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General FAQ

Any child residing in the state of California can apply to Discovery Charter Schools.  You must submit a separate application for each school.
No. Discovery Charter Schools are public schools in the state of California and are free to attend.
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.
We recognize that we ask a lot from our families. If our model of parent volunteerism creates a hardship for your family now or any time after enrollment, we will work with you individually to find a mode of involvement that works for you. We have many working parents, single-parent families, and parents who must work during the school hours which we work with to find ways of involvement that benefit their child, their classroom, and our school but also are compatible with their schedules.
 
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 highly important to us.
 
No. If there are too many applications for a specific grade level, then enrollment is determined by an Admission Lottery.
We no longer have a waitlist priority.  You will need to re-apply by submitting another application and attending both the mandatory information meeting and open house again this year. 
When your family declines an offered position, the child loses the position on the waiting list. You will need to re-apply by submitting another application during the open enrollment period for the following year, attend both the mandatory information meeting and open house, and participate in the lottery again.
Discovery sets the open enrollment dates yearly. For example, the open enrollment period for the 2024-25 school year will begin November 27th, 2023, and extend thru 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 the open enrollment period applicants for the oversubscribed grades. There are preference categories that determine positions within the Lottery.
Discovery Homeschool Program—Enrollment preferences shall be given in the following order:
  1. Currently enrolled students of Discovery Charter School Phoenix Campus or Discovery Charter School Falcon Campus
  2. Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Charter School Phoenix or Discovery Charter School Falcon
  3. Children of Discovery employees
  4. Residents of San Jose Unified School District
  5. All other California residents

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

  1. Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Phoenix Campus
  2. Children of Discovery employees
  3. 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).
  4. All other residents of Moreland School District
  5. California residents who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
  6. All other California residents

 

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

  1. Siblings of currently enrolled students at Discovery Charter School Falcon, including siblings of students from the Home School classes.
  2. Children of Discovery employees
  3. Home School families who desire to move back to Discovery Falcon, providing their most recent previous enrollment was at Discovery Falcon Campus.
  4. Residents of San Jose Unified School District students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
  5. Students located outside the San Jose Unified School District who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals as determined by federal guidelines*.
  6. Residents of San Jose Unified School District.
  7. 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.
Yes. Discovery still accepts enrollment applications. We encourage you to apply to our schools. Applications submitted outside the Open Enrollment Period will be put on the waitlist in the order in which they are received.
 
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.
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.
There is no district-to-district transfer required (nor is a transfer required from a Moreland school to Discovery.) Simply fill out the Discovery Charter School Phoenix application and turn it in. Should your child be accepted, our office staff will notify your old school/district.
There is no district-to-district transfer required (nor is a transfer required from a San Jose school to Discovery.) Simply fill out the Discovery Charter School Falcon application and turn it in. Should your child be accepted, our office staff will notify your old school/district.
Our talks and tours change from year to year so we feel it is beneficial for our potential parents to attend the Information Meeting and Open House each year until their child is admitted. 
Your child must turn 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2024 to be age eligible for Kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year at Discovery.

Your child must turn 5 years of age between September 2, 2024, and June 2, 2025 to be eligible for our Transitional Kindergarten program for the 2024-25 school year.

Discovery’s Transitional Kindergarten program takes place on the Discovery Falcon campus only. The Phoenix Campus does not offer a TK Program. 
During our Open Enrollment Period we hold several School Information meetings. We also require that you attend an Open House at each campus you apply at to see Discovery in action. Attendance at these mandatory meetings provides information concerning Discovery and our program so you can make an informed and educated choice for your family.
Attendance at a school information meeting is required for an application to be considered complete.  (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 in" at the meeting.)
Attendance at an open house at each campus that you apply for is required for an application to be considered complete. (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.)
We would be happy to answer any other questions you may have. 
Just email us for more information.