Five Things to Know About the 2026-27 KIPP Texas Student Lottery

What’s a student lottery? And what do you need to do before and after the lottery happens? Here are five things you need to know about our student lottery for the 2026-27 school year.

What is a Student Lottery?

KIPP Texas schools are free public charter schools open to all students. That means that any student, regardless of where they live, academic standing, or income, has an equal opportunity to be a KIPPster! It also means that sometimes we receive more applications than the spots that are available for each school or grade level. 

If the number of children interested in a specific grade at a KIPP Texas school exceeds the number of spots available for that grade, students are selected through a random, automated lottery process, and the remaining students will be placed on a waitlist.

When Will You Know If Your Student Is Accepted?

Mark your calendars for Monday, February 2, 2026, the day of the KIPP Texas student lottery for the 2026-27 school year. Families will receive notifications via their preferred communication method (text and/or email) on lottery day. No need for physical attendance; simply log into your SchoolMint account at 3 PM CST that day and beyond to check your child’s enrollment status.

Received an Offer? Yay! Here Are Your Next Steps:

Celebrate by promptly accepting and initiating the registration process in SchoolMint within one week. Offers expire within 10 days, so it’s important that you accept or decline your offer as soon as possible to secure your seat. Please ensure you also have the required documents ready for upload during the registration process. These include the student’s birth certificate, social security card (if applicable), immunization records, parent/guardian government-issued ID, proof of residency, and guardianship proof,  if applicable.

Waitlisted? Don’t worry.  Here’s What’s Next:

For those on the waitlist, there’s still an opportunity to be accepted to your KIPP Texas school of choice later. As additional spots become available throughout the spring as families review their enrollment status, waitlisted families will be notified of updates based on their waitlist order. The dynamic nature of the waitlist prioritizes siblings of current students and children of employees, followed by siblings of children who accepted an offer. Track your child’s status post-lottery by logging into your SchoolMint account.

Can Your Student Apply After the Lottery?

Absolutely! KIPP Texas accepts applications year-round. To be part of the lottery, ensure applications are submitted by the January 26, 2026 application deadline. Any applications received after this date will be automatically added to the waitlist in the order received. Act now, as the student application deadline for the 2026-27 lottery is approaching. 

Anything Else on Your To-Do List?

Certainly! Take these four steps right now: 

(1) Apply for each of your school-aged children not currently enrolled at KIPP Texas

(2) Keep your contact information updated in your SchoolMint account

(3) Sign up for a school tour here

(4) Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and essential updates. Now that you’re equipped with knowledge, seize the opportunity and apply today!

Have more questions? Email our student recruitment team at enroll.help@kipptexas.org.