Enrollment Policy
Welcome to Sankofa Montessori
Sankofa Montessori is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
We are currently:
- Accepting applications for the 2027–2028 school year.
- Enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year based on available seats
Sankofa Montessori abides by all applicable federal and state laws regarding enrollment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.
Official Attendance Zone
The official attendance zone of Sankofa Montessori includes any residence within the State of Georgia.
2027–2028 Enrollment Dates
| Applications Open | October 5, 2026 |
| Lottery | February 5, 2027 at 10:00 AM |
| Registration Opens | February 16, 2027 |
| Registration Closes | May 28, 2027 |
| Re-Registration Opens | February 16, 2027 |
| Re-Registration Closes | August 6, 2027 |
Applications
- Applications are completed online through SchoolMint.
- Families applying for the current 2026–2027 school year or the upcoming 2027–2028 school year should select the appropriate school year within their SchoolMint account.
- Parents or guardians who need assistance accessing or completing the online application should contact Sankofa Montessori at enroll@sankofamontessori.org.
- Submitting an application does not guarantee enrollment. Enrollment is based on seat availability and, when necessary, Sankofa Montessori's lottery and waitlist procedures.
Enrollment Eligibility & Criteria
- PROOF OF GEORGIA RESIDENCE - Any student who resides with a parent or legal guardian in the State of Georgia and provides timely and valid proof of Georgia residency is eligible to apply for enrollment, except as otherwise provided by law or Sankofa Montessori's enrollment policies. Acceptable proof of residency may include:
- Current lease or rental agreement
- Property tax notice
- Homeowner's insurance bill
- Mortgage statement no more than 30 days old
- Current vehicle registration
- Current utility bill for water, power, or gas showing the residence as the service address
- Letter from a shelter
- Letter from an employer when the employer provides housing
If the parent or guardian is not the property owner or lessee and the family resides with another individual who owns or rents the residence, a Notarized Affidavit of Residency and supporting documentation will be required.
- PROOF OF AGE - Students enrolling in Kindergarten must turn five years old by September 1 of the year they are enrolling. Students enrolling in 1st grade must turn six years old by September 1 of the year they are enrolling. Acceptable proof of age includes:
- Birth certificate
- Certified medical records
- Certified school records
- Passport
- Adoption record
- Religious record
Additional Enrollment Considerations
Sankofa Montessori may restrict enrollment in circumstances permitted under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-751.2, including when:
- A student is currently subject to a disciplinary order in another school or school district, including a long-term suspension or expulsion, or the conduct resulting in that action would be an offense for which suspension or expulsion could be imposed under Sankofa Montessori's discipline policies; or
- A student has been convicted of or adjudicated to have committed an offense designated as a felony act under applicable Georgia law.
In these circumstances, the family will meet with the Head of School to review the circumstances and determine whether the student may enroll.
Sankofa Montessori does not establish additional enrollment criteria beyond those permitted by applicable law and its approved enrollment policies.
Enrollment Priority
Sankofa Montessori provides allowable enrollment preferences consistent with its charter and applicable Charter School Program requirements.
Sibling Preference
A sibling of a student already admitted to or attending Sankofa Montessori may receive enrollment preference.
For purposes of enrollment, siblings include children who share at least one common biological or legal parent, including:
- Biological siblings who share parents
- Half-siblings who share one parent
- Step-siblings who share a parent through marriage, including where the marriage later ended through death or dissolution
- Children who share a parent or parents through adoption or guardianship
- Foster children awaiting permanent placement
Same-Grade Siblings
- Same-grade siblings will be treated as one applicant unit during the lottery rather than as separate applicants.
- When the applicant unit is selected, the same-grade siblings will be conditionally accepted or ordered on the waitlist based on where the applicant unit was selected during the lottery.
- Siblings of current students must still submit an application during the open enrollment period to receive sibling preference.
Children of Founders, Teachers, and Staff
- Children of eligible Sankofa Montessori founders, teachers, and staff may receive enrollment preference, provided the total number of students admitted through this preference remains within applicable limits.
- For enrollment purposes, a founder is defined as a member of the Sankofa team who served as an employee of Sankofa Montessori or on its Board during the school's founding year, School Year 2023–2024.
- If a parent or guardian later separates from employment with Sankofa Montessori or concludes service on the governing board, established enrollment policies will apply to future students. This will not affect the enrollment status of a student who is already enrolled.
Lottery
If the number of eligible applications exceeds the number of available seats within a grade level, Sankofa Montessori will conduct a random public lottery to fill available seats.
2027–2028 Lottery
Friday, February 5, 2027
10:00 AM
Virtual
- The lottery will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
- Families and applicants do not have to attend the lottery to be considered for enrollment or to receive an enrollment offer.
- Sankofa Montessori uses a computer-generated randomization process to conduct the lottery.
- Once available seats are filled, the lottery process will continue to establish the order of students on the waitlist.
Waitlist
- Students who are not offered a seat during the lottery will be placed on the waitlist based on the order established through the lottery process.
- Families will be notified of their student's waitlist position after the lottery.
- Sankofa Montessori will maintain accurate records of the order of the waitlist.
- Students who are not offered seats will remain on the waitlist for the applicable school year unless a parent or guardian requests that the student be removed.
- Waitlists do not carry over from one school year to the next. Families who remain on a waitlist at the end of the school year must submit a new application if they wish to be considered for enrollment for the following school year.
Notification of Enrollment Offers
- Families selected for enrollment will receive their offer in writing by email.
- All applicable deadlines will be communicated to families throughout the enrollment, lottery, and registration process.
- Families must accept or decline an enrollment offer within three calendar days.
- If a parent or guardian does not accept or decline the offer within the three-calendar-day window, the offer may be considered declined and the seat may be offered to the next eligible student.
Applications Received After the Annual Lottery
- Sankofa Montessori will continue accepting applications after the annual lottery and throughout the school year.
- If a grade level has reached capacity, applications received after the lottery will be added to the end of the existing waitlist in the order received.
- If a grade level has available seats, eligible applicants may be offered enrollment in the order completed applications are received.
- If additional seats become available after the lottery, students will be offered seats based on their position on the applicable waitlist and any allowable enrollment preferences.
Registration & Forfeiture of Seat
Receiving and accepting an enrollment offer does not complete the registration process. Families must submit all required registration documents by the deadlines communicated by Sankofa Montessori.
2027–2028 Registration
Registration Opens: February 16, 2027
Registration Closes: May 28, 2027
- Families who fail to complete registration or provide all required documentation by the applicable deadline may forfeit their student's seat.
- If a seat is forfeited, Sankofa Montessori may offer the seat to the next eligible student.
Re-Registration for Current Sankofa Students
- Students currently attending Sankofa Montessori who have not withdrawn during the school year do not need to submit a new application or participate in the lottery to return for the following school year.
- Current families must complete Sankofa Montessori's annual re-registration process.
2027–2028 Re-Registration
Opens: February 16, 2027
Closes: August 6, 2027
- Families may also be asked to complete an intent-to-return survey to help Sankofa Montessori determine the number of available seats for the upcoming school year.
Enrollment Checklist
Once an enrollment offer has been accepted, families should prepare the following documents.
| Required Documents | |
Families may be asked to provide a student's Social Security number for identity verification purposes. Providing a Social Security number is voluntary. A student will not be denied enrollment for declining to provide or apply for a Social Security number.
Immunization Requirements Students attending K–12 public schools must have a current Certificate of Immunization — DPH Form 3231 on file as required by Georgia law. Applicable exemptions include:
Additional Documents — If Applicable Depending on the student's individual circumstances, families may also need to provide:
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| Required Proof of Residency | |
| Residency documentation must show the applicable residence address. A P.O. Box cannot be used as a residence address. Please review the living situations HERE and provide the documentation that applies to your household. | |
| Living Situation #1: You Own Your Home If you own and live in the residence, provide documentation showing the property address, such as: |
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| Living Situation #2: You Rent Your Home If you rent and live in the residence, provide: |
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| Living Situation #3: You Live With Another Person If the student and parent/guardian live in a home owned or rented by another person, additional documentation is required. |
From the Owner or Primary Renter:
From the Parent/Guardian:
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| What Can I Use as a Supporting Residency Document? | |
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Depending on your living situation, acceptable supporting documents may include:
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School Tours
Come See Sankofa in Action!
Prospective families are encouraged to visit Sankofa Montessori and experience our school community before making their enrollment decision.
2027–2028 school tours begin October 26, 2026.
Tours are available:
- Fridays from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
- One-hour tour appointments
- Two Saturdays each month
Families may schedule their visit through our online Book a Tour link.
Applications will also be available on-site for families who would like assistance completing an application.
A school tour is encouraged but is not required to apply, enroll, or register at Sankofa Montessori.
Ready to Apply?
Whether you are looking for a seat this school year or planning ahead for 2027–2028, we would love to welcome your family to Sankofa Montessori.
Applications Now Open: 2027–2028 School Year
Currently Enrolling: 2026–2027 School Year
Questions?
For enrollment assistance, contact: enroll@sankofamontessori.org
We look forward to welcoming your passenger aboard!