Benjamin Banneker Preparatory Charter School

Because the number of applicants always exceeds the number of available spaces, all scholar applications are placed into a random admissions lottery. The random lottery process ensures that scholars are selected irrespective of academic ability, gender, race, religion, national origin, household income, or disability/special needs of the scholars or the parents/guardians. There are no costs or fees to apply or attend BBPCS.

BBPCS scholars can live anywhere in the State of New Jersey, however, Willingboro residents get first priority for admission. If spaces remain after the admission of all eligible Willingboro residents, non-resident applicants, also selected by lottery, may be admitted.

An application must be submitted every year for eligible scholars. Waiting lists are not carried over.

Names, by grade, are put into the bin and called. The first 40 names called for Kindergarten ONLY will receive an enrollment packet. The 41st and names after that for Kindergarten and ALL OTHER GRADES, will be put on a waiting list. Parents will ONLY be contacted when a space becomes available.

The reason for the automatic waiting list is because there are only two (2) classes – twenty (20) scholars each per grade. Because the lottery is held during the school year (March or April) the amount of available spaces per grade is not known at that time.

The application for the upcoming school year is available online the 1st week of December. A waiting list application, for the current year, is available throughout the year. You must complete an application every year, names are not automatically rolled over.

The lottery is held in late March or early April, once the date is determined a detailed email with the date, place and time, is sent to parents who applied.

Is there a fee to apply or attend BBPCS? NO , tuition or cost to attend BBPCS. We are a free public charter school open to New Jersey scholars. By law, public charter schools cannot charge a fee or tuition.

Yes. Your child must be registered in the Board of Education nearest your home. For scholars attending private school, being home-schooled, transferring into the district or otherwise unregistered, you must register in your local Board of Education prior to enrollment at BBPCS. If you move during the school year you must notify BBPCS, the local Board of Education and the new district Board of Education, if applicable.

Does submitting multiple applications increase my child’s chances for enrollment? No. Only ONE application per scholar will be accepted. Multiple applications do not increase the chances of enrollment and duplicate applications for the same scholar will be deleted.

My child was on the wait list last year. Does this mean my child is first in line when the application process opens again this year? No. The wait list DOES NOT roll over. If your child isn’t admitted in the school year for which he/she was waitlisted, you must SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION for the following year for EACH CHILD you wish to enroll.

Once my child is enrolled at BBPCS, do I need to reapply every year? No. Once enrolled at BBPCS, scholars automatically continue through 8th grade.

Attendance at the lottery is not mandatory and has no effect on your child’s potential for enrollment. If your child is accepted, BBPCS staff will contact you with the necessary steps to have your child officially enrolled.

I applied and haven’t heard anything about my child’s admittance or position on the wait list after the lottery, what should I do?

Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to every applicant. You will ONLY be notified IF a space is available and your child is NEXT on the list.

State law requires that when a charter school receives more applications than it has open seats, it must conduct a Lottery. Registration deadlines will be sent to parents/guardians via email and the school’s website.