Charter Public Schools

What You Need to Know

• Rhode Island charter public schools are free and open to the public.

• Information for every Rhode Island charter public school is provided in the Family Information Tool.

• RI offers a public school common application to make it easier for families to select and apply to many schools at once. Log in or create an account today.

How to Apply

Enrollment in a charter public school is nonselective and conducted by random lottery.

• Application Timeline:

  • 2025-26 Lottery Application Opens: November 19, 2024 @ 9am

  • 2025-26 Lottery Application Deadline: March 13, 2025 @ 5pm

  • 2025-26 Lottery runs on: April 1, 2025

• Who Should Apply: Families looking for a different school option or who have a new student should apply. Families planning to stay in their current charter public school should not re-apply.

• How to Choose: Use the Family Information Tool to search through the school choice options available to you. Some schools offer statewide eligibility while others serve a specific geographic area. Explore academic programs, compare schools and find more information within each school’s profile.

• What to Expect:

  • Once an account is created, “Add a Student” if the child is not already listed under “My Students” and select “Begin Application” to get started.

  • Log in to your account at any time by entering the email or mobile phone used to create the account and enter the verification code sent to you.

  • Application edits including changes to the schools selected can be made at any point up to the deadline.

  • Participating schools conduct their lotteries for all pre-lottery applicants on April 1st. Individual schools will reach out to applicants.

2025-2026 EnrollRI Common Application Participating Schools

• Achievement First

• Apprenticeship Exploration School (AES)

• Beacon Charter Schools

• Blackstone Academy Charter School (BACS)

• Blackstone Valley Prep

• Charette High School

• Excel Academy

• Highlander Charter Schools

• International Charter School

• Kingston Hill Academy

• Medical Preparatory Academy of Rhode Island**

• Nowell Leadership Academy*

• Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School

• Paul Cuffee School

• Providence Preparatory Charter School (PVD Prep)

• Rhode Island Nurses Institute (RINI)

• RISE Prep

• Segue Institute for Learning

• Southside Elementary Charter School

• The Compass School

• The Greene School

• The Hope Academy

• The Learning Community

• The Met High School*

• Times2 Academy

• Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (TAPA)

• Village Green Virtual

• YouthBuild Prep*

  *Other Public School

  **Pending final approval from the Rhode Island K-12 Council for 2025-26 school year.

What Charter Public Schools Offer Students

• Autonomy: Charter public schools are created and governed by independent boards, giving them flexibility in adopting specialized programming and approaches.

• Accountability: Charter public schools are held to strict accountability standards for meeting student achievement goals.

• Choice: Charter public schools provide choice for parents and students seeking alternatives to traditional public education.

Rhode Island’s charter public schools have the autonomy to meet each student’s unique goals and objectives.

Rhode Island charter schools are public schools authorized to operate independently from many state and local district regulations. This autonomy gives charter schools the flexibility to adopt creative approaches and unique programming, ensuring all children are given the individualized educational opportunities they need to learn, grow, and excel.

Learn more about charter school funding, accountability, educational vision, and more by visiting the Rhode Island Department of Education Website.