The application deadline for the 2023-2024 school year closed on February 28, 2023.
Applications for the 2024-2025 enrollment lottery will be available, Monday, October 16, 2023.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions below for additional details on the Enrollment Process.
Lottery Reminders
- Students entering Kindergarten must be five by August 31.
- Enrollment is open to students through sixth grade.
- Applicants who have a sibling already enrolled in Abby Kelley get sibling preference in the Lottery.
- Enrollment in Abby Kelley is done strictly by lottery. At this time there are no open seats in grades 1-6 . Applicants will be placed on a waitlist, if and when seats become available families will be contacted.
For questions, contact the Admissions Office at 508-854-8400 x1019 or [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
A child must be five years old by August 31st to enroll.
Each student needs their own application for the lottery.
You will need a picture of the child’s birth certificate for your application and picture of you Proof of Residency for the application. Proof of Residency would be a utility bill (cable, phone, electric, ect.), banking or credit card statement dated within the last 90 days.
Enrollment preference is given to siblings of currently enrolled students and students residing in the towns designated in the charter: Auburn, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Sutton, West Boylston, Worcester and all towns of the Wachusett School District (Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling).
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School is open to all Massachusetts residents. Applicants are required to submit reasonable proof of residency and sibling status at the time of admission. The school’s application process is not integrated with any school district.
The parent/guardian completing the application will be asked to create an account for each applicant they wish to enter into the lottery. As part of our Enrollment Process Abby Kelley asks that the parent/guardian submits the following information for each student application:
Sibling Applications
Kindergarten Sibling Applicants (applicants who have a sibling currently enrolled at Abby Kelley) are asked to provide the birth certificate of the child entering the Enrollment Lottery AND the birth certificate for the oldest sibling currently enrolled at Abby Kelley.
Sibling preference Applicants (grades 1-6 only) are asked to provide the birth certificate of the child entering the Enrollment Lottery AND the birth certificate for one of the siblings currently enrolled at Abby Kelley. It must be a current sibling and not an alumna or former student.
General Applications
Resident or Non-Resident Applications are for student in Kindergarten-Sixth Grade who are not included in the above categories. Please see the Enrollment Preference Section for additional information.
Kindergarten Applicants are asked to provide the birth certificate for the child applying and proof of residency. Proof of Residency includes: a utility bill (cable, electric, etc.), credit card statement, or a tax bill. Proof of Residency must be dated within the last 90 days. Students entering Kindergarten must be five years old by August 31.
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School will accept applications annually from October through January for the Enrollment Lottery. Abby Kelley maintains a waitlist following the lottery each year to fill student seats which may arise during the school year through February 15th annually.
Yes, Abby Kelley Foster does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, mental or physical disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or in a foreign language, or academic achievement in admitting students, nor may charter schools set admissions criteria that are intended to discriminate or that have the effect of discriminating on any of these bases. The School will develop and implement a student recruitment and retention plan in accordance with Massachusetts laws and regulations. M.G.L. c. 71, § 89(l); 603 CMR 1.06
All applicants will be notified in writing of the rights of students with diverse learning needs to attend Abby Kelley Foster and receive accommodations and support services, including students who may have disabilities, require special education and/or are English language learners. Information regarding the availability of services is included on the school’s website, enrollment information, school handbook, special education policy manual, and English language learner policy manual.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) describes sibling preference in Massachusetts charter schools as: Applicants who have a common parent, either biologically or legally through adoption.
Once one child attends their first day at Abby Kelley, the sibling will then receive sibling preference, which will likely move them closer to the top of the waitlist for their current grade. However, that does not mean that the sibling will automatically be admitted, as other siblings are also at the top of each waitlist, and siblings are only admitted if a spot is available in that grade.
Enrollment Closed for ’22-’23 School Year
The Enrollment Lottery was held on March 7, 2022. There were no available seats in Grades 1-6 at the time of the Lottery. All applicants in Grades 1-6, including siblings, were placed on the Waitlist.
Abby Kelley Foster accepted 80 students for the 2022-2023 academic year to fill spots in our Kindergarten. All remaining applicants were placed on the Waitlist
As seats become available, the admissions office will contact you, in the order, applicants were placed on the Waitlist.
