Application Process

ENROLLMENT TIMELINE

The following is a general timeline for offers to be extended to students who submit applications for the next school year. The annual open enrollment period will begin on the first day of the last school week in January and will end on Wednesday of the second full week in February, with the annual open enrollment lottery taking place on the Friday of the second full week in February. Specific dates will be added to the Chaparral Star Academy website each year before open enrollment begins. Only applications completed during this period will be included in the lottery. Once the lottery is conducted and any priority statuses verified, offers for enrollment will be made based on the number of available positions. Once all available spaces have been filled, all subsequent applications will be placed on the waitlist and any additional offers for enrollment will be made as seats become available.

The lottery is typically scheduled to occur on a Friday during mid-February, with families receiving phone calls and/or emails notifying them of their status during or right after the lottery. If, at the close of the lottery, the number of applicants for a grade level does not exceed the number of available positions, students will be offered admission in the order in which completed applications are received. Any completed applications submitted after the open enrollment period will be accepted. If a seat is available at that time, the student will be offered admission. If there are no seats available at the time, the applicant will be added to the waitlist in the order received.

RE-ENROLLMENT POLICY AND PERIOD

In the early spring of the current school year, parents are asked (via Google Form) to inform us of their intent to re- enroll. If this is submitted within the announced timeframe, the student will continue to have a seat at Chaparral Star Academy. The guardians/parents of current students will be required to complete re-enrollment paperwork to confirm the student’s intent to return. If a parent/guardian withdraws a student verbally or via email, the student will be removed the subsequent year’s roster and replaced with the first applicant on the waiting list.

PREDICTING WAITLIST OUTCOMES

It is not possible for us to determine a child’s chances of being offered a position. Once classes are full, spots open as a result of an admitted student deciding not to enroll or by an enrolled student’s withdrawal.

Although we do typically see a few spots open up before the start of school and the first week after school begins, we have no way of knowing which positions will open or how many positions will become available.

Applicants may move up or down the waitlist. For example, consider an applicant to the first grade who is offered a position and has a sibling who is paced on the waitlist for third grade at #50. The sibling applying for third grade will be given a ‘sibling priority’ and will therefore move to the top of the third grade waitlist (or near the top as there may be other siblings ahead of him/her.

PRIORITY STATUS ORDER

Certain applicants may be exempted from an admissions lottery by state law, or given ‘priority’ status in the admissions process.

1. Children of a Chaparral Star Academy teacher or staff or board member
2. Siblings of students already in enrolled at Chaparral Star Academy.

Note: Priority status or exemption does not guarantee an offer of enrollment for any grade. Further, any false statement on an application including falsely indicating priority eligibility may result in the revocation or offer of enrollment.

PRIORITY FOR CHILDREN OF CHAPARRAL STAR ACADEMY TEACHERS AND STAFF

Priority for children of Chaparral Star Academy teachers and staff is available to the children of full-time or part-time benefits-eligible staff. The following guidelines apply:

1. The qualifying employee must have a signed offer sheet with Chaparral Star Academy before the enrollment priority benefit will be applied to employee child applications.
2. The employee must be the parent/legal guardian to the applicant through birth, marriage, adoption or
3. If employment is terminated by the employee or Chaparral Star Academy before a student is offered enrollment or before he or she has matriculated, the priority or enrollment is revoked.
4. Priority status does not guarantee enrollment

SIBLING PRIORITY POLICY

Sibling priority only applies when the applicant has a sibling that is officially or currently enrolled.

1. A ‘sibling’ is defined as an immediate family member of the applicant, or a blended family member of the applicant through marriage, adoption, or guardianship. Birth certificate, marriage certificate or court documentation may be requested to verify the sibling priority.
2. If the sibling withdraws from Chaparral Star Academy before the applicant sibling is offered enrollment, priority status will be
3. If the sibling withdraws from Chaparral Star Academy before matriculating for the year the sibling applicant received priority, the priority status and any offer/registration of the applicant sibling will be revoked and returned to their original lottery number.
4. Priority status does not guarantee

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ENROLLMENT AND VERIFICATION OF RESIDENCY FOR ENROLLMENT

Upon acceptance of offered spot, a member of administration will e-mail the parent/legal guardian of the prospective student with further enrollment instructions. Instructions include providing the following documents, which are necessary for enrollment:

• Copy of student birth certificate
• Copy of student social security card
• Copy of student immunizations (or affidavit)
• Addresses & Contact Information and Student Information Form through Ascender
• Educational Background Information Form (provided by CSA)
• Permission and Waiver Form for Ascender (provided by CSA)
• Student Records Release Form (provided by CSA)

 

Verification of residency and current immunization records are required for all students enrolling. Every student enrolling for the first time must present a signed statement from a physician or documentation of immunizations as required by the Texas Department of Health, no later than 30 days after enrolling. Students who submit an affidavit from a physician stating immunizations should not be administered for medical reasons, and students who submit an affidavit signed by the student’s parent or guardian declining immunizations for reasons of conscience, will be excepted from this requirement. The parent or guardian must furnish records that verify the identity of the student.

A person’s “residence,” for the purpose of this policy is the true, fixed and permanent place where the qualifying occupant ordinarily lives and sleeps, not less than four nights during the school week and to which, when temporarily absent from the residence, the occupant intends to return. The qualifying occupant specified by Education Code 25.001(b) must generally reside in the authorized geographic boundaries of Chaparral Star Academy, as described in the Chaparral Star Academy charter. A person who is homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 11302, need not reside within the geographic boundaries of Chaparral Star Academy. In order to verify residency for enrollment, acceptable evidence of residency includes:

• Current property tax bill with parent/guardian’s name and property address;
• Current rental or lease agreement with parent/guardian’s name, student name, and address, as well as manager or owner’s name and telephone number;
• Documents related to the purchase of the residence with the parent/guardian’s name and property address;
• Mail dated within 60 days before the application date from the following sources:
• Social Security Administration;
• A Texas State government agency;
• Utility companies;
• Credit card bill;
• Financial institutions; including checking or savings;
• Insurance companies;
• State and Federal Revenue documents;
• Paycheck information; and
• Other sources or documents demonstrating residency.

 

If, at any time, a student's or qualifying occupant’s residence is in question, Chaparral Star Academy may ask for additional documents for verification. If the parent or legal guardian cannot provide evidence of residency because the parent or legal guardian is living with a relative or friend, a notarized statement by the relative or friend may be accepted by Chaparral Star Academy with the following stipulation:

• Notarized statement must state that the parent or legal guardian and child are living with the relative/friend;
• Notarized statement must state the name of the relative or friend who is on the relative or friend’s proof of residence;
• Notarized statement must state the same address of the relative or friend who is on the relative or friend’s proof of residence;
• A copy of the relative or friend’s proof of residence must be attached to the notarized statement (meeting the documentation criteria described above); and
• The notarized statement must be signed by the same name of relative or friend who is on the relative or friend’s proof of residence.

 

A person whose parent or guardian is an active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, may establish residency by providing to Chaparral Star Academy a copy of a military order requiring the parent’s or guardian’s transfer to a military installation in or adjacent to Chaparral Star Academy’s attendance zone. Such proof of residence shall be provided to Chaparral Star Academy not later than the 10th day after the arrival date specified in the military order requiring the parent’s or guardian’s transfer. For purposes of this provision, the term “residence” includes residence in a military temporary lodging facility in accordance with Education Code 25.001(c-1)-(c-2).

Subsequently, within 60 days, at least two current documents, Chaparral Star Academy must be provided confirmation of residency from one or more of the following sources:

• Credit card companies;
• S. Treasury;
• Social Security Administration, including benefits letter;
• Texas State government agencies (including city and county agencies);
• Utility companies;
• Financial institutions including checking, savings, or investment account statements;
• Insurance companies; or
• State and Federal Revenue departments.

 

Chaparral Star Academy may conduct home-visits, at any time, to confirm residency of applicants and enrolled students. Falsification of residence on an enrollment form is a criminal offense.

PROVISIONS FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF HOMELESS STUDENTS

DEFINITIONS

“Enroll” and “enrollment” include attending classes and participating fully in school activities.

“Homeless child” or “homeless children” means children or youths who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes:

1. Children who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals;
2. Children who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
3. Children who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
4. Migratory children living in circumstances described above. “Migratory child” means a child who made a qualifying move in the preceding 36 months (a) as a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher; or (b) with, or to join, a parent or spouse who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher.

“School of origin” means the school that the child attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled, including a preschool. When a child completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, the term “school of origin” shall include the designated receiving school at the next grade level for all feeder schools, as applicable.

“Unaccompanied youth” includes a homeless child or youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

As a condition of receiving federal funds under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Chaparral Star Academy shall, according to a homeless child’s best interest (in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3)(A)):

• Continue the child’s education in the school of origin for the duration of homelessness;
  1. If the child’s family becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic year; and
  2. For the remainder of the academic year, if the child becomes permanently housed during an academic year; or
• Enroll the child in any Chaparral Star Academy school that non-homeless students who live in Chaparral Star Academy’s geographic boundaries are eligible to attend.

 

In determining the best interest of a homeless child, Chaparral Star Academy shall (in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3)(B)):

• Presume that keeping the child in the school of origin is in the child’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the request of the child’s parent or guardian, or in the case of an unaccompanied youth the youth;
• Consider student-centered factors related to the child’s best interest, including factors related to the impact of mobility on achievement, education, health, and safety of homeless children, giving priority to the request of the child’s parent or guardian or the unaccompanied youth;
• If, after conducting the best interest determination based on consideration of the presumption in item 1 above and the student-centered factors in item 2 above, Chaparral Star Academy determines that it is not in the child’s best interest to attend the school of origin or the school requested by the parent or guardian or the unaccompanied youth, provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written explanation of the reasons for its determination, in a manner and form understandable to such parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, including information regarding the right to appeal as set forth in Sec. 13-f below; and
• In the case of an unaccompanied youth, ensure that the homeless liaison assists in placement and enrollment decisions under these provisions, gives priority to the views of such unaccompanied youth, and provides the notice to such youth of the right to appeal as set forth in Sec. 13-f below.

 

Chaparral Star Academy shall not stigmatize or segregate a student who is homeless.

INFORMATION FROM PARENTS

Chaparral Star Academy may require the parent or guardian of a homeless child to submit contact information in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3)(H).

ENROLLMENT

Chaparral Star Academy shall immediately enroll a homeless child, depending on available seats, even if the child (in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3)(C)):

• Is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic record, records of immunization and other required health records, proof of residency, or other document; or
• Has missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period of homelessness.

 

ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOL OF ORIGIN

In determining the best interest of the student for the purpose of continuing the student’s education in the school of origin, Chaparral Star Academy shall presume that keeping the student in his or her school of origin is in the student’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the request of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth. Chaparral Star Academy shall also consider the best interests of the student with regard to the impact of moving schools on the student’s achievement, education, health, and safety, including such relevant factors as:

• Continuity of instruction;
• Age and grade placement of the student;
• Distance of the commute and its impact on the student’s education or special needs;
• Personal safety of the student;
• The student’s eligibility and need for any specialized services and supports, such as Section 504, special education and related services, or bilingual or English as a second language services;
• Length of anticipated stay in a temporary shelter or other temporary location, if applicable;
• Likely area of the family’s or youth’s future housing;
• Time remaining in the school year; and
• School placement of siblings.

 

Services, including transportation, that Chaparral Star Academy is required to provide shall not be considered in determining the student’s school of attendance.

DISPUTES CONCERNING ENROLLMENT

If a dispute arises over eligibility, or school selection or enrollment in a school (in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(3)(E)):

• The child shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which enrollment is sought, pending final resolution of the dispute, including all available appeals;
• The parent or guardian of the child or an unaccompanied youth shall be provided with a written explanation of any decisions related to school selection or enrollment made by Chaparral Star Academy, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth to appeal such decisions.
• The parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth shall be referred to the homeless liaison, who shall carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute; and
• In the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison shall ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in the school in which the youth seeks enrollment pending resolution of such dispute.

 

COMPARABLE SERVICES

Chaparral Star Academy shall provide a homeless child with services comparable to those offered to other student in the school in which the child is enrolled in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(4).

DESCREPENCIES IN STUDENT NAME

In accordance with TEC §25.002(b), the Superintendent or designee shall notify the Missing Children and Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse if a child is enrolled under a name other than the name that appears on the identifying documents. If a student’s records have not been received within 30 days of a request, the Superintendent or designee shall notify local law enforcement for a determination of whether the child has been reported as missing.

ENROLLMENT OF MILITARY DEPENDENTS

APPLICABILITY

In accordance with Education Code §162.002 Article III, the provisions of this policy shall apply to the children of:

1. Active duty members of the uniformed services, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders pursuant to 10 U.S.C. Sections 1209 and 1211;
2. Members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medically discharged or retired for a period of one year after medical discharge or retirement; and
3. Members of the uniformed services who die on active duty or as a result of injuries sustained on active duty for a period of one year after death.

In accordance with Education Code §162.002 Article III, this policy shall not apply to the children of:

1. Inactive members of the national guard and military reserves;
2. Members of the uniformed services now retired, except as provided above;
3. Veterans of the uniformed services, except as provided in this policy; and
4. Other U.S. Department of Defense personnel and other federal agency civilian and contract employees not defined as active duty members of the uniformed services.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions are are in accordance with Education Code §162.002 Article II.

“Active duty” means full-time duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders pursuant to 10 U.S.C. Sections 1209 and 1211.

“Children of military families” means a school-aged child, enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade, in the household of an active duty member.

“Deployment” means the period one month prior to the service members’ departure from their home station on military orders through six months after return to their home station.

“Transition” means:

1. The formal and physical process of transferring from school to school; or
2. The period of time in which a student moves from one school in the sending state to another school in the receiving state.

 “Uniformed services” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, as well as the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Services.

“Veteran” means a person who served in the uniformed services and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.

ELIGIBILITY FOR ENROLLMENT

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. VI, § A, special power of attorney, relative to the guardianship of a child of a military family and executed under applicable law, shall be sufficient for the purposes of enrollment and all other actions requiring parental participation and consent.

1. Continued Acceptance

A transitioning military child, placed in the care of a non-custodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis who lives in a jurisdiction other than that of the custodial parent, may continue to attend the school in which the child was enrolled while residing with the custodial parent.

EDUCATION RECORDS

1. Unofficial Records

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. IV, §§ A–B, the event that official education records cannot be released to the parents for the purpose of transfer, the custodian of the records in the sending state shall prepare and furnish to the parents a complete set of unofficial education records containing uniform information as determined by the Interstate Commission. Upon receipt of the unofficial education records, Chaparral Star Academy shall enroll and appropriately place the student based on the information provided in the unofficial records pending validation by the official records, as quickly as possible.

    2. Official Records

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. IV, §§ A–B, simultaneous with the enrollment and conditional placement of the student, Chaparral Star Academy shall request the student’s official education record from the sending district.

TUITION

In accordance with Education Code 25.004, 162.002 art. VI, § A, Chaparral Star Academy is prohibited from charging tuition to:

1. A transitioning military child placed in the care of a non-custodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis who lives in a jurisdiction other than that of the custodial parent; or
2. A student who is domiciled in another state and resides in military housing that is located within Chaparral Star Academy’s

GRADE-LEVEL PLACEMENT

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. IV, § D, students shall be allowed to continue their enrollment at grade level in Chaparral Star Academy commensurate with their grade level, including kindergarten, from the sending district at the time of transition, regardless of age. A student that has satisfactorily completed the prerequisite grade level shall be eligible for enrollment in the next highest grade level in Chaparral Star Academy, regardless of age. A student transferring after the start of the school year shall enter Chaparral Star Academy on his or her validated level from an accredited school in the sending state.

COURSE PLACEMENT

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. V, § A, when the student transfers before or during the school year, Chaparral Star Academy shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student’s enrollment in the sending district and/or educational assessments conducted at the sending district if the courses are offered. Course placement includes but is not limited to honors, international baccalaureate, advanced placement, vocational, technical, and career pathways courses. Continuing the student’s academic program from the previous school and promoting placement in academically and career challenging courses should be paramount when considering placement. This does not preclude Chaparral Star Academy from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the student in the course(s).

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PLACEMENT

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. V, § B, Chaparral Star Academy shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the sending district or participation/placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include, but are not limited to:

1. Gifted and talented programs; and
2. English as a second language (ESL).

This does not preclude Chaparral Star Academy from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.

WAIVERS

In accordance with Education Code 162.002 art. IV, §§ A–B, D, Chaparral Star Academy administrative officials shall have flexibility in waiving course/program prerequisites, or other preconditions for placement in courses/programs offered by Chaparral Star Academy.

ANNUAL ROUND-UP

Both new AND continuing students will need to participate in the Annual “Round-Up”, where parents & students will complete necessary virtual forms on a preassigned date.  Those completing the necessay document submission by the schedule time for “Round-Up” are ASSURED a spot for the upcoming school year. If a student (new or continuing) cannot complete the “Round-Up”, then a document explaining the reason should be submitted to the administration prior to the Round-Up date.  Following the “Round-Up”, at grade levels where all spots are not filled and absences at orientation occurred, those on the waiting list will be contacted for possible placement.

FOOD ALLERGY INFORMATION

In accordance with Education Code 25.0022(a)-(c), the parent of each student enrolled with Chaparral Star Academy must complete a form provided by Chaparral Star Academy that discloses (1) whether the child has a food allergy or a severe food allergy that should be disclosed to Chaparral Star Academy to enable Chaparral Star Academy to take any necessary precautions regarding the child’s safety and (2) specifies the food(s) to which the child is allergic and the nature of the allergic reaction.

This form will be provided by Chaparral Star Academy during the annual Round-Up and/or during registration paperwork.

For purposes of this requirement, the term “severe food allergy” means a dangerous or life-threatening reaction of the human body to a food-borne allergen introduced by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact that requires immediate medical attention.

Chaparral Star Academy may also require information from a child’s physician if the child has food allergies.

Food allergy information forms will be maintained in the child’s student records, and shall remain confidential. Information provided on food allergy information forms may be disclosed to teachers, school counselors, school nurses, and other appropriate school personnel only to the extent consistent with Board policy and as permissible under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”).

FIRST DAY ATTENDANCE

All students must attend the first day of school.  Any student not in attendance on the first day of school will be automatically and immediately dropped from enrollment.

POSSIBLE TESTING

Students from unaccredited, private schools or home school settings may be scheduled for evaluation of academic skills for the purpose of determining best placement after student has been accepted.

PREVIOUS DISCIPLINE RECORD

Current school discipline history will be verified prior to acceptance. In accordance with its charter document, Chaparral Star Academy will not be accepting students with a documented history of criminal offense, juvenile court adjudication, or discipline problems resulting in suspension, alternative education program placement or expulsion as described by TEC, Chapter 37, Subchapter A.