2025-2026 Lottery Waitlist Updates?

[Anonymous]

Hi!

I was wondering if anyone had an idea when the waitlists will start to update for schools? My belief was that after the May 1st deadline, we’d see a wave of changes but as of this morning that’s not the case.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Yes, some movement after the deadline and then things are quiet again until the first few weeks of school when they see who actually shows up.

[Anonymous]

After the May 1 deadline, schools take stock of their enrollment and decide what offers to make. That will happen today and early next week. Then they make some offers and people get about a week to respond. So about two weeks from now when those offers expire, is when you'll start to notice movement.

[Anonymous]

People on waitlists get a surprisingly long time to respond to openings, which seems to make the process slower than you'd think it would be.

[Anonymous]

what schools? expect some movement before schools close in june and a lot of movement the first week or so in august

[Anonymous]

It's pretty agonizing. There are four schools left on our list that made more offers off the waitlist last year and the year before it than our current waitlist position ...but that counts all offers made well into OCTOBER. Three of those schools have been updating piecemeal throughout the day today; for one of them, our number has gone up four spots in the past four hours.
The thought of five more months of this - and potentially getting an offer the first week of school somewhere else - is rough. Or being left as the #1 slot waiting (hey, someone has to be in that spot!)

[Anonymous]

It may also be helpful to know that while enrollment is a huge area of focus for schools, this is also the height of state testing when many schools are all-hands-on-deck for small groups, etc.

In our school, the operations team does all the enrollment too. They are all on CAPE duty this week and next.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It may also be helpful to know that while enrollment is a huge area of focus for schools, this is also the height of state testing when many schools are all-hands-on-deck for small groups, etc.

In our school, the operations team does all the enrollment too. They are all on CAPE duty this week and next.

This is very helpful to know, thanks. Like OP I was hoping to see some WL movement this week. I guess I need to just prepare myself that it’ll be August if it happens at all.

[Anonymous]

As someone looking at low waitlist number for a non-first entry year slot at a charter, I also only recently realized charters can have different reenrollment deadlines for current students. In my case, looks like June 1 is the more important deadline, since it is the reenrollment deadline (although who knows if/when there will be movement after that).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone looking at low waitlist number for a non-first entry year slot at a charter, I also only recently realized charters can have different reenrollment deadlines for current students. In my case, looks like June 1 is the more important deadline, since it is the reenrollment deadline (although who knows if/when there will be movement after that).

Good point -- for grades after the entry PK grade, reenrollment deadlines are probably more important. Anyone know when DCB's reenrollment deadline is?

[Anonymous]

Some of our waitlist numbers have moved in the wrong direction!

[Anonymous]

Pretty much none of my numbers have budged (for kindergarten)

[Anonymous]

We are (were) #1 on the waitlist inbound to our local elementary school pk-4. We’ve moved down to #2 twice, once before the May 1 deadline, and again today. Fun!

[Anonymous]

I just today turned down a match offered the first day. The school had not moved on from me even though I was past the enrollment deadline. For the reasons above, patience is key. I also felt the movement came rapidly in July/early August.

[Anonymous]

I'm here to report from the other side (one older elementary schooler and one middle schooler), that watching waitlist numbers slowly move up and down in the spring can drive you crazy. It can be frustrating to not get an offer until late summer or fall, but if it's gonna happen it will happen! You just need to think through how late is too late for you to jump.

As someone who's kids have moved as late a "Count Day" in October, it can be done and it can turn out ok. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. But will they settle in and be integrated before you know it? Yep.