General FAQ - Discovery Charter Schools

Who can apply to Discovery Charter Schools?

Is there tuition?

Transitional Kindergarten (TK)

What is the age requirement for Kindergarten at Discovery?

What is the age requirement for Transitional Kindergarten at Discovery?

Does Discovery Charter School do additional annual fundraising?

Like most public schools, Discovery asks for monetary donations to support our program. Still, it’s essential for you to know that no child or family will ever be excluded from any school activity due to an inability to pay or lack of participation in the fund drive. While we strive for 100 percent participation in the fund drive, we understand that some families will choose not to participate and for some of our families that this is due to the family’s economic situation. The names of families who do not participate in the fund drive are never made public and are also never shared with teachers or other staff members, including the Director and Executive Director.

All donations to Discovery Charter School are tax-deductible.

Love the philosophy but worried about the commitment? Not sure you can volunteer?

We recognize that we ask a lot from our families. If our model of family volunteerism creates a hardship for your family now or at any time after enrollment, we will work with you individually to find a plan for involvement that works for you. We have many working parents, single-parent families, and parents who are not available during school hours. We will work with you to find alternate ways that are compatible with your family's skills and schedules: so the adults in your child's life can stay informed and involved in the learning and school community.

We will never turn a child or family away from our school due to a parent’s inability to volunteer. We are committed to building a school community that is inclusive of all types of families, and socio-economic, racial, and ethnic diversity is important to us.

Does submitting an application guarantee, my child, a spot at Discovery Charter Schools?

If I am a prior year applicant who is still on the waitlist, what is the status of my application for next year?

If my child was offered a position in the prior year, but our family declined the offer, what is the status of the application for next year?

What happens during the open enrollment period?

Discovery sets the open enrollment dates yearly. For example, the open enrollment period for the 2024-25 school year was between November 27th, 2023, to March 1st, 2024. During this defined period, all applications received are weighted equally. Should the number of students applying for any grade level exceed the expected capacity for that grade, an Admissions Lottery shall be conducted for those applicants who completed the necessary 3 steps (application, information meeting, and open house tour) for the oversubscribed grades. There are preference categories that determine positions within the Lottery.

What are the Admission Lottery Preference Categories?

Discovery Homeschool Program—Enrollment preferences shall be given in the following order:

Currently enrolled students of Discovery Charter School Phoenix Campus or Discovery Charter School Falcon Campus
Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Charter School Phoenix or Discovery Charter School Falcon
Children of Discovery employees
Residents of San Jose Unified School District
All other California residents

Discovery Phoenix Campus—Enrollment preferences shall be given in the following order:

Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Phoenix Campus
Children of Discovery employees
Students who are currently enrolled in or who reside in the elementary school attendance area of the public elementary school in which Discovery is located (for purposes of the Charter School Facility Grant Program).
All other residents of Moreland School District
California residents who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
All other California residents

Discovery Falcon Campus—Enrollment preferences shall be given in the following order:

Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Charter School Falcon, including siblings of students from the Home School classes.
Children of Discovery employees
Home School families who desire to move back to Discovery Falcon, providing their most recent previous enrollment was at Discovery Falcon Campus.
Residents of San Jose Unified School District students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
Students located outside the San Jose Unified School District who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
Residents of San Jose Unified School District.
All other California residents.

*Following admission, Discovery will conduct an audit of the records of students who utilize this preference. Any student who utilizes this preference but is not eligible to receive free or reduced price meals will forfeit admission and be placed at the end of the waitlist.

If I find out about Discovery Charter Schools after the Enrollment Period (or after the Lottery) can I still submit an application?

If I enroll my child at a Discovery Charter School, can I change my mind?

Yes, you can. Filling out and returning an enrollment form does not commit you to a decision. As at any public school, you are entitled to withdraw your child at any time. You should be aware that once you withdraw or say "no" (to an offered space) Discovery policy is to automatically drop/withdraw you from the attendance or school waitlist and offer the spot to the next waiting family.

What if I want to have my child repeat a grade or skip a grade?

Grade Level Retention (repeating a grade) and acceleration (skipping a grade) are decisions that need to be made by your child's current school. You may not enroll your child in the same grade level that they are currently in, or skip a grade. If you feel your child needs to be retained or accelerated and their current school is not supportive of this decision, then you may discuss this with Discovery's Executive Director after your child is enrolled at the appropriate grade level.

Discovery Phoenix Campus (Teale Ave.) What do I need to do if my child resides out of the Moreland School District Boundaries?

Discovery Falcon Campus (Sunset Glen Ave.) What do I need to do if my child resides out of the San Jose Unified School District Boundaries?

We have been trying to get into Discovery for many years now and each year we have attended the required Open House and Information Meetings. Is it possible to get an exemption when reapplying to Discovery?

How can I get more information about Discovery?

Do I need to attend an Information Meeting?

Attendance at a school information meeting is required for an application to be considered complete and eligible for the lottery. (Except for returning Discovery families.)

PLEASE NOTE: you may submit your child's application for enrollment at any time during the open enrollment period. You need NOT wait to attend the required meeting to submit the application. However, your child's application will not qualify for the lottery if attendance at both the information meeting and the open house is not verified. (For verification purposes, please don't forget to "sign out" at the meeting.)

Do I need to attend an Open House Tour?

Attendance at an open house tour at each campus that you apply for is required for an application to be considered complete and eligible for the lottery. (Except for returning Discovery families.)

PLEASE NOTE: you may submit your child's application for enrollment at any time during the open enrollment period. You need NOT wait to attend the open house to submit the application. However, your child's application will not qualify for the lottery if attendance at both the information meeting and the open house is not verified. (For verification purposes, please don't forget to "sign in" at the open house.)

How do I get my other questions answered?