Lottery & Enrollment Procedures

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1. For the 2022-2023 school year, CMCS accepts student applications during the Open Enrollment period from January 4th through February 14th @ 4:00 pm. A limited number of spaces may be available for 1st through 8th grade for the following school year.

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2. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available spaces for any grade level, then applicant(s) will be placed in the lottery. To be entered in the lottery waiting list, parents need to complete a Lottery Application for each child they wish to enroll in the upcoming school year.

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3. Pasco County charter schools are open to any student residing in Pasco County or within a county covered by an inter-district agreement.

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4. Interested applicants should submit their Lottery Application by:

• Completing the electronic Lottery Application on our website. We are no longer accepting paper or emailed Lottery Applications. Parents must submit via our online form.

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5. Our main lottery will be held on February 15, 2022. Parents will be notified soon thereafter of their students’ selection in the lottery via email. Parents will have 24 hours to complete and submit the Pre-Enrollment Application and appropriate documentation, including Individual Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, Progress Monitoring Plan, etc. as applicable. Once the Pre-Enrollment Application is received and processed (see #6), parents will be notified of their child’s final acceptance status.

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6. If applicable, after submission and processing of the Pre-Enrollment Application, District and CMCS will work together, through the IEP committee, will be appropriately referred.

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7. Parents of students who are not selected in the lottery will be notified via email.  These students will be placed on a waiting list in the event of any future openings. CMCS does not carry over waiting lists; therefore, a new application will have to be completed in January for the following school year.

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Controlled Open Enrollment

CMCS BOD Approved 2/17/17

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In accordance with HB7029 (Controlled Open Enrollment), Countryside Montessori Charter School must provide seats to students that reside in Pasco County before accepting students from other counties. In order to address this and other requirements in the Florida Charter School Statutes, CMCS has established the following guidelines to satisfy the eligibility, enrollment capacity, preference, and lottery requirements:

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A. Eligibility requirements

School age children not subject to a current expulsion or suspension may submit an application for enrollment at CMCS during the specified period.

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B. Application process

Complete a CMCS enrollment application in person or via USPS during the open enrollment period established annually by Pasco County School District. If the student resides outside of Pasco County, an inter-district agreement must be obtained prior to completing the CMCS enrollment application.

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C. Enrollment Capacity

Enrollment capacity shall not exceed 350 students.  

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D. Lottery procedure

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spaces for a grade level, applicants will be placed in a lottery. One lottery will be pulled for students residing in Pasco County. A second lottery will be pulled for students residing outside of Pasco County. Available seats will first be filled with students residing in Pasco County. If there are still openings, those seats will be filled by students drawn from the second lottery.  Proof of residency is required.

Enrollment preference (first right of refusal) may also be given to the following:

• Students who are the children of an employee of the charter school.

• Students who are the children of a member of the governing board of the charter

   school.

• Students who are siblings of a student enrolled in the charter school.

• Dependent children of active duty military personnel of any branch of the United

   States Armed Forces whose move resulted from military orders.

• Children who have moved due to a foster care placement in a different school zone.

• Children who move due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation or

   divorce, or the serious illness or death of a custodial parent.

• Students at multiple session schools.

• Students who reside in Pasco County (students residing in Pasco County may not be

  displaced by a student from another district that is seeking enrollment).

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E. Student Waitlist Privacy Policy

The privacy of students and the use of confidential student information is protected by federal and state laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). In addition to the information and data protected under FERPA, CMCS also protects student waitlist information.

Access to any and all waitlist information maintained by CMCS shall be restricted to::

• The authorized staff of CMCS who require access to perform their assigned duties.

• Authorized employees of the Pasco County School District and the Florida Department of      Education.

• Those authorized under FERPA guidelines.​