What is the Newark Common App and What Schools Are Participating?

Newark Common App is a new school application and enrollment process that is available to all Newark families looking to access some of our city’s great school options. The schools participating for the 2022-23 enrollment cycle include:

Achieve Community Charter School
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
KIPP Newark Public Schools
Marion P. Thomas Charter School
North Star Academy
People’s Preparatory Charter School
Philip’s Academy Charter School

The new state-of-the-art enrollment portal will better serve Newark families by providing a quick, seamless and transparent enrollment process that promotes equity and access.

How is this different from Newark Enrolls?

Similar to Newark Enrolls, the Newark Common App will feature a centralized application, lottery, and waitlist. However, the new portal will provide Newark families and schools additional services such as: a quicker and easier application for families which can be completed in 5-10 minutes – all you need to apply is a phone number or email address; new customer service approaches; policies that support access to the schools of your choice; and a transparent data sharing and school lottery system with a state-of-the-art lottery that matches students to the highest possible choice with space available and includes preferences for English Languages Learners, Special Education students, and families experiencing homelessness.

What do I need to apply to schools using the Newark Common App?

All you need to do is to log-on, complete an application, and submit. There are no documentation requirements to create or submit an application. You can apply to up to 5 schools on this application. Selecting more than one school increases your chances of receiving a match to a school of your choice. However, you do not have to select all 5 schools – please only select schools that you would like your child to attend.

How do I log in to the application?

You can access the application through a computer or mobile device. Once the application opens on December 1, 2022, you can just click on the “Apply Now” button on the Newark Common App homepage and that will take you to the login page. To create an account all you need is a phone number or email address.

Is the application first come, first served?

No – all applications submitted during the application window (December 1, 2022 – March 3, 2023) are considered together. You can apply or edit your application anytime during that window.

How can I get help with the application?

To reach the Newark Common App team, contact us at info@newarkcommonapp.org. Participating schools can also help you with your application – when the application opens we will provide contact information for all participating schools.

I have submitted an application, now what?

You are able to edit your application any time before the application submission deadline, which is on March 3, 2023. After this date, the Newark Common App team will take all submitted applications and run them through the lottery process. You will receive notification via email of your application results on April 10, 2023.

How are schools assigned once we’ve applied?

Our computer-based lottery will assign your student to the highest choice on your list with space available. You will receive one offer based on the ranked list of schools you apply to and the number of seats available in these schools. If there is not enough space for all applicants at your first choice school and your student does not receive an offer to that school, they will automatically be added to the waitlist for that school and any other school you ranked higher than your assigned school.

To support families and promote equity across the Newark Common App schools, the lottery also includes a priority for siblings to be assigned together and preferences for English Language Learners, Special Education students, and families experiencing homelessness. You can find more information about the computer-based lottery program we use here.

We hope to be able to match all students to a Newark Common App school of their choice. However, if there is no space available at the school(s) of your choice, you will be added to the waitlist for these schools. If you are seeking a Newark Board of Education school please visit https://newarkenrolls.org/ or find information about all schools in Newark at https://www.myschoolsnewark.org/.

Will my student be matched to a school I did not list on the application?

No, we will never match a student to a school you did not list on their application.