If you are new to Charter Schools, you may not know that Westlake Charter School is a public, tuition-free school just like the school down the street. Charter Schools have flexibility in being able to offer individualized programs, and Westlake Charter School, offers Art, Spanish and Physical Education – instructed by credentialed teachers – to all students, starting in Kindergarten and continuing through 10th grade. Westlake Charter has the smallest class sizes in Natomas, and has been recognized by the California Department of Education for our Project Based Learning instructional model. Charter Schools are held to the same accountability measures as traditional schools, meaning that we need to make sure we are providing challenging programs and increasing the academic excellence of all of our students.
Q: What information is required for the application?
A: To apply, no information is required other than a completed application. For the Free and Reduced Lunch preference, verification of the most-current W2 must happen prior to the lottery. Birth certificates, immunizations, and other documents are not needed at this time.
Q: Can I add my student to the 2024/25 waitlist?
A: The 2024/25 waitlist is now closed. We will continue to fill openings for the 2024/25 school year from the waitlist, but will no longer be accepting applications to be added to the bottom of the waitlist. We may have openings for High School students for the 2024/25 school year; if interested, please email [email protected].
Q: How are preferences verified?
A: Preferences are verified by office staff during the month of February. Once preferences are verified, all applicants will receive an email confirming their preferences. No reply is necessary to this email if all preferences are correct. To make any changes in preferences, you must email [email protected] or call 916-567-5760 no later than 4:00 PM on Friday, February 21st.
Q: Do I have to do a new application each year?
A: Yes, your application is good for one school year. You will need to apply to the next grade level lottery each year.
Q: What is the age requirement for enrollment for kindergarten?
A: State law requires that incoming kindergarten students are 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2025. Families with children who don’t meet the age requirements may want to consider one of the many pre-kindergarten programs available in our area.
Q: When is the lottery?
A: The lottery is scheduled for 5:00 pm on March 3rd, 2025. We will announce if the event will be virtual or in person. The public is welcome to attend; your presence is not required.
Q: If we are not able to attend the lottery how do we find out if our number is chosen?
A: Lottery results will be available after the lottery takes place on March 3rd, 2025. They will be available on the Lotterease website, and all families will receive email notification for the status of their applications. For questions about results, please email [email protected]
Q: How many openings will you have in the lottery?
A: The only known openings will be 105 in kindergarten, 2 in 4th grade and 38 in 9th grade. For all other grades, we will draw numbers randomly during the Public Random Drawing for positions on the 2025/26 waitlist. Should an opening become available, we will contact families in order of the waitlist number. Each family is given 48 hours to accept enrollment before we move to the next family on the waitlist.
Q: Can I put my child on the waitlist?
A: Once our 2025/26 lottery is complete and waitlists are generated, we can add students to the waitlist in the order that the request(s) are received.
Q: Can I volunteer or make a financial donation to the school to increase my student’s chances in the lottery?
A: No. While you are always welcome to volunteer at Westlake Charter School (subject to the WCS Volunteer Policy) and to participate in any community or fundraising event, it is illegal for us to accept volunteer time or financial contributions in exchange for lottery preference.
Q: If my student is selected through the lottery, how do we enroll?
A: The enrollment form is emailed to families who confirm their acceptance of the lottery offer and requests further information about the student and documentation of information provided in this application (i.e. birth certificate, immunizations, medical information). The Enrollment form MUST be completed and submitted with all required documentation within 7 days of confirming your spot in Lotterease in order to secure the student’s enrollment in WCS. Enrollment will be forfeited if the completed packet is not received by the deadline.
Admission and Enrollment Dates for the 2025/26 school year are below:
December 1, 2024 – Enrollment period begins
January 14, 2025 – K-8 Campus Tours at 9am and 6pm located at 2680 Mabry Drive. Please do not bring students to the tours to have a distraction-free environment.
January 15, 2025 – High School Campus Tours at 9am and 6pm, located at 4400 East Commerce Way. High School students are welcome to attend either tour with their guardians.
January 31, 2025 – Enrollment period closes at 4:00 PM
March 3, 2025 – Public Random Lottery at 5:00 PM
