Eligibility

Desert Heights Charter School is an open-enrollment public charter school located in Glendale, Arizona.  We accept eligible students who reside in the state of Arizona.  We do not discriminate in our admissions process on the basis of race, creed, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin or physical or mental ability.  Each year the school will publish an enrollment calendar containing the following enrollment periods  (in order from highest to lowest priority):

1. Re-enrollment (includes students enrolled in Desert Heights Charter School and Private Pre-School);
2. Sibling Priority (siblings of currently enrolled students);
3. Open Enrollment* (open to the public);
4. Late Enrollment* (open to the public first come, first served).

In order to be eligible for enrollment, students must meet the following guidelines:

• Parents/guardians must submit a complete enrollment packet with a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a withdrawal form from the prior school.
• Parents/guardians must submit evidence of compliance with Arizona state immunization requirements.
• The student may not be on suspension at another school at the time of enrollment.  This requirement applies even if the child has withdrawn from the other school.
• The student may not have been expelled from another school in the state of Arizona.
• Students will be placed in the grade level recommended by their prior school or district.  Desert Heights may request written verification of a child’s grade level from the prior school or district prior to enrolling the child.
• Home-schooled students or students previously in alternative educational settings will be placed in a grade level according to the following schedule (based on age as of September 1 of the current school year):

• 5 years old  - see kindergarten guidelines below
• 6 years old – 1st Grade
• 7 years old – 2nd Grade
• 8 years old – 3rd grade
• 9 years old – 4th grade

Kindergarten Guidelines:

Our Board’s policy allows for kindergarten readiness testing prior to the beginning of each school year. To qualify for readiness testing, potential kindergarten students must turn five by September 30 of their kindergarten year.

Beginning on the first day of school, we only admit kindergarten students who were five by September first of that school year or who were enrolled and are transferring from a kindergarten program elsewhere. Documentation from the previous school is required in the latter case.

Age requirements for other students are outlined in the related Board policy, available in the main office.