Enrollment Process

Section 1. Enrollment Eligibility

In accordance with federal and state anti-discrimination laws, SLAM! Arizona will not discriminate against any student on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, income level, or disability, proficiency in the English language, or academic or athletic ability or any other category that would be deemed unlawful in the admission practices of a public school.  The school will be non-sectarian in its practices, educational program, admissions policies and operations.

SLAM! Arizona is a tuition-free public charter school.  Enrollment is open to any student who submits a timely application and resides in the state of Arizona.  A student’s address will be determined based upon the primary residence of the custodial parent/legal guardian and proof of residency will be required at the time of registration. Children who do not live within the state of Arizona will not be eligible for enrollment. 

Section 2. Application & Admission

All information pertaining to admissions can be found on the SLAM! Arizona website.  Electronic applications open on the SLAM! Arizona website at 9:00 a.m. on the first day of the Application Period and close at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the Application Period.  Only electronic applications submitted on the SLAM! Arizona website prior to the deadline will be considered.  Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance, but places the child’s name in the lottery.

Parents are responsible for ensuring the information provided to SLAM! Arizona is accurate. If inaccurate information is provided regarding grade or sibling status, it is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to correct it PRIOR to the close of the Initial Admissions period in order for the student and/or sibling to be included in the admissions lottery.

 2a. Applications received before 12:00 a.m. of closing date

If the number of eligible applicants submitted by the deadline is less than or equal to the number of seats available by close of the Application Period, all eligible applicants will be admitted.

If the number of eligible applicants submitted by the deadline exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building by the close of the Application Period, a lottery will be held.  SLAM! Arizona will ensure equal opportunity through a random selection (lottery) process.  

2b. Applications received after 11:59 p.m. of closing date.

Application forms will continue to be made available on the SLAM! Arizona website for submission to the wait list.  Names will be added to the wait list in the order they are received.  If there is no wait list, all eligible applicants will be admitted.

Applications notified of their acceptance after the Application Period closes have one week from the date of notification to submit their completed packet and required documents or they will forfeit their spot. For any applicant who is accepted after August 3, 2022, the registration packet is due within 3 business days from the date of notification.

Section 3. Lottery

Each application will be given a number and be placed in a database. Numbers will be drawn on a random basis.  All slots available per grade will be filled based on the rank order of their drawing. One person will draw the number and another will verify that it is being read correctly. As each student is selected, that student’s assigned number will be placed on the class list.  

 The numbers will be recorded as they are pulled until all seats at that grade are filled. Once all seats are filled, all remaining numbers/names will be placed on the waiting list in the order in which they are drawn.

3a. Siblings of Enrolled Students

If the student has a sibling(s), he/she will be added to the appropriate class list for that grade or any other grades. A sibling will be placed based on available space. If the class is at capacity, the sibling receives priority on the waiting list by moving up on the waiting list based on their original order. Sibling priority applies when the sibling is placed on the class list, as opposed to placement on a waiting list.

Section 4. Admissions

After the Application Period ends and lottery results are verified, students will be contacted in the rank order in which names were randomly drawn to notify them of their admission or their order on the wait list.

Upon notification, parents will have 72 hours (3 days) to accept or refuse his/her child’s acceptance.  If the applicant fails to respond within 72 hours (3 days), the applicant forfeits his/her spot and will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist.

Section 5. Enrollment & Registration

The Enrollment Period will be set by the Governing Board each year and posted on the school’s website and on all application materials, including any marketing materials that are distributed.

To officially enroll at SLAM! Arizona, parents/legal guardian of the enrolling child must submit Enrollment packets, including all required documents for students selected in the lottery, within 7 business days of receiving notification of the applicant's acceptance if the applicant was accepted on or before the date of the lottery.  If a completed enrollment packet is not received within 7 days of acceptance, the student will forfeit his/her spot and will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist.

Beginning year 2 and each year thereafter, the Enrollment Period will not begin until at least the first school day after winter break of the current school year.

 In order for enrollment to be considered complete, the following 3 requirements must be met:

1. Completed Enrollment Packet
2. Proof of Age
3. Proof of Residency 

Enrollment Packets, including required documents for students selected in the lottery, will be e-mailed directly to the parent upon acceptance to SLAM! Arizona. Hard copies of the Enrollment Packets can also be picked up directly at the school.  Packets may be returned via USPS, hand delivered, or submitted electronically to info@slamaz.org.

In the event enrollment is not complete by the deadline, the student’s spot will be forfeited.

Section 6. Enrollment Priority

SLAM! Arizona will give enrollment priority to the following:

• A sibling of an enrolled student.
• A student whose parent or guardian is a member of the governing board or full-time teacher, professional, or other employee at the school

Section 7. Waitlist & Enrollment After the Lottery

Applicants who are not selected at the time of the lottery will be placed on the waitlist in rank order in which the remaining assigned lottery numbers are randomly drawn.

As openings become available, the first applicant on the waitlist for that specific grade level will receive a notification via e-mail of his/her admission.  The parent/guardian will be given 72 hours (3 days) to respond.  If there is no response, the applicant will forfeit their spot and the next applicant on the wait list will be contacted

Students who receive notification of admission to the school that are waitlisted and/or applied after the Application Period ended have one week from the date of notification to submit their completed packet and required documents or will forfeit his/her spot and will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist. For any applicant who is accepted after August 3, 2023 the registration packet is due within 3 business days from the date of notification.

Section 8. Re-Enrollment

Current students will be given a re-enrollment form which must be submitted with all applicable paperwork to the school by specified deadline.   Re-enrollment forms will be sent out at least 60 days prior to the deadline.  Students will receive a minimum of 2 formal reminders/notifications in the form of e-mail, flyer, and/or call home.  All reminders will be sent out in multiple languages, if necessary.    

Parents of current students who miss the re-enrollment deadline must submit a new application and will not receive preference in the lottery.

Section 9. Withdrawal

A student may withdraw without penalty from SLAM! Arizona at any time and enroll in another public system.

When a family moves out of the designated attendance zone, or decides to withdraw their child for any reason, they must complete a withdrawal form that can be requested by the school’s Principal (or designee).  No student records will be released to subsequent schools if a withdrawal form is not completed.  In addition to the withdrawal form, families will be asked to complete an exit survey that will be reviewed by the Principal and Board.  

If a parent of a student chooses to re-enroll after withdrawing, they must complete a new application and go through the admission process again as if they were a new applicant.