Small classes, inspiring teachers, field trips, and hands-on learning projects make the Environmental Charter Schools experience safe, dynamic and fun – but don’t just take our word for it.

Environmental Charter Schools are public, free, and open to all. We have a 96% college acceptance rate. We are committed to providing the appropriate support for your child so they can reach their full potential. We partner with families so you are part of your child’s education. Together, we are reimagining public education for youth in Los Angeles.

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ENROLLMENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Environmental Charter High School – Lawndale

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE NOW

ENROLLMENT OPENS: OCTOBER 5, 2021
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 11, 2022
LOTTERY DATE: MARCH 15, 2022

ECHS Information & Applying for 22/23 Presentation

APPLY NOW
ECHS – LAWNDALE
ONLINE ENROLLMENT
2022-2023

Upcoming Information Sessions for the 22/23 School Year

Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 5:30PM (virtual via zoom) – RSVP here to receive the zoom event link

CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLAINT NOTICE & FORM (English) / AVISO DE QUEJAS Y FORMULARIO DE CHARTER SCHOOL (Spanish)

Environmental Charter High School – Gardena

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE NOW

ENROLLMENT OPENS: OCTOBER 5, 2021
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 14, 2022
LOTTERY DATE: MARCH 14, 2022

ECHS Information & Applying for 22/23 Presentation

APPLY NOW
ECHS – GARDENA
ONLINE ENROLLMENT
2022-2023

Upcoming Information Sessions for the 22/23 School Year

Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 5:30PM (virtual via zoom) – RSVP here to receive the zoom event link

CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLAINT NOTICE & FORM (English) / AVISO DE QUEJAS Y FORMULARIO DE CHARTER SCHOOL (Spanish)

Environmental Charter Middle School – Gardena

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE NOW

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 5, 2022
LOTTERY DATE: MARCH 26, 2022

APPLYLA
ECMS – GARDENA
ONLINE ENROLLMENT
2022-2023

CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLAINT NOTICE & FORM (English)

AVISO DE QUEJAS Y FORMULARIO DE CHARTER SCHOOL (Spanish)

Environmental Charter Middle School – Inglewood

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE NOW

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 5, 2022
LOTTERY DATE: MARCH 26, 2022

APPLY NOW
ECMS – INGLEWOOD
ONLINE ENROLLMENT
2022-2023

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

Reserve your spot by completing this form

January 25th at 9:00 am

Feb. 8th at 9:00 am

Feb. 22nd at 9:00 am

CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLAINT NOTICE & FORM (English) / AVISO DE QUEJAS Y FORMULARIO DE CHARTER SCHOOL (Spanish)

As a public school, Environmental Charter Schools does not discriminate on the basis of the characteristics listed in Education Code Section 220 (actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, immigration status, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code, or association with an individual who has any of the aforementioned characteristics).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Enrollment

All Environmental Charter Schools are FREE public schools.  They are not private schools.

All California students are eligible to attend charter schools pursuant to state and federal law. There are no admission requirements. To indicate your interest,  submit a lottery application form available here.

If Environmental Charter Schools (ECS) receives more lottery applications during the application period than spots available at our school(s), we are required by law to hold a blind lottery to determine which students will have the opportunity to attend. After the lottery each year, we maintain a waiting list at each school and will enroll more students as spots become available.

ECMS-Inglewood: March 5, 2022

ECMS-Gardena: TBD

ECHS-Gardena: February 14, 2022

ECHS-Lawndale: February 11, 2022

To be eligible to participate in the enrollment lottery, you must complete the lottery application by the deadline. Join us for an informational meeting to learn about our schools.

The lottery dates are as follows:

ECMS-Inglewood: March 26, 2022

ECMS-Gardena: TBD

ECHS-Lawndale: March 15, 2022

ECHS-Gardena: March 14, 2022

If Environmental Charter Schools (ECS) receives more student applications than spots available at our school(s), we are required by law to hold a blind lottery to determine which students will have the opportunity to attend. After the lottery each year, we maintain a waiting list at each school and will admit more students as spots become available.

Environmental Charter Schools (ECS) does not charge an application fee or tuition.

Yes. To apply to both middle schools or high schools, simply turn in two applications.

Some students receive a preference/priority in admissions. Based on our charters and state and federal laws, applications for the lottery are collected , sorted by preference order and placed in the appropriate lottery.

Middle School: Lottery preferences at both our middle schools are for siblings who are currently attending the middle school and for ECS employees.  

ECHS-Lawndale: Lottery preferences for ECHS Lawndale are as follows: 

  • Pupils who reside in LESD attendance area not to exceed 50%  
  • Siblings of students admitted to or attending ECHS not to exceed 20% 
  • Children of current employees of ECS not to exceed 10% 
  • Students matriculating from ECMS-Gardena and ECMS-Inglewood
  • All other students  

ECHS-Gardena Preferences: Enrollment preferences for ECHS Gardena are applied in the following order:

  • Residents of the Los Angeles Unified School District
  • Siblings of students admitted to or attending ECHS not to exceed 20% 
  • Children of current employees of ECS not to exceed 10% 
  • Students matriculating from ECMS-Gardena and ECMS-Inglewood
  • All other students

Preferences are applied in the order listed.

No, your student’s enrollment at one of ECS’ middle schools does not guarantee their spot at either ECHS high school.  Your student will have to apply for the high school lottery. Your student will have a preference in the ECHS lottery as described under preferences above. The preference, we hope, will make it a little easier for your student to gain admission.  

All families who submitted an application to the lottery will be notified of the lottery results by email/text (or by postal mail if no email/phone number is on file)  within one week of the lottery. The notification will indicate whether your student was admitted or waitlisted, and, if waitlisted, the number the child is on the waiting list.

Please call us at the following numbers if you have questions regarding your student’s application status:

Environmental Charter High School-Lawndale (ECHS-L) — 310-214-3400

Environmental Charter High School-Gardena (ECHS-G) — apply@ecsonline.org

Environmental Charter Middle School-Gardena — 310-425-1605

Environmental Charter Middle School-Inglewood — 310-793-0157

When students are offered enrollment to an ECS School, the offer will include the steps the family must take and a timeline to complete the online registration packet.  If there is no response to the notification within 5 business days, ECS will follow up with a phone call. If the offer is not accepted, or there is no response by the date indicated on the offer notification, the student(s) will forfeit enrollment for that school year and your spot will be given to another student. 

Applicants not admitted through the lotteries have their names placed on a waiting list in the order drawn during the lotteries and according to their priorities. ECS notifies wait-listed applicants immediately as space becomes available. Families do not need to be present on lottery night.

Siblings of currently attending students receive an enrollment preference only for the ECS school that the sibling attends. Your student will not receive a preference for a different ECS school.

Current high school students applying for 10th through 12th grades are “transfer” students who desire to transfer to our schools. The application process is the same as that for other students. Please submit an application to the lottery for the appropriate grade.  Also, please note that since ECHS grading policies and graduation requirements may not be the same as your student’s current high school, we encourage you to contact Miguel Gamez at Miguel_Gamez@ecsonline.org to review your student’s transcript and ensure your student is applying to the correct grade.

Current middle school students applying for 7th or 8th grade are “transfer” students who desire to transfer to our schools. The application process is the same as that for other students. Please submit an application to the lottery for the appropriate grade.  

Students with IEPs and students with disabilities are enrolled using the same lottery process.  Moreover, ECS will never ask for any identifying information about your students until you have been accepted and have begun the enrollment process.  

Yes. All students must be immunized. On June 30, 2015, Governor Brown signed into law, SB 277, California’s new immunization law requiring that school children be vaccinated and eliminating the personal beliefs exemption.

Instruction will begin in mid-August 2021. Please check back in the spring for the exact date.

No. All California students are eligible to attend charter schools. They do not need permits or releases to attend a charter school. However, there may be some paperwork required by your district to complete the enrollment process and obtain student records.

When there are spaces available, students may periodically be enrolled during the fall semester and through the beginning of the second semester in late January. In order to be considered for mid-year enrollment, you must have a Lottery Application on file with us.

If we are filling a space and your name is next on the list, we will call you at the phone numbers you have provided on your application. Please provide working numbers and contact us if your phone number changes. You will have until noon the next business day to respond before we move on to the next name on the list.  See here for more details.

No. For each new school year, you must reapply. There is no priority list for former waiting list families.

Once accepted, your student will have a space at the school they are attending for the duration of their time at that school. Families will be asked to complete a Continuing Enrollment application via the SchoolMint system in the spring of each year in order to confirm their wish to have their student continue at their current school.

For additional information about ECS see FAQs here.