The Enrollment Processes Technical Advisory and the following Enrollment Policy and Practice Frequently Asked Questions provided by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) should be read carefully and reviewed in its entirety. An answer to one frequently asked question might lead a reader to an inaccurate conclusion when read in isolation from the Department’s guidance and answers to other frequently asked questions. Answers should not be reviewed or relied upon in isolation from the entirety of the Department’s guidance regarding enrollment processes. Please reach out to the Department if you have a question or concern that is not currently found in this FAQ.
Eligibility Criteria
Enrollment Process and Lottery Procedures
Waitlist
Backfilling
Acceptance of an Offer of Admission and Students Attending
Students Who May Be Considered Homeless or Students Placed in a Foster Care Setting
General Inquiries
All
Can a student be permitted to take a leave of absence during the school year in order to participate in a foreign exchange program or because the student is temporarily moving outside of Massachusetts?
No. A charter school cannot offer a leave of absence. If the student is not attending the charter school because they temporarily live outside of Massachusetts, they are no longer enrolled in that charter school. If they wish to re-enroll in the charter school, they must submit an application for admission and participate in the enrollment process like any other prospective student. Such a student does not receive a preference when seeking to enroll again in the charter school.
May a charter school "hold a spot" for a military-student who is moving to another state or country due to the deployment of a parent/guardian or other military orders?
No. While G.L. c. 71, §6B, indicates when a military-connected student can apply for admission to a charter school and the potential for a residency preference, there is no language in G.L. c. 71, § 6B, or the SPEED Act that permits a charter school to "hold a spot"2 for a student moving to another state or country as a result of military orders.
Would a student still be considered enrolled in the charter school if the student is in a facility or program operated by a state agency?
It depends. The Department advises schools to obtain legal guidance from the school's counsel to ensure the school takes appropriate actions based on the circumstances of each situation. The school must ensure that it is accurately reporting the status of such students to the Department.
Is a charter school responsible for educating enrolled students who must remain at home or in a hospital for medical reasons for fourteen days or more in a school year?
Yes. The Department's regulations at 603 CMR 28.03(3)(c) address the education of all students that require day or overnight treatment for medical reasons at home or in a hospital for fourteen days or more in a school year. This regulation states the charter school must educate all students and provide students the opportunity to continue their educational program, as long as the educational services received do not interfere with the medical needs of the students. Such educational services shall not be considered special education unless the student has been determined eligible for such services, and the services include services on the student's IEP. More details can be found at 603 CMR 28.03(3)(c).
Is written notice required prior to destroying student applications? After what period of time may a charter school destroy student applications?
If an applicant is admitted, the application form becomes part of the student's temporary record and must be maintained in accordance with 603 CMR 23.06. The state regulations for student records can be found at 603 CMR 23.00 Student Records. Temporary student records may only be destroyed if the school provides written notice in accordance with 603 CMR 23.06(2) or (3). This notice must be in writing, in the language spoken in the home of the student, and provided to the student and his/her parent. It must contain the approximate date of destruction, which records will be destroyed, and their right to receive the information in whole or in part. This notice is in addition to the routine information letter required by 603 CMR 23.10.
For applicants who are not admitted, the school must retain the application as a temporary student record for no later than seven years after the student's name is no longer on the school's waitlist. The school may destroy such applications only if it has given written notice in accordance with 603 CMR 23.06(3). For applicants who are not admitted, the school may include written notice on its application form with the approximate date of destruction and the right to receive a copy of the documents to be destroyed.
1 Exhausted means an offer of admission for provided to every student on that waitlist, and they have either accepted or declined. Expired means that an offer of admission was not provided to every student on that waitlist due to the number of vacancies experience throughout the year and each charter school's plan to fill those vacancies.
2 "Hold a spot" refers to a charter school continuing to claim the student as being enrolled despite the student not actually attending the school. If the military-student relocates outside of Massachusetts, then the student would be considered withdrawn from the charter school.
Last Updated: May 10, 2024
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
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