Enrollment Policy
Open Enrollment Period
The Open Enrollment period is the designated timeframe during which applications must be submitted for inclusion in the lottery.
Example Timeline:
January 1 – March 31
- All applications submitted during this period will be included in the lottery (if needed)
- The enrollment window will close prior to the lottery date
- Specific dates for each school year will be published on the school’s website
Lottery Process
All eligible applications received during the Open Enrollment period shall:
- Be assigned a random lottery number
- Be placed into the lottery if applications exceed capacity
- Be ordered into a waitlist if not immediately offered a seat
The lottery shall be conducted in a random and unbiased manner in compliance with A.R.S. § 15-184(A).
If the number of applicants is fewer than available seats, all students shall be admitted.
Pensar Academy may apply enrollment preferences permitted under law prior to filling remaining seats.
Returning Students
Students currently enrolled at Pensar Academy shall not be required to participate in the open enrollment lottery for the following school year.
Returning students:
- Shall be guaranteed enrollment in the next grade level, provided re-enrollment is completed in a timely manner
- Shall receive priority enrollment in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-184(B)
Re-enrollment:
- Occurs annually, typically prior to the lottery for new applicants
- Must be completed by the designated deadline (generally by the end of January)
Failure to complete re-enrollment within the designated timeline:
- May result in loss of guaranteed placement
- May require placement through the waitlist or first-come, first-served process
In accordance with A.R.S. § 15-802, parents/guardians must annually update and verify student information, including residency.
Sibling Enrollment Preference
Siblings of currently enrolled students shall be granted enrollment preference in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-184(B).
Siblings must:
- Submit a new student application
- Follow all standard enrollment procedures
It is strongly recommended that sibling applications be submitted during the Open Enrollment period to ensure priority consideration.
Additional Enrollment Preferences
Pensar Academy may grant additional enrollment preferences as permitted by law, including:
- Children in foster care or who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
- Children, grandchildren, or legal wards of employees
- Children of active-duty military members and transferring military families, in accordance with:
- A.R.S. § 15-186
- Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
Military students shall be afforded expedited enrollment and flexibility with documentation consistent with applicable law.
Waitlist Procedures
Students not selected in the lottery shall be placed on a waitlist in lottery order.
- Waitlists shall be maintained for each grade level
- Enrollment preferences may adjust waitlist placement as permitted by law
- Waitlists shall not carry over from one school year to the next
Students may be removed from the waitlist if enrollment is not completed within a specified timeframe after being offered a seat.
Community Notification
Pensar Academy shall make reasonable efforts to widely inform the community of open enrollment opportunities, including posting enrollment dates and procedures on the school’s website and through other outreach methods.
Pensar Academy's Enrollment Policies
Open Enrollment
Pensar Academy is an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter school operating in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-184. The school shall enroll all eligible students who submit a timely application. Enrollment shall not be limited based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, income level, disability, English proficiency, or athletic ability. If applications exceed capacity, a random, equitable lottery shall be conducted. Attendance at tours, interviews, or informational meetings shall not be required as a condition of enrollment.
Enrollment Preferences
Pensar Academy shall grant enrollment preference in accordance with Arizona law:
- Returning students (A.R.S. § 15-184(B))
- Siblings of currently enrolled students (A.R.S. § 15-184(B))
- Children in foster care or unaccompanied youth under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
- Children, grandchildren, or legal wards of school employees
- Children of active-duty military members and transferring military families pursuant to:
- A.R.S. § 15-186
- Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
Military students shall be afforded:
- Priority enrollment when capacity exists
- Expedited enrollment when transferring
- Temporary enrollment without full records, pending receipt
Lottery and Waitlist
If capacity is exceeded:
- A randomized lottery will determine placement
- Preference categories will be applied first
- Remaining seats will be filled randomly
Waitlists:
- Maintained in lottery order
- Adjusted if preference status changes (e.g., sibling enrollment)
- Do not roll over year-to-year
Returning Students
Returning students are guaranteed enrollment if re-enrollment is completed within the designated timeline. Failure to complete re-enrollment may result in loss of placement. Annual updates of student information, including residency, are required pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-802.
Required Application Information
Applications must include:
- Student name
- Date of birth
- Address of residence
- Grade level requested
- Parent/guardian contact information
Enrollment Documentation
After acceptance, Pensar Academy shall collect:
- Proof of age/identity
- Proof of residency
- Immunization records or exemption
- Home Language Survey (PHLOTE)
- Records release authorization
- Academic and health records as applicable
Proof of Age and Identity
In compliance with A.R.S. § 15-828, the parent or guardian shall provide documentation verifying the student’s identity and age within thirty (30) days of enrollment.
Pensar Academy shall accept any of the following forms of documentation, and shall not limit or restrict acceptable options:
a. A certified copy of the student’s birth certificate;
b. Other reliable proof of the student’s identity and age, including but not limited to:
- A baptismal certificate
- An application for a Social Security number
- Original school registration records
- Adoption records
- Court documents or custody records
- Hospital birth records
- Passport or other government-issued identification
When a birth certificate is not available, these documents may be submitted along with an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a certified birth certificate;
c. A letter from an authorized representative of a government agency having custody of the student pursuant to Title 8, Chapter 2, certifying that the student has been placed in the custody of the agency as prescribed by law.
Pensar Academy shall not deny or delay enrollment based on the inability to immediately provide a birth certificate, provided that the parent or guardian complies with the requirements of A.R.S. § 15-828(A).
Failure to provide documentation within the required timeframe shall result in the school following notification procedures as required under A.R.S. § 15-828(B).
Proof of Residency
Residency must be verified within 10 days of enrollment per A.R.S. § 15-802.
Acceptable documents include:
- Driver’s license
- Lease or mortgage
- Utility bill
- Government documentation
- Shared residency affidavit
Immunization Requirements
Pensar Academy shall implement immunization requirements in accordance with:
- A.R.S. § 15-872
- A.R.S. § 15-873
- A.R.S. § 36-672
Enrollment
Consistent with Arizona law, Pensar Academy shall not require immunization records or exemption documentation as a condition of enrollment. A student shall be allowed to enroll even if immunization records or exemption documentation have not yet been provided.
Attendance Requirements
In accordance with A.R.S. § 15-872, a student shall not be permitted to attend school unless one of the following is provided:
· Proof of required immunizations; or
· A valid exemption; or
· Documentation demonstrating partial immunization with an established schedule for completion
Acceptable Immunization Documentation
Pensar Academy shall accept any of the following as valid documentation:
· Official immunization records from a healthcare provider
· Records from a prior school
· State immunization registry records (e.g., ASIIS)
· Other official medical documentation verifying immunization status
Exemptions
A student shall be exempt from immunization requirements upon submission of:
a. Personal Beliefs Exemption
A signed statement from the parent or guardian confirming:
· Receipt of information regarding immunizations from the Arizona Department of Health Services
· Understanding of the risks and benefits of immunizations
· Acknowledgment of the risks of non-immunization
· A decision not to immunize based on personal beliefs.(A.R.S. § 15-873(A)(1))
b. Medical Exemption
A written certification signed by a licensed physician or registered nurse practitioner stating that one or more required immunizations may be detrimental to the student’s health, including the nature and expected duration of the condition.(A.R.S. § 15-873(A)(2))
Exclusion from Attendance
Students who do not provide required immunization documentation or a valid exemption within the timeframe required by law may be excluded from school attendance until compliance is met, in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-872.
Expelled Students
Pensar Academy may refuse admission to students currently expelled, in accordance with A.R.S. § 15-184(I).
Parental Rights
Pensar Academy shall comply with all court orders regarding custody and educational decision-making. In cases of dispute between parents with joint authority, the school shall maintain status quo until resolution.
Non-Discrimination
Pensar Academy complies with all federal and state non-discrimination laws, including:
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- Title IX
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act