Admissions

Burris Laboratory School's admissions procedures are intended to create a diverse student population in response to its role in teacher preparation in the state of Indiana. Moreover, the school is prepared to provide appropriate educational programs for students with special needs. Because Burris identifies itself as a family school, admissions will continue to focus on enabling siblings to attend Burris. Whenever there are grade level openings, current Burris families will be offered priority for admission of siblings who do not attend Burris. When class enrollment openings remain after sibling registration, Burris will utilize a lottery system for applications from families with no current Burris children. The school will admit students only at the beginning of the academic year, unless an unusual situation arises. By February 8, 2013, all current Burris students will indicate their intent to enroll for 2013-2014. From this information, an estimate will be generated for the number of grade level openings for the 2013-2014 school year.

Burris families with siblings who do not currently attend and who are eligible for enrollment will have the first opportunity to register for existing openings. If more Burris family siblings apply than class openings exist, a lottery will be held to identify those children to be offered admission. The sibling lottery will be held in the Burris auditorium at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19.

Kindergarten: Burris Laboratory School's kindergarten is full-day. For the 2013-2014 school year, applications for non-sibling kindergarten openings will be accepted from October 2012 until March 15, 2013. The non-sibling kindergarten lottery will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Burris auditorium on Thursday, March 21, 2013. This lottery will fill the 2013-2014 kindergarten openings not filled by siblings and will provide a waiting list to fill openings that might occur after the lottery. Students entering Kindergarten in 2013-2014 must be 5 years of age on or before August 1, 2013.

Early Entrance to Kindergarten
If there are fewer applications for admission to the Burris kindergarten for high ability students than there are openings for high ability students, early entrance to kindergarten will be available for students who score in the 95th percentile or above on a nationally normed assessment. If there are more applicants for high ability early admission than there are openings, a special lottery will be held. Parents may request to have their child tested at the Ball State University Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development or may provide results from a recognized agency for their child to qualify. To apply for early entrance to kindergarten, follow the procedures to apply as a high ability student.

Grades 1-12: For the 2013-2014 school year, applications for non-siblings in grades 1-12 will be accepted from October 2012 until April 13, 2013. The non-sibling lottery for grades 1-12 will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the Burris auditorium on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. This lottery will fill any existing openings in grades 1-12 not filled by siblings and/or will provide a waiting list to fill openings that might occur after the lottery.

Applicant's names will be drawn randomly from a pool and publicly announced. A waiting list will be published. Attendance at the lottery drawings will not be required. Parents/guardians will provide a birth certificate (kindergarten entrance) or birth certificate and an official transcript from the previously attended school to verify grade placement (grades 1-12 entrance) and complete a registration form when an offer for admission is made. Parents must give consent for participation in teacher education and research activities.

For the purposes of the lottery, grade level placement at Burris Laboratory School is based on the following:

0 credits needed to be a freshman
10 credits needed to be a sophomore
19 credits needed to be a junior
and 30 credits needed to be a senior

There are 45-47 credits required to graduate from Burris Laboratory School.

There is no Burris Admissions Committee. The principal will be responsible for public announcement for applications for 2013-2014. The main office will accept sibling registrations and applications for inclusion in the lottery. The principal (or designee) will conduct the lottery and administer the registration process, including offering admission to students from the waiting list at the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year.

Burris Laboratory School offers a limited number of openings for students with high ability. This action is in keeping with a long-term commitment to serve students with high ability and to facilitate research on the education of high ability students. Applications for admission as a high ability student will be available on January 7, 2013 for 2013-2014. Applications will be accepted between January 7 and Friday, March 22, 2013. The lottery to fill any openings for admissions as a high ability student will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. Applications for students with high ability will be available on-line at the Burris web site or in the main office of the school.

Ball State University has an Admissions Appeal Committee and a policy in place for appealing admission decisions under very limited circumstances.