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Enrollment

There are still available spots for the 2025–26 school year in our seat-based program. To apply, please complete the application form and contact us if you have any questions or need assistance.

Phone: (619) 439-6327
Email: neda.gilson@sparrowschool.org

Admissions Policy

Sparrow Academy welcomes all students who wish to attend, space permitting. If applications exceed available spots, admissions will be determined by a public random drawing (lottery).

In the event of a lottery, admission preferences are given in the following order, except that current students are guaranteed enrollment for the next school year:

  1. Children of current Sparrow Academy employees

  2. Siblings of currently enrolled students

  3. Children of Sparrow Academy board members and La Mesa-Spring Valley School District board members

  4. Students currently enrolled in or residing within the elementary school attendance areas of La Mesa Dale and La Mesa Arts Academy (per the Charter School Facility Grant Program)

  5. All other students, as permitted by law

We encourage families interested in joining Sparrow Academy to apply early and contact our admissions team with any questions.

Admissions Process

Pre-Admission:

The parents/guardians of all enrolling students:

  • Shall complete of a nondiscriminatory student application form during the open enrollment period, which begins on December 1 and ends at 11:59pm on February 28, (February 29 if it’s a leap year).

  • Shall submit all documents required for enrollment in a public school including but not limited to immunization records, proof of residency, birth certificate or alternative proof of age, enrollment form, release of records, emergency medical information form, and a home language survey.

  • Shall be notified of the Charter School Complaint process, should they have any concerns.

Post-Admission:

The parents/guardians of all newly-enrolled student:

  • Shall attend an enrollment appointment with Sparrow staff to receive the Parent and Student Handbook and review important school information, including the school calendar, school communication platforms, school lunch information, volunteer opportunities and PTO overview, and other highlights of our Parent and Student Handbook.

  • Shall attend the annual orientation, which describes the expectations of the families who elect to enroll at Sparrow Academy and provides opportunities for families to ask questions and become familiar with the Charter School facility and community.

  • Shall sign a statement indicating that they have read and agree to abide by all policies and procedures set forth in the Parent and Student Handbook, which is given to them at the enrollment appointment.

The school tour, enrollment appointment, and orientation session represent Sparrow Academy’s efforts to help parents make an informed educational choice for their child and not as a means of exclusion. They are strongly encouraged, but not required for admission. 

Sparrow Academy stops enrolling new students on March 1st.

Lottery Process

All applications submitted between December 1 and February 28 will be pulled from the application system on March 1st and will be part of the scheduled lottery.

On March 3rd, the lottery system will process the records with at least two witnesses, and a Lottery Results email will be sent to each family who participated. The email will include a unique link to their results, which will let them know if they have been offered a seat or if they are on the waiting list.

IMPORTANT: If offered a seat, families have one week from the date of receipt of the Lottery Results email to accept the seat before it is released to other applicants.

Once a seat is accepted, a unique registration link will be emailed to them to complete their enrollment.

Enrollment Equity and Rights

We are committed to welcoming all students without discrimination. Charter schools, including ours, cannot discourage enrollment or seek to prevent students from joining based on characteristics such as disabilities, academic achievement, English language ability, socioeconomic status, foster youth status, homelessness, nationality, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

Charter schools also do not request student records prior to enrollment and do not encourage enrolled students to leave or transfer to another school.

If a parent, guardian, or student (18 years or older) feels that the school may not be following these guidelines, they have the right to file a complaint with the authorizing agency.

To submit a concern, please complete the Charter School Complaint Notice Form and send it to the authorizer listed below:

The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
4750 Date Avenue
La Mesa, CA 91942
Phone: (619) 668-5700
Email: info@lmsvschools.org

Contact us

Interested in Sparrow Academy? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!