School learning environment
Lottery Preferences

Understanding OCS Enrollment Lottery Preferences

Not sure if your family qualifies for lottery preference? This page explains each preference category, who qualifies, and what preference actually means for your application.
Students in a diverse classroom
Overview

Why Lottery Preferences Exist

Delaware state law permits charter schools to apply a limited set of preferences in their lottery. OCS follows these exactly as defined by law. These preferences exist to protect specific family circumstances while keeping the process open and fair for everyone.

Here is the plain language reason each applies:

Founding Members

Helped establish OCS as an institution. Their children's preference is capped by law at 5% of available seats.

Employee Children

Reflect that OCS staff dedicate their careers to the school. They may enroll their children with preference, subject to continued employment.

Siblings

Keep brothers and sisters together in the same school. Reducing family disruption is a widely recognized priority in public school enrollment nationwide.

General Lottery

The vast majority of OCS seats are filled through the general lottery, where every complete, on time application has an equal chance.

The Sequence

The Preference Order

Preferences are applied in this exact order, as required by Delaware law.

1

Children of Founding Members

Founding members are the individuals who established Odyssey Charter School. This preference is strictly limited by state law to a maximum of 5% of available seats per grade.

2

Children of Current Full Time Employees

Applies to children of employees who will remain employed at OCS the following school year. After the lottery, new children via adoption/marriage or children of newly hired employees may be added to the end of this waitlist section.

3

Siblings of Enrolled Students

Applies to siblings of returning OCS students. Includes biological/adopted siblings, step siblings in the same household, and foster children in the same household.

4

Siblings of Newly Accepted Students

Applies only if the newly accepted sibling accepts their invitation. Waitlist positions are established post-lottery and do not change based on later sibling admissions.

General Lottery

All Other Applicants

All remaining complete, on time applications are entered into the general lottery equally. No other preferences apply. Every complete application is considered before general lottery applicants. The preference categories above represent a small portion of available seats.

Students learning or playing
Expectations

What Preference Means And What It Does Not

Having preference means your application is considered before general lottery applicants. It does not mean a guaranteed seat. If seats are not available at your child's grade level, preference does not create a seat. Your application is simply placed on the waitlist ahead of general lottery applicants.

All applications, including those with preference, are valid for one school year only. Waitlists do not carry over year to year. Families must reapply during each open enrollment period.

We know this can be disappointing for families who expected a guaranteed outcome. We encourage every family, preference eligible or not, to apply each year and stay engaged with the waitlist.

No Guarantees

Preference gives your application priority in the line, but it cannot create a seat where one does not exist. A full grade level remains full regardless of preference status.

Does Not Carry Over

No application—with or without preference—rolls over to the next year. If you do not receive a seat, you must reapply in the next open enrollment cycle.

Definitions

Who Counts as a Sibling?

Odyssey Charter School recognizes that families come in many forms. Here is how "sibling" is formally defined for lottery purposes.

Qualifies for Preference

  • Biological or adopted siblings
  • Step siblings residing in the same household, defined as children of a step parent by a legally recognized marriage other than with one's own biological parent
  • Foster children residing in the same household

Does Not Qualify

  • Step siblings living in different households
Students learning together

Important Clarification on Waitlist Timing

Once the lottery concludes, waitlist positions are established and do not change based on later sibling admissions. If a sibling is accepted after the lottery closes, this does not affect existing waitlist positions.

If you are unsure whether your family qualifies, please contact admissions@odyssey.k12.de.us before applying.

Students thinking
Answers & Clarity

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Preference gives your application priority in the lottery, but it does not guarantee a seat. If seats are not available at your child's grade level, preference does not create a seat. Your application is considered before general lottery applicants.
Yes. Children of newly hired employees may be added to the end of the employee preference section of the waitlist after the lottery concludes.
No. Your newly accepted child's sibling qualifies for Priority 4 sibling preference only if the newly accepted child accepts their invitation. If they decline, the sibling preference no longer applies.
No. Once the lottery concludes, waitlist positions are established and do not change due to later sibling admissions.
Step siblings qualify for sibling preference only if they reside in the same household. Step siblings in different households do not qualify under OCS lottery criteria.
Parents and children studying

Have Questions About Your Specific Situation?

Every family's situation is a little different. If you have a question about preference eligibility that this page has not answered, our admissions team is here to help.

Apply Now at SchoolChoiceDE.orgReview the Full Enrollment Timeline