Luis Mena,
Chief Financial Officer
Families interested in enrolling students in pre-K through 12th grade at one of YES Prep Public Schools’ 26 campuses for the 2024-2025 school year can sign up for the new student lottery 24 hours a day beginning Friday, Oct. 13. All YES Prep schools are tuition-free and open to all children with no special admissions requirements.
For 25 years, YES Prep — one of the fastest growing and highest performing public charter school systems in the U.S. — has served students in grades 6-12, making high-quality education accessible to neighborhoods that historically were left out. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as having some of the best schools in the nation, YES Prep began opening elementary schools in 2020 to provide the same quality education to families with younger children.
YES Prep continues to expand and plans to open a record three new elementary schools next school year: Hobby Elementary, Southwest Oaks Elementary and North Rankin Elementary. YES Prep plans to have 10 elementary schools to serve 10,000 Houston children in pre-K through fifth grade by 2025.
“We are redefining what’s possible in public education, equipping students with the tools they need to excel in elementary school, secondary school, college, careers and beyond,” YES Prep CEO Mark DiBella said. “At YES Prep, we believe every student can graduate college-ready, and that starts in pre-K. Our passionate educators, who are the best in their field, provide personalized instruction and work with families to make that happen for each student.”
To enroll at YES Prep, families sign up for a randomized, automated lottery, which is used when there are more students interested in attending a school than available classroom space. The lottery application is open 24/7 from Oct. 13 through Feb. 18. Submissions received after Feb. 18 will be automatically waitlisted and offered seats as they become available. Families will learn the lottery’s results on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.
In addition to robust academic and extracurricular programs, all YES Prep campuses provide free meals, electronic devices, transportation, special education, English language learning, and access to healthcare, mental health and other student support services.
YES Prep encourages parents and guardians to apply as soon as the lottery window opens to have the best chance to attend a YES Prep school. Families seeking additional information are invited to call 713-967-9000 or visit yesprep.org/sayYES.
