Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system.
It may feel like the school year just started, but education officials in Newark are already encouraging families to think about next year.
The open enrollment period for Newark Public Schools and city charter schools began on Nov. 2. The public school district held an “all schools fair” on that day for families to learn more about their options, including specialized schools across the city.
Parents also can find videos with more information about programs offered at district schools on the Newark Enrolls website. This year, 10 charter schools — which are free, independently operated public schools — are not participating in Newark Enrolls. Families must apply separately to those schools by using the Newark Common App.
Chalkbeat put together an application guide with key information on this year’s enrollment process. Here’s what Newark families need to know:
How do I apply?
Parents must apply for a school if their child is enrolling for the first time, wants to switch schools, or is in the final grade of their current school –– for example, a preschooler who will start kindergarten next fall, or an eighth grader who will be starting high school.
Families who want to enroll in any of Newark Public Schools’ 60-plus traditional, specialized, or magnet schools will use the Newark Enrolls application, which uses SchoolMint to run the application process. If you don’t have a SchoolMint account, you can create one on the Newark Enrolls website.
From there, parents will be asked to complete a series of forms with questions about their student before selecting a preferred school. Parents can apply to up to eight schools, which families rank in order of preference on their application online.
A full list of participating schools and videos are available on the Newark Enrolls website or in this guidebook. The application also offers one charter school option for elementary students, New Horizons Community Charter School.
Families have until Feb. 7, 2025, to submit a Newark Enrolls application, and school match letters will be released on April 18, 2025.
Last school year, 82% of kindergarten families got their first choice and 82.5% of ninth graders were matched to one of their top three choices, according to Newark Enrolls FAQs. The only reason a Newark student would not get into his or her first choice would be if the school does not have enough seats for all applicants, according to the district. At that point, students will be matched with their highest-ranked school with available seats.
For admission into one of the district’s six magnet schools, schools will rank applicants based on standardized test scores, grades, and attendance. Some schools may also require an audition or interview process.
Charter school applications
Those looking to enroll in city charter schools will use the Newark Common App, a new platform launched in 2022 by the New Jersey Children’s Foundation, a charter-aligned nonprofit. Similar to Newark Enrolls, the Newark Common App features a centralized application, lottery, and waitlist process, but it may feel different for families accustomed to one application process for both traditional public and charter schools.
The process can be completed in 5-10 minutes and families can apply to up to five schools, according to the application’s FAQs. The application’s computer-based lottery system will assign students to the highest choice on their list with space available, similar to Newark Enrolls. The first application phase ends on March 17, 2025, and parents can apply and edit applications anytime during that window.
If parents miss Phase 1, families can apply during Phase 2 starting on March 4, 2025. Those applications are processed on a rolling basis.
There are no documentation requirements to create or submit a Newark Common App application. In previous years, families had to prove they lived in the city before applying, but now, parents must register their child with Newark Public Schools before formally enrolling in a matched school, according to the application’s FAQs. Families who applied by the end of Phase 1 will be notified of their school offer on April 10, 2025.
You can find more information about the 10 schools participating in the Newark Common App online.
Families can also use My Schools Newark, created by the charter-aligned New Jersey Children’s Foundation, to search for any school in the city, regardless of which application process it is under. The Newark Enrolls search feature only has information on schools that take part in the platform.
Bilingual and special education
Students who have an individualized education program, or IEP, and require special education services may receive a preference to be matched to a school of their choice that provides the services required by their IEP, according to Newark Public Schools. The Newark Enrolls guidebook provides a full list of schools offering bilingual, English as a second language, and special education programs.
Under New Jersey law, charter schools are also required to serve any student who is matched to them, including students who need special education or multi-lingual services.
Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
