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Frequently Ask Questions

Frequently Ask Questions

 How do I get my student on the waiting list?
Complete an application and turn it in as soon as possible. See Registration and Enrollment.

What is the lottery?
It is a public, impartial system of randomly prioritizing those who are interested in attending NSLA. See lottery for more information.

Do I have to attend the lottery?
No. All current applicants will be in the next lottery. However, you are encouraged to attend to be more familiar with the process.

Do I have to re-apply each year?
No. Once you receive a family number from the lottery, this becomes part of your permanent family reference code. This code maintains your place in line over time.

Do special education students get a preference?

No. We do not discriminate based on race, gender or learning ability. Offers of admission are strictly based on the waiting list ranking system.

How long will it take to get into NSLA?
The answer varies by grade level. Generally speaking, the wait is shorter for high school students. We have admitted some students after waiting for five years.


Lottery and FAQ

Lottery

Lottery

Charter schools are schools of choice and they are open to all students in the county in which the school exists as well as students residing in counties that share boundary lines. If there are more students wanting to attend than there are spaces, the California Education Code 47605, requires charter schools to use a lottery to ensure a fair and impartial enrollment process.

The public lottery, where prospective students receive their family number, is held three to four times a year in the months of September, December, February and May.

The process works like this:

Step 1: Applications are separated into the priority categories - Siblings (S) residents and outlying communities of San Bernardino (SB), students of LCER employees (E) and Other outlying counties (O). Please see admission priorities.

Step 2: NSLA holds a public lottery meeting where families are given a randomly selected (computer generated) lottery number. A family will be in a lottery only one time. This number is known as the family number that becomes the last part of the family reference code. This code is used to place each child in your family on the waiting list and will be utilized to find your student's ranking on our website. If you decide to add a child to the waiting list at a later time, the family reference code will still be utilized.

Step 3: After the lottery, a family will receive notification of where each child in the family is currently ranked on the waiting list for the current school year. Siblings are not guaranteed placement at the same time because there may not be space available in their particular grade level.

Summary notes: We advise you to submit your application and receive a Family Number as soon as possible. You may apply once your child reaches three years old. 

The student population at NSLA is relatively stable, so only a few new students are admitted each year. However, circumstances change continually, and openings regularly occur.

Every child is given a grade level ranking number based on the family reference code. This ranking number fluctuates due to admission priorities. You may accept or decline enrollment if called, or ask to be kept on the list. The family reference code remains the same no matter how much time has gone by. You do not need to have a new reference code each year. If your student does not get in for the desired year, he/she will be promoted on our waiting list.

It is your responsibility to notify the school if you change your address or phone number. Lists are purged periodically, which may adjust ranking positively if people are no longer interested.