Lawrence Family Development Charter School is a public school operating under a charter/license granted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Admission to the school is open to all eligible students who are residents of the City of Lawrence in grades K through 8.

LFDCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, special needs, proficiency in English, or prior academic achievement when recruiting or admitting students.

LFDCS accepts applications throughout the year in anticipation of a public lottery held on March 15 each year. The school specifically publicizes its application process, application deadline, and date of lottery on January 15 of each year. It is publicized in local newspapers, in local radio programs, in a notice to all current families, and in a flyer or poster in local businesses and organizations. If March 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the lottery is held on the prior Friday. If March 15 is a school day cancelled because of disabling inclement weather, the lottery will be held on the next possible day.

LFDCS’ lottery is open to the public. Student names, by grade level, are entered based on completed applications signed by a parent or legal guardian.

The enrollment process is as follows:
A public chart lists each grade level at the school (K – 8). If an applicant is the sibling of a student currently attending LFDCS, a card with the student’s name, address, and sibling is posted for available slots. Once all siblings of current students are posted, the names of children without siblings are pulled and posted, in order, until all current openings for that grade are filled. Once all openings for a grade are filled, all remaining names are pulled, in order, creating a waiting list for that grade. LFDCS will keep its waiting list from one year to the next and enroll students from the waiting list in each school year prior to accepting new applicants. Students accepted from the waiting list are notified by telephone and in writing. If a letter is returned by the Post Office without sufficient forwarding information, the school will go to the next student.

Once a student is accepted, that student must finalize acceptance. Students entering Kindergarten attend a health and readiness screening. Students who do not pass the readiness screening are enrolled in a four-week summer program.

All parents of students accepted at LFDCS must attend an informational meeting with the school principal or other administrator to discuss the school’s mission, its expectations for student attendance, school policies, and to sign that they understand and support these policies.

Non-Resident Applicants
LFDCS acknowledges that non-resident applicant names are kept separate from Lawrence residents. A lottery may be held if non-resident names are submitted. Non-resident students will be offered a place at the school only if there are no resident student names on the waiting list.

Students Who Move from Lawrence
LFDCS acknowledges that once a student enters the Charter School, that student may continue even if the family moves to a new community within Massachusetts. Transportation of the student is the responsibility of the parent.

Subsequent Public Lotteries
LFDCS acknowledges that applications received after the deadline for the annual March 15 lottery will be held for subsequent lotteries to be held if required, such as all waiting list names being depleted, or until the next annual lottery. Applicant names will not be added to the waiting list in the order received, as had been previous practice.