Admission FAQs

Who may enroll in Davidson Charter Academy?

Each charter school in North Carolina is open to any student who lives in the state. According to NC Law, applicants must live in North Carolina at the time of application. DCA is a public school that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, creed, or gender. For Kindergarten enrollment, students must turn five prior to August 31st of the entering school year.

I applied last year for the Lottery. Do I need to apply again?

Yes, if you did not confirm a seat and attend this year, you must apply EVERY SCHOOL YEAR for the specific grade lottery your student will be in.

Is there limited space in each grade?

Yes. In order to stay true to our charter, we must limit our class sizes. Applying during our Open Enrollment period (Dec. 5, 2024– Feb. 13, 2025) provides the best chance of securing a seat for the next school year.

What if I apply after the Open Enrollment period closes?

Open Enrollment ends on February 13, 2025 @ 11:59pm. All applications received after 11:59 p.m. on February 13, 2025 will be time-stamped and added, in time-stamped order, to the wait-list for the selected grade, and will not be chosen by random selection during the Lottery.

When is your lottery?

Do I need to be present at the lottery to receive a space?

No. You will be emailed immediately after the lottery has been run with either confirmation that you received a space or your number on the wait-list.
Since we are utilizing an online lottery system (Scribbles), you can log-on or view application and lottery status at any time to view it in real-time.

How old must my child be to enroll in Kindergarten?

To apply to kindergarten, students must be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2025.

Is there a tuition fee to attend DCA?

When will I know if I got a seat?

When the lottery is run in February, you will be notified via email of your status regarding being selected for a seat or being placed on the wait-list for your desired grade-level.

How does the lottery work?

Open Enrollment starts on December 5, 2024 and ends on February 13, 2025 @ 11:59pm. Once the Open Enrollment period closes (02/13/2024 at 11:59 p.m.), all of the applications received by then will be totaled by grade. All of those applications are subject to the lottery if there are more applications than spaces available. The lottery will be run electronically and can be viewed publicly through the Scribbles platform. Any applications received after 11:59 p.m. on February 13, 2025 will be time-stamped and added, in time-stamped order, to the wait-list for the selected grade and will not be chosen by random selection in the lottery.

I got a seat! How long do I have to accept or decline my seat?

Students admitted on or before May 15 will have 7 calendar days from the date their acceptance email is sent to accept or decline enrollment and 30 days from the time of the acceptance email to turn in enrollment paperwork.
If a student is admitted after May 15, he/she will have 5 days to accept or decline enrollment at the school and 10 days to return the enrollment paperwork.
If a student is admitted after July 15, he/she will have 48 hours to accept or decline enrollment at the school and 5 days to return the enrollment paperwork.

One of my children got a seat but my other child(ren) didn’t. Do they have priority now?

Yes, once one of your children gets a seat and you confirm their acceptance of it, then your other child(ren) will receive sibling preference if other seats become available in their grade(s).

How can I verify/check on my applications/results for the lottery or position on the waitlist?

We use an online platform, Scribbles, to ensure that wait-list status is updated in real time. You can login at any time to see your wait-list status.