Frequently Asked Questions

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Academy FAQs

Do I apply through the lottery for my preschooler?

No. The Academy, which serves our preschool aged (PK3-PK4) students, is a tuition based program. The lottery is for our Charter Program, which serves students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. However, the application for Academy is done through Lotterease. Academy applications are accepted year round.

In order to submit an application through the lottery your child must at least be old enough to attend Kindergarten, having turned 5 by August 31st of the year for which they are applying.

Do you take 2 year olds in the Academy?

Your child must be 3 by August 31st of the year or which they are applying for in order for them to attend on the first day of school.

If your child will be 3 after August 31st, please contact Enrollment for more enrollment options.

Is my deposit refundable?
No, tuition deposits are not refundable.
Who should I make my check out to?

The $50 application fee is collected through Lotterease when completing the application via on-line payment. Please contact jamazan@sterlingmontessori.org if there are any issues with on-line payment.

Can I email you my enrollment paperwork?
No. All enrollment paperwork is submitted through Lotterease/Enrollease.
What happens if I need to withdraw my child mid-year?

You will need to give a 30 day notice of your withdrawal. Your tuition will then be prorated and you will not be responsible for paying the remaining installments (if monthly installments were chosen). Your tuition deposit is not refundable.

How do I apply for the Academy?

Our application process can be found here.

Can you draft my deposit?

No. We cannot draft tuition deposits. All deposits must be paid directly on-line through Enrollease.

Charter FAQs

Do charter schools have admissions policies?
By law, charter schools must have fair and open admissions processes, conducting outreach and recruitment to all segments of the community they serve. When more students apply than can be accommodated, many charters use a lottery to randomly determine which students can be accepted. Many charter schools also have waiting lists.
How much does it cost to attend a charter school?
Charter schools are tuition free. They are public schools and funding for the schools comes from federal, state, and local taxes.
How are charter schools funded?

As public schools, charters are not allowed to charge tuition, and they are funded according to enrollment. In most states, charters do not receive capital funds for facilities. They are entitled to federal categorical funding for which their students are eligible, such as Title I and Special Education monies. Charter schools rely on fundraising for additional monies to support our programs. For more information please read A Case for Support and consider giving a donation.

How do you enroll in a charter school?
Parents must contact each individual charter school to see if they have openings. If they have more applications than available slots, an open lottery must be instituted to fill the remaining spots. Parents or guardians can submit a completed online lottery application for each child. Once an application has been submitted, you will receive confirmation with your child’s lottery number, which will be used to check your lottery status.
Do I have to be present at the lottery?
You do not have to attend the public lottery. Within 24 hours of the lottery, an email will be sent to confirm either acceptance or waitlisted to the Charter program. All lottery results will be posted on our website.
What do I do if I have entered the wrong information in the admissions process?

Do not submit a new application. Please send an email to jamazan@sterlingmontessori.org with the name of the Parent/Guardian, student’s name and date of birth and the item needing correction. You will receive a confirmation email that the change has been made.

Post-Lottery Application Process
Sterling may accept applications for our Charter program outside of the Lottery Application Window. This Post-Lottery application will not be included in the lottery scheduled for that year. However, Post-Lottery Applications will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist for the requested grade in the order they are received. If seats remain available after all lottery applicants have been placed, we will reach out to you regarding potential enrollment.
What are our chances of getting in?
Sterling has 72 Kindergarten spots. Employees, Siblings of Current or Alumni students, School Board, and Current Academy Students have priority for those spots. Usually there are 50-55 seats for the general public, but every year is different. At the time of the lottery, first-eight grades are waitlisted. We will fill those spots only if we have current students withdraw from the school.
Do charter schools take the mandated tests?
Yes. All charter schools are required to take the state mandated tests including EOG (End of Grade) and EOC (End of Course) tests.
Do the Read to Achieve reading requirements affect charter school students?
Yes. Charter school students must meet the same Read to Achieve requirements as any other public school student.