FAQ's
Welcome to LIFE Academy's enrollment FAQ section! We understand that the enrollment process can be overwhelming, but don't worry - we're here to help. Below, you'll find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about enrolling at LIFE Academy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is eligible to attend Life Academy Public Charter School?
Life Academy is a tuition-free, non-selective public charter school serving children in grades K-6. All Alabama students in the applicable grades are eligible to attend LIFE Academy.
How do you determine which applicants are offered a seat at Life Academy?
If more applicants are available than seats, applicants are placed in a lottery and selected according to the Lottery Policy. Those applicants not selected for a seat will be placed on a waitlist and will be contacted if a seat becomes available.
Who participates in the lottery?
All prospective students who submitted qualifying applications through our website by 11:59 PM Central Standard Time on May 1, 2023, will be offered a seat or added to the lottery. A qualifying application is a completed application that is submitted for an entering kindergarten through 6th-grade student. Kindergarten students must be age five before September 1st, 2023.
What is the priority structure for admission for the 2023-2024 school year?
Admissions and enrollment priorities for the 2023-2024 school year are as follows:
- Sibling/Household Policy – It is the intent of Life Academy to support whole families and create a cohesive and inclusive school community. Siblings of enrolled students will receive priority for admission if their applications are received by the designated deadline. Siblings include children whose primary guardians are also the primary guardians of other children already enrolled in the school (in the case of joint custody, primary guardians must have custody at least 50% of the time). This could include:½ siblings, step-siblings, adopted siblings, cousins, nieces or nephews being cared for by grandparents, etc. If a child is drawn during the enrollment lottery for an enrollment spot at Life Academy and they have eligible siblings, those siblings will be automatically granted enrollment if there is space at their grade level. Siblings of students already in attendance at Life Academy will be exempt from the lottery process and automatically granted a space if there is one available at their grade level
- School Employee Policy – Children of school employees will be exempted from the lottery and given priority admission provided that the parent who is employed at Life Academy has full or joint custody of the child and the application was received by the designated deadline. This includes Teachers, Administrators, Custodial Staff, Office Staff, and Classroom Assistants. Employees include anyone who works at least half-time for Life Academy and who started work on or before the first day of school of the year in which they are submitting their application. The total number of children enrolled under the Founder/Board/Staff policies will not exceed 20% of the school’s population. In the case that more than 20% of the enrollment is founding/employee children, preference will be given to the number of years of service to the school. If there are fewer spots than the number of priority applicants, then a separate lottery is held for these applicants with priority status. Founding/employee children not given priority enrollment will be included in the general enrollment lottery.
Do children who attend Life Academy go through the lottery process each year?
Children in grades K-5 in the 2022-2023 school year will remain at Life Academy for the upcoming school year as long as they have submitted the Intent to Return form by March 30, 2023.
How many spots will be available in each grade?
The number of available spots varies per grade. Life Academy reserves the right to manage the number of offers made from the waitlist in each grade level in order to balance class size and follow best practices.
When will the lottery take place?
The lottery will occur on June 1, 2023 if needed at that time.
What if I moved after I submitted my initial application?
Please contact our registration team at 334.315.0106. or (info@lifeacademyal.com) as soon as possible in order to update your address.
How will I know if my child has been accepted?
An acceptance letter will be mailed and emailed to the address on file. Please make sure the school has your current address. You must accept or decline the offer within five (5) business days of the acceptance letter date. Offers to attend Life Academy that is neither accepted nor declined within five (5) business days will be considered expired, and that seat will be offered to the next applicant on the waitlist. Parents can accept or decline the offer by contacingt the school at 334.315.0106
How is a student’s address determined and verified?
A student’s address will be determined based on the bona fide primary residence of the custodial parent/legal guardian. The address of residence is subject to verification according to the enrollment checklist during the enrollment process.
What happens when my child’s name is put on the waitlist?
Your child will remain on the waitlist throughout the 2023-2024 school year until a spot opens in the applicable grade. Please ensure the school has your updated contact information (address, email address, and phone number) so we can contact you if a spot becomes available.
What happens when my child is on the waitlist and his/her name is next in line for an offer of admission?
When your student is next in line on the waitlist, and a spot becomes available, you will receive a phone call from Life Academy extending a verbal offer of admission. A letter with a written offer of admission will be mailed that same day, and you will have five (5) business days from the date of the letter to accept or decline the offer. You will need to complete the enrollment process (including current proof of residency). If you do not respond to the offer by 5 PM on the fifth business day after the date of the offer letter, the offer will expire, and the space may be offered to the next child on the waitlist.
How long will my child remain on the waiting list?
Your student will remain on the waitlist until s/he is offered admission to Legacy Prep Charter School during the 2023- 2024 school year or until you elect to remove him/her from the waitlist. The waitlist for the 2023-2024 school year will be vacated on the last day of school in May 2023 and will not carry over to the 2024-2025 school year. Parents/guardians may resubmit an application online for the 2024-2025 school year during the open application period.
If I miss the application deadline, will the application still be available?
Yes. Applications submitted after the deadline will be added to the end of the waitlist in the order received and not be included in the lottery process.
What if I made an error on my application and entered the wrong grade information for my child?
Please contact our registration team at 334.315.0106 as soon as possible to have your child’s grade corrected. After the lottery occurs, if the wrong grade information is entered, the child will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist for the correct grade for his/her respective enrollment priority.
If my child receives a seat in the lottery and an acceptance letter to attend Life Academy Charter School, what documents are required to enroll?
- If you receive an acceptance letter for your child to enroll at Life Academy, you must digitally provide all documentation to the school by May 1, 2023, by 11:59 PM CT.
- Photo Identification of custodial parent/legal guardian
- Birth Certificate (or alternative documentation showing the child’s age)
- Proof of Residence (annual tax notice/mortgage statement, copy of lease/rental agreement, or current HUD certificate)
- Custody papers (if applicable) – must be a certified court order showing physical custody
- Immunization Form
- Most recent report card
- Withdrawal paperwork
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP) – if applicable
- 504 Plan – if applicable