> Also, if the lottery can be "weighted" then how is it a lottery in any way shape or form? Think of it like a raffle. Every applicant gets 20 tickets. But in-

> Also, if the lottery can be "weighted" then how is it a lottery in any way shape or form? Think of it like a raffle. Every applicant gets 20 tickets. But in-district students get +2 tickets. Students with a sibling get +1 ticket. The raffle is still random but some people have slightly higher chance of winning. > It's essentially administrator's choice, is it not? No, it is not. There is no administrator making any choice. There is an algorithm that sorts all the anonymous applicants into a list for each grade. Once the lists are set, they "draw a line" at the spot where that grade is full. Everyone below the line is now on the waiting list. In-district students get a slightly better score than out-of-district students. Compare and contrast, it is very difficult to attend a non-charter school that is not the one assigned by the district (based on your address). Probably impossible for out-of-district students. The fact that charter schools will even accept applications from outside the district means their enrollment is more open than non-charters. Siblings that live in the same house would automatically be going to the same non-charter school anyway. So allowing charters to do the same gives them no advantage. But even then, there is still no guarantee that you will get in even if your sibling is in. You just have a slightly better chance. What ever imbalance the charter school's class size makes is negated by the fact that they get significantly less money per student than non-charters. That is part of the compromises that are written into the charter.