Open enrollment for The Magellan Charter School is a minimum of 30 days during the months of January and February. Prospective families complete an online application for admission. Applications are available on the Magellan Charter website. You will receive a Google email receipt once the application is completed. After the application period has ended you will receive a lottery number via email.
Who is eligible to apply to Magellan?
The Magellan Charter lottery is open to the public. All applications submitted for students must originate from parents/guardians who are legal residents of North Carolina. The Magellan Charter School admits students without regard to race, sex, disability, color, religion, national or ethnic origin.
How does the lottery process work?
A separate application MUST be submitted for each student applying for admission. Submit only one application per student. On or before March 7th you will receive an email sent to the “Primary Parent Email” from lotteryadmin@
How are the numbers drawn?
The lottery results will be determined by a random number generator. Results will be posted on the website on the day of the lottery soon after the drawing.
Are applications accepted for all grades?
Yes. Magellan houses grades 3-8. Most openings are for the 3rd grade where new classes are formed and students are admitted. Typically, we have had very few openings in the subsequent grades. Waiting lists are formed each year for the upper grades.
What are my chances of acceptance?
Due to the large number of families applying to Magellan Charter, 3rd grade admissions are the most probable. Upper grade (4th – 8th) students or siblings have a significantly smaller chance of admission.
Do I have to attend the lottery drawing?
Magellan Charter holds a public lottery if you wish to attend. We post the lottery numbers on our website of students who are accepted and students who are placed on the waitlist as soon as possible after the drawing.
How do I apply for twins or multiples?
Multiple birth siblings are assigned one number for the lottery (as long as the multiples box is checked on the application). If the number is selected, all multiple birth siblings will be admitted.
How are numbers assigned to siblings in different grades?
All families have the option to apply using one lottery number for all of their children, OR have a different number assigned to each child. In most cases it is advantageous for families with THIRD graders to choose one lottery number for all children. The majority of our openings are in third grade and if the third grader is admitted, the upper grade sibling(s) will automatically go to the next spot on the wait list in their respective grade. If you are applying for more than one child but neither is a third grader, you may choose separate numbers (no sibling preference), or one number for the family (note that it is not typical for 4th-8th grade to be admitted on the day of the lottery).
What is the Enrollment Priority policy?
In accordance with NCGS §115.C-218.45(f), The Magellan Charter School has elected to offer enrollment priority in the following order to the extent that space is available and does not exceed the grade level capacity:
- Children of full-time employees;
- Former students who were enrolled within the last two academic years but left due to an academic study abroad program, competitive admission residential program, or vocational opportunities of the parents/guardians;
- Siblings of currently enrolled students;
- 3rd grade siblings of students who have graduated from 8th grade and were enrolled for at least four years;
- Siblings in families of newly accepted 3rd grade students who are admitted at the time of the lottery (Enrollment priority will be given the following school year to siblings of newly accepted 3rd through 8th grade students admitted after the lottery (to the extent space is available);
- 4th through 8th grade siblings of students who have graduated from 8th grade and were enrolled for at least four years.
If accepted how long do I have to decide??
Parents/Guardians have a minimum of one week to make a determination to accept an offer of enrollment (given at Open House in April) unless the offer is made between August 1st and the 30th day of school. In which case, parents/guardians have 24 hours to make a decision.