Kindergarten, 1st - 6th Grade Charter School Enrollment Procedures
How the Charter Works
In our lower elementary classrooms. More photos»
Frequently asked questions by parents about charters and the Khalsa Montessori School
What is an Arizona charter school?
A charter school in Arizona is a publicly funded school operated through a charter approved by the State Board for Charter Schools, the Arizona Department of Education or a public school district. The Arizona Legislature passed a charter school law that created the first charter schools in 1995. Khalsa Montessori (KMS) was the first school approved by the State Board for Charter Schools in 1996 (the second year of the charter legislation).
What is in a charter school's charter?
The charter contains the school's history, goals, mission statement, educational philosophy, curriculum, assessments, organizational structure, operational and financial plan, special education policies, Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. The KMS charter is available for review in the Khalsa Montessori Administration Office.
Are there tuition or enrollment fees paid for charter school enrollment?
No, there are no tuition or enrollment fees. The school is paid by the state per child according to the students' attendance. KMS does have an activity fee for field trips, art supplies, and special programs. The current fee is $200/child per year for grades K-3 and $300/child per year for grades 4-6. There is a discount for lower income families. For charter kindergarten students, the Khalsa Montessori Primary School offers a full-day program for which private school tuition fees are charged.
When is a child eligible for the charter school?
Any child who is 5 years old before September 1st of a given school year is eligible for kindergarten enrollment. Any child who is 6 before September 1st is eligible for 1st grade enrollment.
How do I enroll my child in Khalsa Montessori Elementary?
Enrollment in KMS is first-come, first-served based on the date and time the enrollment application is received in the KMS office. A one-year waiting list is opened at the start of school year registration for next year's enrollment. Any current four-year-old child who will be five years old before the coming year September 1st may be signed up on the KMS waiting list after the opening of the KMS school year registration in late July. Call the office for KMS school year registration dates and times.
My child has a fall birth date and entered Khalsa Primary before age 3 or entered a kindergarten program before age 5, will he/she enter Khalsa kindergarten at age 4 and first grade at age 5?
No, children must be 5 before September 1st to be considered Khalsa kindergarten students and 6 before September 1st to be first grade students. Over our 30-year history we have consistently seen the advantage of not pushing a child ahead. This is for social and emotional, as well as academic reasons.
Do Khalsa Primary children have priority for enrollment into KMS?
No, because of state open enrollment laws, we accept all students on a first-come, first-served basis. Families of current Khalsa primary 4-year old students are encouraged to get their kindergarten application to the school office as soon as possible after the opening of the waiting list for the child’s kindergarten year.
Is kindergarten private or charter?
Khalsa Montessori Elementary School (charter) contracts kindergarten education to Khalsa Primary School (Private). Khalsa is currently offering half-day (12:30pm-3:00pm) charter kindergarten at no charge. The charter school supplements the morning kindergarten program, thereby lessening the parents’ fees, with addition full-day kindergarten funds received from the state.
Are Khalsa Montessori Elementary School and Khalsa Primary one or two schools?
Khalsa Montessori School is one school with one educational philosophy, Montessori curriculum, administration, newsletter, and Parent Teacher Organization. Operationally, it functions in two ways: 1) as a charter elementary; and 2) as a private primary school. The charter school is a 501-c-3 non-profit Arizona corporation that is separate from the private school. It has its own KMS Board of Directors.
Is there any difference in curriculum between the private primary and the charter elementary school?
No, changes in expectations and curriculum content, from one level to the next, are a natural part of the Montessori approach, meeting the needs of students at different developmental stages.
How does the charter school fund classroom materials, land purchases, and building improvements?
Charter schools are paid a monthly per child allotment by the state for charter students enrolled. At the beginning of our charter, state stimulus funds funded about 1/10th of our initial startup costs. KMS has funded land purchases and building improvements primarily through loans. We have received no state or federal funds for building purchases and improvements after the initial startup funds. Unlike district schools, we have monthly mortgage payments. Classroom material purchases as with building improvements are paid primarily through the school general fund. Donations and Khalsa PTO fundraising has also assists KMS with classroom material purchases and building improvements.
Are there any state requirements that effect how we run the elementary charter school?
All charter schools are required to follow state financial, procurement, open meeting, open enrollment and special education laws. We are also required to submit a variety of financial and data collection reports and have a student database that is compliant with the state SAIS (Student Accountability Information System) system. All students, grades 2-6, are required to take the yearly AIMS DPA or Terra Nova test.
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