Admissions

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About Charleston Charter School for Math and Science

The mission of the Charleston Charter School for Math and Science is to educate students for success in college and careers by providing an innovative learning environment that is academically excellent, developmentally responsive, and socially equitable.

Charleston Charter School for Math and Science (CCSMS) is a public charter school serving grades 6th through 12th. CCSMS was started in 2008 as South Carolina’s first STEM-focused middle-high charter school. Our faculty provides hands-on, experiential learning in a small, supportive environment. Students have opportunities to create unique pathways to success in college and careers.

Admissions requirements for CCSMS:

• Student is applying for 6th-12th grade.
• Student resides, or plans to reside, within Charleston County before July 1 if applying for the next academic year, or your child's first day of school if enrolling mid-year. (Residency will be verified prior to enrollment using CCSD's Residency Verification Document Requirements.)
• There are no admissions tests required for enrollment.
• No tuition is required. CCSMS is a public charter school.

Application:

The CCSMS applications and lottery process is separate from the CCSD School Choice process, though the school does fall under Charleston County School District and its policies. The online applications are available via our website only; paper copies will be available at the school Monday - Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm when school is in session. Note that the online and paper applications for the lottery will be available only during the lottery application window; waitlist applications are available year-round.

If the number of applications exceeds the number of openings in any grade, a lottery will be held for that grade.

 Admissions, Lottery, & Waitlist Process:     

• Submit a complete lottery application during the window as specified above (incomplete applications will not be accepted). If that window has passed, you must submit a waitlist application.
• Include a current email address and phone number for lottery and waitlist updates. It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to ensure current contact information is on file at all times. 
• Applications will be accepted online, by mail, and also at the school's front office as outlined above to be included in the lottery. Mailed applications must be postmarked by the application's closing date in order to be included in the lottery.
• Applications received after the lottery application closing date will be placed at the end of the grade level's waitlist in the order the application was received.
• A confirmation email will be sent to the email address on the application after submission.
• SC Law allows priority for siblings of CCSMS enrolled scholars (or enrolled for at least 1 academic year within the last 6 years), dependents of employees, dependents of active-duty military personnel, and dependents of the original charter committee, but all must apply through the same application process and indicate this priority on the application. Sibling priority applies ONLY to biological/adoptive siblings, step-siblings, and/or foster children, and ALL must reside in the same household. This will be verified prior to officially being moved to the priority waitlist using the child's/children's long-form birth certificate(s) and/or relevant legal documents. 
  • Siblings of current or past scholars (enrolled for at least 1 year within the last 6 years) must apply for admission through the lottery application to receive priority status; siblings of current or past scholars who apply after the lottery application closes will be waitlisted in the natural order of the waitlist.  
  • Siblings of scholars admitted in the same school year for which they are applying will be given priority admission status.  
• A public lottery will be held on campus on the date listed above.
• All applicants will be notified by email of a seat offer or waitlist number for their grade applied within 3 days of the lottery. If a seat is later offered to a child on the waitlist, the seat must be accepted within 3 full business days. If no response is received after the 3rd business day, the application will be withdrawn, the seat offer rescinded, and a new waitlist application must be submitted for reconsideration.
• If an applicant is retained in their current grade at their current school, the application will go to the end of the waitlist for the repeated grade. (For example, if your child applies for the 9th grade, is accepted to the 9th grade by lottery, and subsequently is retained for the 8th grade at the end of the current school year, the application will go to the end of the 8th grade waiting list.)
• Please contact the Admissions Office if you need help completing the application at Admissions@CharlestonMathScience.org.

Student Appeals Process:

Students denied admission for reasons other than lottery results may appeal that decision to the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees. The appeal shall be in writing and state the grounds on which it is based. The decision of the Charleston County School District School Board shall be binding and final without right of appeal (Section 59-40-50(C) (1)).