a complete application is automatically entered into Capital Prep's admissions lottery. No further action is required.

IMPORTANT UPDATES REGARDING INCOMING KINDERGARTEN SCHOLARS 

• To start kindergarten in the 2025-2026 school year, your child must turn 5 on or before September 1, 2025. If your child turns 5 on September 2, 2025, through September 1, 2026, they will now enter kindergarten in the 2026-2027 school year
• If you are still interested in submitting an application for your incoming kindergartener, we are happy to help you fill out a paper application. Please contact us at info@capitalprepharbor.org

When there are more applicants than available seats, a random lottery is used to select students. The lottery is random, following built-in preferences for:

• Siblings of current or accepted students
• Children of employees (up to 15% of the school’s total population)
• Applicants who live in the community where the school is located, based on their primary address

The application window may vary slightly, but is typically October 1 through April 1. Applicants must apply by April 1st to be eligibile for the lottery.

The lottery takes place in early April, within a few days after the application window has closed. Applicants will be notified of when the lottery will be taking place. In addition, the lottery must be made public.

Applicants who have been accepted as part of the lottery process will be notified of lottery results via mail, email, and/or phone call.

There are only two outcomes:

• Acceptance – Your child is offered a seat.
• Waitlist – Your child is not initially accepted but is placed on the waitlist for possible future enrollment.

No applicant is rejected for any reason.

If selected, you will receive instructions on how to enroll your child. You will need to confirm or provide important information, and you’ll be informed about orientation and summer sessions.

Your child remains eligible for admission for the entire school year.

The waitlist is regularly updated. If a seat becomes available, families are contacted via mail, email, and/or phone.

We will provide as much detail as possible regarding your child’s likelihood of admission from the waitlist.