Enrollment / Lottery

How many spots are available in each grade? 

During the month of December, we will send out ‘intent to return’ forms to our families with students currently enrolled, which informs us of how many openings we will have in each grade. Generally, we aim to adhere the following classroom sizes: Kindergarten – 1^st Grade: A maximum of 21 per class, 2^nd – 3^rd Grades K: A maximum of 20 per class, and 4^th – 12^th Grades: A maximum of 24 per class.

How can I improve my chances in the lottery? 

The lottery is, by its very nature, random. It does not matter if you submit your application in November or January. If the application arrives during the open enrollment period, it will be placed in the lottery. If you apply after the deadline, your application will be placed on Standby for the grade, in the order it was received.

Do siblings get priority? Yes, siblings of current CIS students are given priority in the lottery, which means they will be offered available seats before other applicants. To be eligible for our sibling lottery, you must enter an application for each sibling during the open enrollment period. Any applications received after the open enrollment period will be placed on the wait list in the order they are received. Siblings of students currently attending CIS will be given priority for placement in subsequent years. While we are hopeful to place siblings within a year, it is possible that it could take longer depending on the number of siblings for a specific grade level and the number of available spots for that school year.

Who is considered a sibling? According to North Carolina charter school law, specifically House Bill 250, the definition of "siblings" includes any of the following who reside in the same household: half siblings, stepsiblings, and children residing in a family foster home.

What if my children have half siblings living in another household? Can they be placed on the same application? No, according to North Carolina law, siblings residing in separate residences must be submitted on separate applications and will not receive sibling priority in subsequent years.

****What if one of my children gets in and the other one doesn’t? Parents/Guardians will need to re-apply for enrollment for the next school year to receive sibling priority.  

Where will the Lottery be held? The lottery will be held, live, on January 15th, 2026, and you will receive details to attend, if desired.

If I am placed on standby this year, will that carry over until next year? No, standby does not carry over to the following year. You will need to submit a new application every year. 

Is it mandatory to attend an Information Session/Tour prior to completing an application for enrollment? No, however we highly recommend attending an Information Session or campus tour prior to applying to make sure CIS is the best fit for you and your child. It is by no means required as a prerequisite to applying for enrollment.  

What grade should I apply for if I am not sure my child will be retained for the coming year? When you are submitting your application, you are required to submit it for the grade your current school would have assigned the child for the next school year. Unless you have already been notified by your current school that your child will be retained, you must enter the child for the subsequent grade level. If it is determined that the child should be retained, the student will continue to be enrolled at the school; however, the student would be placed in the appropriate grade.

Will currently enrolled students need to re-apply every year? Current students will be required to submit an Intent to return in December to allow the school time to prepare for the coming year.

If we know we will be moving to North Carolina before the school year begins, can we apply during the open enrollment period?  No, students must physically live in the state of North Carolina at the time their application is submitted.