The Lottery Process
Fair, transparent, and random - how NC charter school admissions works.
NC Charter School Lottery
By North Carolina law, public charter schools with more applicants than available seats must use a random lottery to determine enrollment. This means every application submitted before the deadline has an equal chance of being selected - regardless of when you applied, your address, or your background.
EVA follows all NC State Board of Education guidelines for charter school lotteries, including required public notice, proper randomization procedures, and waitlist management.
The lottery is open to any child who will be eligible for public school enrollment in North Carolina in the upcoming school year.
2025–2026 Lottery Timeline
Application Window Opens
Application Deadline
Public Lottery Drawing
Notification Letters Sent
Enrollment Acceptance Deadline
Waitlist Offers (if openings)
First Day of School
Lottery Preferences
NC law allows charter schools to give preference to certain applicants before the open lottery. EVA follows these state-permitted preferences:
Sibling Priority
Siblings of currently enrolled EVA students receive preference in the lottery, as permitted by NC G.S. 115C-218.45. This helps keep families together.
Children of Staff
Children of EVA employees may receive preference as permitted under NC charter school statutes.
Open Lottery for All Others
After any preference applicants are processed, all remaining applicants enter the open random lottery on equal footing. No address preference. No income consideration. Truly random.
The Waitlist
If your child is not selected in the lottery, they are automatically placed on the waitlist in the order determined by the lottery draw. Waitlist positions are honored as seats open during the upcoming school year.
Families on the waitlist receive notification when a seat becomes available. You must respond within 72 hours to accept or decline an offered seat. If declined, the next family on the waitlist is offered the seat.