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Charter Schools

Charter School Regulations 119.5

OFFICIAL COMPILATION OF CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

TITLE 8. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

CHAPTER II. REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER

SUB-CHAPTER E. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Section 119.5. Random selection process for charter school student applicants

If the number of timely submitted applications of eligible students for admission to a charter school exceeds the capacity of the grade level of a charter school (or building if the school does not distinguish between grades), students shall be accepted for admission from among such applicants by a random selection process (lottery) pursuant to the requirements of this section.

(a) Preferences.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a charter school shall provide an enrollment preference to:

(i) pupils returning to the charter school in the second or any subsequent year of operation;

(ii) pupils residing in the school district in which the charter school is located, or in the case of the City School District of the City of New York, pupils residing in the community school district in which the charter school is located; and

(iii) siblings of pupils already enrolled in the charter school.

(2) Establishment of specific school design. Consistent with the requirements of federal law and with the school design described in the school's charter, a charter school may also establish a single-sex charter school and/or establish enrollment preferences for students at-risk of academic failure, students with disabilities and English language learners.

(b) Notice. The charter school shall provide public notice of the date, time and place of the lottery, consistent with Public Officers Law section 104 and if such lottery is provided during a school closure ordered pursuant to an Executive Order of the Governor pursuant to a State of emergency for the COVID-19 crisis, such notice shall also be posted on the charter school's website.

(c) Procedures for conducting lottery.

(1) The person(s) conducting the selection of lottery applicants or acting as an impartial observer of the selection of lottery applicants shall not be a board member or employee of the school, or a parent, person in parental relationship, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle or first cousin of any applicant to the school or of any pupil enrolled in the school.

(2) The lottery shall be held in a space that is open and accessible to the public and capable of accommodating the reasonably anticipated number of attendees. If the reasonably anticipated attendance exceeds capacity, separate grade level lotteries may be held in separate locations provided that each lottery is publicized in a manner consistent with the requirements of Public Officers Law section 104. Nothing herein shall be construed to require or exclude attendance at the lottery by parents, persons in parental relationships, guardians and/or students participating in the admissions process. Consistent with Executive Order No. 202.1, if such lottery occurs during a school closure ordered pursuant to an Executive Order of the Governor for the COVID-19 crisis, such lottery may be held remotely by conference call or similar service, provided that the public has the opportunity to view or listen and such lottery is recorded and later transcribed.

(3) A charter school may structure the actual lottery process in any manner consistent with its approved admissions policy and this section.

(4) The random process used in the lottery may be generated by any traditional lottery ball system, technology-based software, paper ticket process or other methodology which generates random results.

(d) Records. The charter school shall document the lottery process, and make such records available to the Department and/or the charter authorizing entity upon request. Records shall be sufficiently detailed to enable the reviewer to identify the process used, compare the process used to the lottery procedures contained in the charter school's charter, and determine that the procedures used were consistent with those set forth in the charter.

END OF DOCUMENT

Disclaimer: These Rules of the Regents and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education ("regulations") are unofficial, and are presented for general informational purposes as a public service. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that these regulations are current, complete and accurate, the State Education Department does not warrant or represent that they are current, complete and accurate. These regulations are subject to change on a regular basis. Readers are advised to consult Title 8 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (8 NYCRR), published by the Department of State, and the State Register for the official exposition of the text of these regulations, as well as for amendments and any subsequent changes or revisions thereto.