Enrollment Guidelines for the 2024-2025 School Year
Priority Enrollment applications for 2024-2025 have passed. If you are interested in a mid-year transfer for the current school year, please contact the Enrollment.
Looking to apply for the 2025-2026 school year? click HERE
Lottery Process and Waiting List guidelines for past school years including 2024-2025:
For students enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year do not need to submit a new application, but rather confirm their intent to stay enrolled. If Live Oak receives more applications than available spaces in any grade level, a lottery (public random drawing) will be conducted to fill open spots and generate a rank-ordered waiting list in each grade, including waiting lists for TK and Kindergarten students, for future available spaces. Once lottery results are verified parents will be notified by the email listed in their Lotterease account. Please note that we prioritize siblings so they can be together in our school. In our Main Lottery, if one child is accepted into a grade and if they have a sibling in a different grade, the sibling moves up. This can result in your child moving down in the waitlist for that grade.
The lottery process begins by separating all applications by grade level and the following enrollment preferences as set forth in the California Education Code 47605(d)(2)(B)(i)-(iv) and Live Oak's Application and Enrollment Policy:
The lottery process begins by separating all applications by grade level and the following enrollment preferences as set forth in the California Education Code 47605(d)(2)(B)(i)-(iv) and Live Oak's Application and Enrollment Policy:
- Siblings of students attending Live Oak Charter. Siblings include children living in the same household who share at least one parent or guardian.
- Applicants of Live Oak Charter School Staff employed at .5FTE or higher.
- Applicants who are currently enrolled at McKinley Elementary (proof of attendance required) or who reside in McKinley’s attendance area (one proof of residency status required)
- Applicants residing in the Petaluma City School District (one proof of residency status required).
- All other applicants who are California residents.
Residency Status
In order to qualify for either enrollment preference based on in-district residence, you must provide one proof of residency status with your completed enrollment packet or forfeit your offer altogether. Acceptable proofs are listed below.
How to ensure validity of your application’s residency preference:
How to ensure validity of your application’s residency preference:
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To determine if you reside within the elementary school boundary for Petaluma City Elementary School District visit the Register of Voters. You must see "Petaluma City School District" listed in addition to "Petaluma Joint Union High School District” to confirm residency within Petaluma City Elementary School District.
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To determine if you reside within the McKinley Elementary attendance area, use the SchoolFinder tool to locate your address and grade(s) on application. You are confirmed within the attendance area if, and only if, you see the box “This is your neighborhood school” below McKinley School as pictured here. If you don’t see “This is your neighborhood school”, then you haven’t entered the grade and/or you are outside Petaluma City Elementary School District and do not qualify for this residency preference.
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Proof of In-District Residency
For purposes of confirming eligibility for either in-district residency enrollment preference, parents must provide one proof of residency status by the deadline indicated for your completed enrollment packet or forfeit the offer altogether. This proof of residency confirms an applicant’s primary residence is in-district prior to the lottery AND at the submission date of a completed enrollment packet.
Valid proofs include:
Waiting lists are not carried forward. An application must be submitted each school year and run through the lottery process anew.
Valid proofs include:
- current year property tax statement or current rental agreement with landlord contact information (tax or rental amounts, or other monies due, may be obscured),
- current pay stub or bank statement showing activity within previous 30 days (financial figures and other confidential information may be obscured),
- original copy of entire PG&E or other utility statement within last 30 days,
- major credit card statement (figures may be obscured) showing activity within previous 30 days.
Waiting lists are not carried forward. An application must be submitted each school year and run through the lottery process anew.
Enrollment Notification and Confirmation
Once an applicant is offered a spot, parents will receive notification via email and a text that lets them know they have received an important email. Parents are given a deadline to either accept or decline the offer. If Live Oak does not hear back by this deadline then the applicant will be removed from the waiting list.
Once a parent accepts an offer, links to online registration will be provided with a stated deadline. Enrollment is confirmed when registration is complete by the deadline AND approved by Live Oak Charter, usually about two weeks after acceptance.
Registration information includes:
Once a parent declines an offer, they forfeit their spot and can reapply later that school year or in subsequent school years.
Once a parent accepts an offer, links to online registration will be provided with a stated deadline. Enrollment is confirmed when registration is complete by the deadline AND approved by Live Oak Charter, usually about two weeks after acceptance.
Registration information includes:
- Enrollment form
- Emergency Contact information form
- Immunization record & and for Kindergartener's, a health assessment (to be completed by your medical professional)
- Home language survey form
- Permission to use student work in media form
- Copy of child’s birth certificate
- One proof of residency if a residency preference group was selected in the application
Once a parent declines an offer, they forfeit their spot and can reapply later that school year or in subsequent school years.
Multiples Policy
Families applying for enrollment of multiples for the same grade must complete separate applications for each child. Each application will be entered in the lottery process as individual students but with the indication that the student has a multiple also applying for the same grade.
- During the lottery process, if one of the multiples is chosen, the other multiples will be placed on the lottery list immediately after the first multiples’ name.
- If a class spot is offered to one multiple and not the other(s), the same time frame for accepting the spot and participating in the enrollment process is required in order to reserve that spot.
Grade Assignment & Birthdates
As a school guided by the Core Principles of Public Waldorf Education, Live Oak's curriculum follows a developmental model that is directly linked to the age of the student. Students will be considered for the lottery in each class according to the chart below. Parental concerns about potential grade placement need to be addressed at least one week prior to application deadline. Send your concerns in writing to the Enrollment Coordinator for approval by the Executive Director.
2024-2025 School Year
Grade Assignment |
Age by Date |
TKindergarten (2-year) |
5 by June 2, 2025 |
Kindergarten (1-year) |
5 by June 1, 2024 |
First Grade |
6 by June 1, 2024 |
Second Grade |
7 by June 1, 2024 |
Third Grade |
8 by June 1, 2024 |
Fourth Grade |
9 by June 1, 2024 |
Fifth Grade |
10 by June 1, 2024 |
Sixth Grade |
11 by June 1, 2024 |
Seventh Grade |
12 by June 1, 2024 |
8th Grade |
13 by June 1, 2024 |
2025-2026 School Year
Grade Assignment |
Age by Date |
Kindergarten (2-year) |
4 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Kindergarten (1-year) |
5 by Sept 1, 2025 |
First Grade |
6 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Second Grade |
7 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Third Grade |
8 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Fourth Grade |
9 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Fifth Grade |
10 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Sixth Grade |
11 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Seventh Grade |
12 by Sept 1, 2025 |
8th Grade |
13 by Sept 1, 2025 |
Vaccination Requirements for New & Continued Enrollment
Immunization records that meet the California state requirement are required as a part of the new registration. A student's registration cannot be finalized until immunization records are received. Immunizations must be completed and proof of same provided to LOCS by the indicated registration deadline. A failure to provide immunization records by the deadline will be deemed incomplete registration and the student’s offer of admission will be withdrawn and the student will lose their spot at LOCS.
All families are required to be in compliance with SB277 and SB276.
They apply to all students who are :
If your child is not fully immunized prior to enrollment, CDPH regulations allow for “conditional admission.” What this requires is:
Continued attendance after conditional admission is contingent upon documentation of receipt of the remaining required immunizations. If a student is “conditionally admitted” and does not receive the remaining doses when due, the law states that the student must be excluded from attending school.
Full details of the CDPH Immunization Requirements can be found at: www.shotsforschool.org
All families are required to be in compliance with SB277 and SB276.
They apply to all students who are :
- Entering TK/Kindergarten for the first time, or
- Entering 7th Grade, or
- Transferring from out-of state, or
- Do not have a Medical Exemption (ME) on file with a California school or
- Have a previous medical exemption (ME) or personal belief exemption (PBE) but are entering a new grade span (TK/K or 7th grade)
If your child is not fully immunized prior to enrollment, CDPH regulations allow for “conditional admission.” What this requires is:
- Your child receives at least the first dose of all required vaccines prior to admission;
- Your child not be currently due for any doses at the time of admission; and
- Your child completes all the remaining doses when they become due in accordance with the official “Conditional Admission Immunization Schedule for Grade K-12.”
Continued attendance after conditional admission is contingent upon documentation of receipt of the remaining required immunizations. If a student is “conditionally admitted” and does not receive the remaining doses when due, the law states that the student must be excluded from attending school.
Full details of the CDPH Immunization Requirements can be found at: www.shotsforschool.org
Questions
If you have questions during the application and admission process, please contact:
Enrollment Coordinator or (707) 762-9020 ext 4
Non Discrimination Admission Policy
As a public charter school committed to diversity and community health, Live Oak does not discriminate in its
admission of students on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or economic status.
Charter School Complaint
Notice & Form
If you have questions during the application and admission process, please contact:
Enrollment Coordinator or (707) 762-9020 ext 4
Non Discrimination Admission Policy
As a public charter school committed to diversity and community health, Live Oak does not discriminate in its
admission of students on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or economic status.
Charter School Complaint
Notice & Form