SSAS Admissions FAQ
Who can apply?
As early as 5th grade, a student may apply for their 6th grade year of enrollment during the application window. Students in 6th – 8th grade may apply for the current and/or following school years as necessary, and as applications are available.
How long is our application active?
Your application will expire at the end of the school year requested. If we are unable to reach you to make an offer of enrollment, due to bad contact information or returned mail, your application will be removed from our list. If you do not respond to an offer of enrollment based upon instructions received in an initial offer or email, your application will be removed from our list.
Can we apply each year?
If you are not offered enrollment the first year you requested it, you are welcome to apply for the next school year during that application window. Current SSA+S enrolled students do not need to reapply each year and are continuous students with SSA+S until time of graduation or withdrawal.
What should we do if we do not receive an email confirmation that our student’s application was submitted successfully online?
Contact our Registrar to check status of your application.
What is your enrollment for each grade level – 6th through 8th grade?
Our enrollment consists of approximately 250 students per grade level for a total school-wide enrollment of 750 students.
What is a lottery?
If the number of applications received exceeds the openings in a given grade level, applications will be enrolled through a random selection process based upon Florida Statute 1002.33, subsection (10), article (b). as noted:
**In accordance with State Statute 1002.33, subsection (10), article (b), governing charter school enrollment policies; The charter school shall enroll an (b) eligible student who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level, or building. In such case, all applicants shall have an equal chance of being admitted through a random selection process.
A charter school may give (d) enrollment preference to the following student populations:
- Students who are siblings of a (1) student enrolled in the charter school.
- Students who are the children of a (2) member of the governing board of the charter school.
- Students who are the children of an (3) employee of the charter school.
Should we apply multiple times to increase our odds of an enrollment offer in the lottery?
Only one application will be entered into the lottery per student. Any duplicates will be removed from our list and are not considered.
My current SSA+S student has a sibling (brother / sister), are they automatically enrolled into SSA+S?
If they apply by the December 1st deadline, only siblings (brother / sisters) of currently attending students would be exempt from the lottery process and enrolled automatically. Sibling applications received after the December 1st deadline may be enrolled automatically, provided there are openings in their requested grade level and there is room in the schedule to accommodate their academic needs.
Our family has a student in high school that used to attend SSA+S, does our elementary school student automatically get enrolled as a sibling?
We cannot offer a legacy policy for sibling enrollment. If there is no other family student currently attending SSA+S at time of the lottery, then the application would be entered into the lottery process.
When is the lottery conducted?
After the December 1st deadline, a random, manual draw lottery will be conducted of applications received during the August 1st through December 1st window.
How are the waiting lists created?
After all vacancies have been filled in enrollment, the remaining applications received on or before the December 1st deadline are continued to be drawn. The order in which they are drawn creates the numerical order of the waiting list.
My student’s application was submitted on or before the December 1st deadline, how do I find out if my child was accepted or placed on a waiting list?
Results of the lottery are sent via postal mail to all families on or before the second week of January. Instructions are included in the letter received. Enrolled or accepted students will be invited to attend a mandatory registration day in February. Students placed on a waiting list will be given their number on the waiting list and an explanation of terms.
What if my student’s application was submitted after the December 1st deadline?
Applications received after the December 1st deadline will not be considered until we exhaust all offers to families on the numerical waiting list of applications that had made the December 1st deadline. Should we exhaust the waiting list and a vacancy presents itself, then all applications received after the December 1st deadline will be entered into a second lottery to fill that vacancy and create the numerical order continuation of the waiting list.
My student is on the waiting list or we applied too late, what should we do now?
Your application with SSA+S is information only and does not conflict with other application processes or programs, such as McKay, school choice applications, magnet programs, other charter schools, or private school registrations. We encourage all families to visit their district’s websites to review all programs and schools available to them, including other charter schools. Sarasota County – www.sarasotacountyschools.net & Manatee County - www.manatee.k12.fl.us
Are there qualifications for a student to be accepted?
All applications have equal opportunity to apply and participate in the lottery. All offers of enrollment are subject to a records review by administration prior to finalizing an enrollment offer.
If my student is gifted, receives ESE services or has a 504 plan, does this move them up the waiting list to get enrolled?
All applications have equal opportunity to participate in the lottery. We do not accept the McKay Scholarship, nor is it leverage for enrollment preference.
What is a records review before finalizing enrollment offers?
Sarasota School of Arts & Sciences offers enrollment to all students that they can serve appropriately. Review of discipline, attendance, and exceptional student education records may negate enrollment at our school based upon an inability to serve the student’s needs. Students whose records are in violation of our Charter and student contract – as supported by our Reassignment Form – will not be admitted. Students that are expelled from a public school, are on a settlement agreement, or on a deferred expulsion will not be admitted to SSA+S during the duration of their expulsion.
Does SSA+S offer enrollment preference based upon a student’s address or county location?
SSA+S may enroll students from all over Sarasota County and Manatee County. No preference is given to location.
Is there transportation provided?
Sarasota County School District Transportation offers pocket pick-up throughout Sarasota County based upon your residence address on file. SSA+S will receive Manatee County transportation requests and are subject to a lottery to fill the one bus route we currently offer. Transportation for Manatee families is not guaranteed and may need to be provided by the families.
Does SSA+S continue to enroll after the start of the school year if there are openings?
As vacancies occur throughout the year, we will still continue to contact families on our waiting list, following numerical order of the waiting list, until the vacancy is filled.
How does SSA+S contact families to offer enrollment?
After the initial enrollment offers are mailed on or before the second week of January, any individual vacancies that occur afterward are filled through telephone call offers made to the home number referenced on the application, followed up with a formal email describing the offer and the deadline for response. If no email is available, a hard copy of the offer will be sent postal mail to the address on file.
How long do we have to respond to an offer of enrollment?
December lottery results that include initial offers to lottery winners are mailed on or before the second week of January. These offers include a directive to attend a mandatory registration day in February. If you do not attend this registration day, your spot will subsequently be filled by a family on our waiting list. Any offers made after this February date have 48 hours to respond to an offer of enrollment.
How do we update our contact information so that we do not miss an offer of enrollment?
Please keep all contact information – address, home phone and email addresses – up to date, by contacting our Registrar with your new information.
I missed the deadline to respond to an offer of enrollment, has my child lost their seat?
If you do not respond within the required window noted on your enrollment offer, your seat will be filled with another student from our waiting list.
I declined an offer of enrollment, but now have changed my mind. Can I still get my student enrolled?
If you have declined an offer of enrollment, your application has been removed from our records. You will need to reapply online.
How do we check the status of the waiting list and my student’s application?
Contact our Registrar to check enrollment status and current status of vacancies.
Do you follow the same calendar as Sarasota County Schools?
Yes, here is a link to the school calendar and Sarasota County School Calendar.
Do you participate in statewide testing assessments?
Yes, we follow the same calendar schedule for testing, such as the FCAT.
Where can I find school accountability information about SSA+S?
School accountability and comparative school information can be found at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/.