Enrollment for SY2024-2025

Thank you for your interest in Richard Wright Public Charter Schools for Journalism and Media Art (RWPCS). Richard Wright Public Charter Schools is a public school free of charge serving students who reside in the District of Columbia.

For this upcoming 2024-2025 School Year, Richard Wright Public Charter Schools is a participant in the city-wide “Common Application and Common Lottery” for DCPS and most DC Public Charter Schools. Our application period for SY2024-2025 becomes available December 11, 2023, for Grades 8 through 12. Parents residing in the District of Columbia wishing to enroll their child in grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 at Richard Wright Public Charter Schools must complete an application at www.MySchoolDC.org.

You will need to log in to your account at www.MySchoolDC.org to see your lottery results – or check your email if you provided an email address. If you were matched with RWPCS through the lottery, you must accept your space by completing the New Student Admission Documents via the link below, as well as present Proof of Residency by May 1, 2024 To accept your space, you must submit ALL required enrollment forms and prove DC Residency.

If you fail to complete the mandated documents, inclusive of providing DC Residency by the city-wide deadline of May 1, 2024, your child will lose their seat for the 2024-25 school year and will need to reapply.

You may complete all enrollment online or in person. Admissions appointments are from Monday through Thursday from 10AM to 1PM; please schedule by clicking here. Please contact Ms. Sheler for Admissions at 202.388.1011 ext 120 or via email at kara.sheler@richardwrightpcs.org. Students that have been matched and offered a seat may also walk-in (no appointments needed) on the following Saturday: APRIL 27, 2024 from 9am to 1pm.

Residency Requirements

To be enrolled at Richard Wright PCS (RWPCS), a parent/primary caregiver must show original documents as proof of DC residency for each student assigned to or wishing to attend RWPCS. Please click this OSSE DC Residency Verification Form to print, complete and return to the Registrar's Office

New Enrollment Parents/Students Only Info

We are very excited that you selected Richard Wright Public Charter School (RWPCS) to educate your student for the 2024-25 School Year. We want to thank you for using the My School DC Lottery process and hope that it was a smooth transition for you.

Richard Wright PCS offers two methods for enrolling your student. One, you may enroll in-person with a scheduled appointment by using this link here. Or two, complete via the online enrollment process. With either method you choose, the enrollment deadline is May 1, 2024, no exceptions. Failure to enroll and provide documentation by May 1, 2024, will result in a forfeiture of your student’s seat for the 2024 -2025 school year. You will need to reapply through the My School DC lottery.

There are two different methods to enroll your student: Online or in-person

To Enroll Online:

1. My School DC Lottery results are released on March 29, 2024. If you receive a “Matched Student” status for Richard Wright PCS, you will receive a link to complete the Pre-Registration page. You will be prompted to create a Power School Account at that time. Complete the Pre-Registration Page and logout of your Power School Account.
2. Within 24-48 hours, you will receive an approval email notification to log back in to your PowerSchool Account to complete the Enrollment Packet for your student. You must upload your mandatory documentation while in your PowerSchool account as well.

To Enroll In-Person:

1. One on one assistance is available through scheduled appointments. Please click here to schedule your appointment. Please bring the mandatory documentation below to enroll your student at the time of the appointment. We will also host an Enrollment Saturday on April 27, 2024 from 9am to 1pm, no appointment needed.

    

Mandatory Documentation to enroll your student:

• Birth Certificate (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
• Health and Immunization Record or Appointment Card (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
• Dental Form or Appointment Card (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
• IEP or 504 Plan, only if applicable (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
• DC Proof of Residency (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
• Final Report Card for all grades (Due by June 30, 2024)
• Transcript for 10^th, 11^th and 12^th graders only (Due by June 30, 2024)

Returning Parents/Students Only Info

Current students at RWPCS electing to re-enroll for SY2024-25 may do so during the Re-enrollment Period conducted from April 1, 2024, to May 1, 2024. Students failing to re-enroll by May 1, 2024, will not be guaranteed placement for the upcoming school year and may be required to participate in the enrollment process with new students seeking admission to the school. All re-enrollment documents are to be completed online by using the links below and uploading your documents.

To Re-enroll Online:

1. Login your current Power School Parent Portal to complete the Returning Student Enrollment Packet (DUE BY MAY 1, 2024)
2. Complete the OSSE DC Residency Verification Form (DUE - MAY 1, 2024)
3. Upload all the following documents listed below in your Power School Parent Portal

• DC Proof of Residency
• Valid Health with Immunization Record
• Valid Dental Form

To Re-enroll In-Person:

1. One on one assistance is available through scheduled appointments. Please click here to schedule your appointment. Please bring the mandatory documentation below to re-enroll your student at the time of the appointment. We will also host an Enrollment Saturday on April 27, 2024 from 9am to 1pm, no appointment needed.  

• DC Proof of Residency
• Valid Health with Immunization Record
• Valid Dental Form

DC Residency Requirements

All students enrolled in public schools in the District of Columbia (DCPS and charter) must provide proof of residency in the District. Residency verification usually takes place upon enrollment at the school. In addition, students who are matched through the My School DC lottery or offered a space off a waitlist to a DCPS school because of an address-based preference (in-boundary or proximity) must prove residency at the specific address used to determine the preference. In some cases, non-residents may attend DC public schools, but they must pay tuition after meeting established criteria. In addition, in order for non-residents to attend a public school, that school may not have any residents on its waiting list. Residency requirements are established by the Office of the State Superintendent for Education(OSSE) and are processed by schools, not by My School DC.

A bona fide DC resident is defined as a person that has established a physical presence in the District of Columbia. To verify residency, the student’s parent/guardian completes a DC Residency Verification Form and presents documents showing their address. The parent/guardian must enroll that student in person at the school, and the parent/guardian must be the individual listed on the residency documents.

Non-District Residents Wishing to Apply

Non-District residents wishing to enroll at Richard Wright Public Charter Schools will need to follow the same protocols for D.C. residents and pay tuition. Richard Wright Public Charter Schools' tuition will equal the per-pupil allocations provided by the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula during each fiscal school year.

"Enrollment Saturday" 

Richard Wright Public Charter Schools will be open to collect Enrollment Documents from new students offered a seat from MySchoolDC and returning families on the following days:

Enrollment Saturday on April 27, 2024 from 9am to 1pm, no appointment needed.

Please take advantage of these dates to complete and provide mandated documents for enrollment.

Remember: The common enrollment deadline for the school year 2024-25 is May 1, 2024.

Any questions, please contact Kara Sheler – Admissions Coordinator at 202.388.1011 ext 120.

Annual Health and Dental Forms

DC laws and regulations require that any child attending a school or daycare in DC submit a completed Universal Health Certificate and Oral Health Assessment Form annually to demonstrate that all students are receiving the health care they need. To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, all students must be fully immunized. Immunizations are the best defense against some of the most common and sometimes deadly infectious diseases. 

Once a student is due for a vaccine, that student will be considered non-compliant with DC’s school immunization mandate. DC Health and the Office of the State Superintendent for Education. (OSSE) will no longer differentiate between “due” and “overdue” in the determination of compliance. Students in grades pre-K3, kindergarten, 7th  and 11th will be temporarily excluded from school if they are not up to date on their immunizations. Review this page to guarantee your students are ready for school.

Find more detailed information and resources for families here.

TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS

RWPCS is now offering a convenient and secure link for current and former students to request transcripts online.  Please note, if you have withdrawn at any time during the current school year, contact the registrar for copies of records.  

PLEASE FIND THE TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM HERE.

Important Information:

• Phone, mail, or fax requests will no longer be accepted.
• *ALL FORMER STUDENTS/GRADUATES: YOU MUST PAY $5 IN ORDER FOR YOUR TRANSCRIPT REQUEST TO BE FULFILLED**  
• All requests for student records/information will be submitted and paid for online using a credit or debit card here. Please indicate the student's name and "transcript request" in the memo.  
• CURRENT SENIORS: Please allow 1-2 business days for your request to be fulfilled.
• PREVIOUS STUDENTS: Please allow 3 business days for your request to be fulfilled.
• FOR MULTIPLE TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS: Please fill out ONE form per college/university/Company
• For those requesting to pick up records, an official, unexpired photo ID is required such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
• Records will be delivered electronically wherever possible.
• You will receive emails from leia.harris@richardwrightpcs.org to notify you of the status of your order. It is important you read those emails carefully as additional information may be required to process your request.

Per District policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) student records are only available to those who have authorization from the student or parent, guardian, or responsible person if the student is under 18 years of age. If the student is 18 years of age or older, school records will not be released to a parent, guardian, or responsible person without the student's written consent.

WITHDRAWAL REQUESTS

In order to complete a student's withdrawal, Richard Wright PCS must receive valid confirmation of the student's enrollment into another school or confirmation that an exception to the compulsory education rule applies to the student, for example the student is permanently incapacitated or is under 18 but completed the requirements for a high school diploma. Valid confirmation includes a RWPCS withdrawal form completed by the receiving school, official written confirmation from the receiving school that the student is enrolled, or a request for records from the receiving school. Additionally, student information will not be released to the receiving school until documentation required for the withdrawal is completed. 

Students of compulsory age who leave or stop attending school without providing confirmation of enrollment at another school or confirmation that an exception to the compulsory education rule applies to the student will be subject to truancy protocols and processing until confirmation is received. Adult students may withdraw themselves from RWPCS  at any time and such students are not subject to the truancy and compulsory education requirements explained above. 

PLEASE FIND WITHDRAWAL FORM HERE 

Important Information:

• Phone, mail, or fax requests will no longer be accepted. 
• PLEASE ALLOW 3-5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR COMPLETION
• For those requesting to pick up records, an official, unexpired photo ID is required such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
• Records will be delivered electronically wherever possible. 
• You will receive emails from Kara.Sheler@richardwrightpcs.org to notify you of the status of your order.  It is important you read those emails carefully as additional information may be required to process your request.