Applications for the School Year
2023-2024 & 2024-2025

Kinder Application
Kinder Application.pdf

1st - 8th Grade Application

1st-8th Application.pdf


High School Application

High School Application.pdf


Home School- Independent Study Application

Homeschool Application.pdf

 

Admission & Enrollment Policy

 

The goal of the admissions policy of Redding School of the Arts is to attract, enroll and retain the broadest spectrum of students and families representative of the rich diversity existing in the County. The residence of the student or parent/guardian must be within Shasta County or its contiguous counties. Redding School of the Arts identifies the following admission requirements and parameters for all students, including school-based students and home school students and including both Regular and Special Education students. Ed. Code § 47605(b)(5)(H)

 

Furthermore, the School does not discriminate against any student based on  actual or perceived characteristics of nationality, race, ethnicity, immigration status, religion, sex, gender, ethnic group identification, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic characteristics, mental or physical disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics or other category protected by law. (AB9)

California Education Code (EC) Section 47605(d)(4) states the following:

 

  1. A charter school shall not discourage a pupil from enrolling or seeking to enroll in a charter school for any reason, including, but not limited to, academic performance of the pupil or because the pupil exhibits any of the following characteristics:

■ Academically low-achieving

■ Economically disadvantaged (determined by eligibility for any free or reduced price meal program)

■ English learner

■ Ethnicity

■ Foster youth

■ Homeless

■ Nationality

■ Neglected or delinquent

■ Race

■ Sexual orientation

■ Pupils with disabilities

  1. A charter school shall not request a pupil's records or require the parent, guardian, or pupil to submit the pupil's records to the charter school before enrollment.
  2. A charter school shall not encourage a pupil currently attending the charter school to disenroll from the charter school or transfer to another school for any reason (except for suspension or expulsion).
  1. This notice shall be posted on a charter school's Internet website and a charter school will provide copies of this notice (a) when a parent, guardian, or pupil inquiries about enrollment; (b) before conducting an enrollment lottery, and (c) before disenrollment of a pupil.

 

A parent, guardian, or pupil (18 years or older) may file a Charter School Complaint Form to the authorizing entity if they suspect the charter school is in violation of Education Code Section 47605(d)(4).  Form is posted on RSA website and copy attached to this policy.

 

 

Interested families must submit an application for admittance for each student by the third Monday in April and must have each application validated.  Applications are validated by attending an orientation meeting during which the program, parent requirements, admission policies and lottery procedures will be explained.

 

Admission and Requirements for Admission

The School is open to any student in the State of California who meets the admissions requirements described herein. In the event that the number of pupils who wish to attend the School exceeds the school’s capacity, attendance (except for existing pupils of the charter school grades kindergarten through eighth) shall be determined by a public random drawing, the process for which is described below.

 

Admission Eligibility and Requirements: 

 

In order to be eligible for enrollment in the School classroom program, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

●All students must have been fully immunized and present the appropriate health examination record in accordance with the California Health and Safety Code.

●All students must meet minimum age requirements as applicable under California law and with grade level placement in accordance with RSA board policy.

●All kindergarten students must be age 5 on or before September 1 of the school year in which he/she seeks enrollment. If a student turns five years of age after September 1 during the school year, that student may be eligible for admission on a case by case basis in the discretion of the Board of Directors, in accordance with the Board’s age-admission policy and in accordance with law.

●No student may concurrently attend a private school that charges the students family for tuition.

●All students shall be documented as residents of the State of California.

●If enrolled in an independent study program, a student shall be documented as a resident of the county in which the charter school reports its apportionment claims or an adjacent county.

●Students with a SARB contract from a prior school in California must first fulfill the mandates of the School Attendance Review Board contract.

●No student will be admitted if he/she has been previously expelled from another educational institution.

Sixth through eighth grade students applying for admission must meet the admission criteria including an active interest in an area of visual or performing arts.

In order to ensure that all students will be placed appropriately and benefit fully from the education program, the following pre-admission procedures will be enforced. Failure to comply with any of these procedures may result in denial of admission. An admitted student may be removed from the School if failure to comply with these procedures is discovered after admission has been granted. All eligible students must meet the following requirements:

●Completed applications for admission must be submitted to the School no later than the deadline published for that school year (3rd Monday in April).

●By signing the Admission’s Application, parent agrees to provide the school with all requested documents after being admitted, prior to their child’s first day of school at Redding School of the Arts.

 

After being admitted the parent/guardian/caregivers will comply with the following requirements and provide the appropriate documentation for enrollment prior to their child starting their first day of school:

 

 

○Signed Authorization for the School to request and receive student records from all schools the student has previously attended or is currently attending;

○Proof of full immunization or exception from the requirement:

○Proof of health examinations required by the Health and Safety Code;

○Proof of age with the application for admission; through documents such as the following: birth records, statements by the local registrar or a county recorder certifying the date of birth, or baptism certificate duly attested

○Proof of residency; through documents such as the following: parent or guardian’s drivers’ license, ID card or DMV printout, a copy of a lease, utility bill or similar showing the address of the residence, etc., California tax returns giving California as the home address (within acceptable dates); car registration and/or car insurance; California health insurance or Medi-Cal ID;

○If any information provided to by the parents/guardians could indicate immigration status, citizenship status or national origin information, the School shall not use the acquired information to discriminate against any students or families or bar children from enrolling in or attending the School. If parents or guardians choose not to provide information that could indicate their children’s immigration status, citizenship status, or national origin information, the School shall not sue such actions as a basis to discriminate against any students or families or bar children from enrolling or attending school

  • Parents/guardians/caregivers shall attend a pre-admission orientation meeting or its equivalent;

 

The School shall follow any required procedures for the transfer of a program between SELPAs. Additionally, each application will be reviewed by staff to ensure it is complete before the student will be considered for admission. Each application will include a description of the School’s dispute resolution process. Any student that has been denied admission for failure to meet the School’s Admission Requirements and Process may avail him/herself to this process for reconsideration.

 

In the event that there are more students applying for admission than available space, preferences shall be extended in the following order of priority:

 

Preferences for Grades K-5

  1. Pupils currently attending the School;
  2. Children and grandchildren of staff members who are currently employed at least .5FTE or those employees who were hired in 1999 and worked for a minimum of 2 years. (not to exceed 10% of the total student population) and who have an interest in the visual and performing arts;
  3. Siblings of students currently enrolled in the School who reside in the residence for at least 49% of the time and who have an interest in the visual and performing arts;

 

Preferences for Middle School (Grades 6-8)

In the event that there are more students applying for admission than available space, preferences shall be extended in the following order of priority for students who demonstrate and have been pursuing an interest in visual or performing arts:

  1. Pupils currently attending the School
  2. Pupils who have a current outside interest verification on file;
  3. Children and grandchildren of staff members who are currently employed at least .5FTE or those employees who were hired in 1999 and worked for a minimum of 2 years. (not to exceed 10% of the total student population) and who have an interest in the visual and performing arts;

 

Preferences for High School (Grades 9-12)

In the event that there are more students applying for admission than available space, preferences shall be extended in the following order of priority for students who demonstrate an interest in an early college education and have been pursuing an interest in visual or performing arts:

  1. Pupils currently attending the school
  2. Pupils who have a current outside interest verification on file;
  3. Children and grandchildren of staff members who are currently employed at least .5FTE or those employees who were hired in 1999 and worked for a minimum of 2 years. (not to exceed 10% of the total student population) and who have an interest in the visual and performing arts;

 

Enrollment Process and Guidelines

There is an open enrollment period each year, which will be advertised within the school community so that all interested students may have an equal opportunity to apply for admission. The deadline for accepting applications will be clearly stated.

 

The process for enrollment proceeds as follows, (not necessarily in the exact order provided):

  • The School will determine class size/configuration for the school year;
  • The School will solicit from current students their intention to return the following year;
  • The School will solicit from parents/guardians of current students their intention to apply for admission for siblings of current students;
  • The School will solicit from founders, staff members, and board members their intention to apply for admission for their children;
  • The School will establish and hold an open enrollment period so that all interested students may have an equal opportunity to apply for admission;
  • The School will schedule School Tours which includes Program Informational Presentations and strongly encourage prospective families to attend.
  • The School will determine the number of returning students at each level;
  • The School will determine the number of openings for new students at each level;
  • The School will hold a random public lottery, if necessary; and
  • The School will notify the families of the applicants who are accepted and rejected.

 

Non-accepted families will be placed on the wait list in the order in which the students are drawn from the random public drawing. Children who complete the application process after the published deadline will be added to the next lottery pool if a wait list already exists.

A wait list is maintained from year to year. Once on the wait list, a student would remain in that position until he/she is offered a spot in the school or expresses no further interest. During enrollment, volunteers and paid employees return calls and answer questions from prospective families. If families from the wait list are offered a position, they must accept that position within two business days or if they decline or fail to respond within two business days the school will move on to the next student on the waitlist, however, the family may retain their place on the wait list if they desire. If they decline a current position twice or fail to respond the application will be removed from the wait list.

 

Admission Eligibility and Requirements Independent Study Program:

 

In order to be eligible for enrollment in the School Independent Study program, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  •  All students must have been fully immunized and present the appropriate health examination record in accordance with the California Health and Safety Code to participate in electives, enrichment or onsite lab classes. Students who do not meet immunization requirements will receive services in as similar and appropriate manner as possible in accordance with the California Health and Safety Code.
  • All students must meet minimum age requirements as applicable under California law and with grade level placement in accordance with RSA board policy.
  • No student may concurrently attend a private school that charges the students family for tuition.
  • All students shall be documented as residents of the State of California and as a resident of the county or adjacent county in which the charter school reports.
  • Students with a SARB contract from a prior school in California must first fulfill the mandates of the School Attendance Review Board contract prior to enrollment.
  • No student will be admitted if he/she has been previously expelled from another educational institution

 

To enroll and participate in RSA’s independent study program, parents and students must agree to support the following program requirements:

  • ●Parents and Students recognize that the Independent Study Program is an optional alternative on a voluntary basis to students who wish to keep up their academic progress.No student may be required to participate in this experience. The parent/guardian agrees to provide the necessary amount of instructional time appropriate for the completion of this agreement.
  • ●Redding School of the Arts will provide the teacher services, instructional materials, and other necessary items and resources as specified for each assignment.
  • ●Student work must be seen by the teacher on the designated appointment day.
  • ●The parent/guardian, student and designated teacher will generally meet every two weeks at a time agreed upon by both parties at the school/ or other agreed upon location.The meetings will be conducted in a conference format.
  • ●According to Redding School of the Arts Policy for Independent Study, no more than four weeks or 20 school days may elapse between when an assignment is made by the teacher and the date it is due, unless an exception is made in accordance with this policy. Assigned work will be evaluated by the teacher. One day of apportionment will be granted for each day of classroom work completed. The student’s work will be evaluated in the same manner that it would be if he/she were completing the work in the classroom.
  • ●The parent/guardian understands that, if adequate work records are not maintained and/or if the student has five days of unexcused absences, the appropriateness of home study as an instructional environment will be reviewed.

 

Lottery Procedures

In the event that the number of students that have applied for admission in any grade level exceeds available capacity, Redding School of the Arts will implement a public random lottery to admit students. The lottery will be conducted pursuant to the preferences and principles listed below. The lottery procedures outlined below only govern student admission to Redding School of the Arts or an admissions waiting list.  It does not determine classroom placement and the school retains sole authority to make classroom assignments.

As indicated above, students from prior years’ lotteries will be admitted or retain their position on the waiting list. Lottery results will determine the order of admission in each grade, with new lottery results being added below names on the existing waiting list. Parents and students formally apply for a place in the lottery by submitting a completed validated application. Applications are validated by attending a validation meeting (typically held on the last week of April with two attendance dates provided.) during which the academic program, parent requirements, admission policy and lottery procedures are explained in further detail. RSA personnel will screen applications and qualifying applications will be included in the lottery. The first draw will be from applications received no later than January 22 and the second draw will be from applications received no later than the 3rd Monday in April. The lottery will be drawn youngest to oldest, beginning with kindergarten. The order of admittance within each grade will be done by drawing numbers that have been assigned to names. The available spaces will be filled from the ordered lists created from the draws. The lottery will typically be scheduled for the first Tuesday in May.

 

Students admitted will receive a letter mid-May verifying their placement. Students placed on the waiting list will receive a verification letter stating their place on the waiting list.  It is not necessary for applicants or parents/guardians to be present at the lottery.  In the event of a vacancy, the school will admit students pursuant to the order specified on the waiting list and the school may require immediate enrollment in the school so as to avoid vacancies during the course of the school year.

 

 

Board Approved: August 9, 2018

Amended: April 14, 2020