Enrollment - Monarch River Academy

Admissions Overview

Central Valley Charter Schools is composed of Monarch River Academy and its sister school, Yosemite Valley Charter School.
Our school is a tuition-free public, independent study charter school.
As a public school, we welcome students of all ability levels and demographics.
Our school is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC).
Our high school program is certified to meet A-G Requirements.
We are committed to providing students with a quality, personalized, standards-based education to meet their college and career goals.

Learn More About Our School

Explore our website to learn more about the school's mission, programs, and staff.
Connect with us on Facebook & Instagram.

More About our Academic Program

A special offering of our school is an individualized education. Personalized goals incorporate the dreams and passions of each student.
Parents/guardians collaborate with the teacher to make high-quality, standards-aligned curriculum choices, forming a plan for daily learning. Parents/guardians guide and assist students in following this plan each school day.
Parents/guardians, students, and teachers utilize educational planning funds based on each student’s individual learning goals.
We offer virtual live instruction and daily engagement opportunities which vary by grade level. We also provide options for online coursework, offline textbook work, and unique hands-on and experiential learning experiences.
Assessments are part of each student's Learning Plan to help guide the educational journey of learning.
Families meet regularly with their teacher to review work completion, progress, and to review assessment results. The review of a student's body of work correlates to attendance logs collected each Learning Period.
Our students follow a path towards their individualized dreams.
Our parents/guardians play an integral role in the daily learning process.
Our credentialed teachers provide expertise in curriculum, lesson planning, and analysis of assessments, contributing feedback, support, and encouragement to students and parents alike. Teachers assist in setting goals and schedule regular check-ins about progress.
Our school is a place to learn, grow, and build community and connections outside of a traditional classroom setting.

Admissions Process at a Glance

Step 1: Apply

If you did not apply during Open Enrollment, please fill out our application linked here.
You will receive an automatic confirmation email upon submission of the Enrollment Application. If you cannot find the email in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folders.
We will determine if a random drawing will be required to offer enrollment to all who enroll during our Open Enrollment by March 28, 2023.
If you have any questions or need support, you can reach out to our Enrollment Team at (559) 512-7103.

Step 2: Enrollment Offer

If the number of applications we receive during the Open Enrollment Period exceeds the number of spaces available, we will hold a lottery. In-person attendance is not required to participate in the lottery.

Date: March 29, 2023
Time: To Be Determined
Location: To Be Determined

If space is available, the Enrollment Team will email you an official enrollment offer. Please look for detailed instructions from your Enrollment Specialist after 8 p.m. on March 30, 2023.
If you did not apply during Open Enrollment, please fill out our application linked here.

Step 3: Registration

The Enrollment Team will email you a link to Reg-Online, the online registration portal where families will upload the required enrollment documents and digitally sign the required enrollment forms.

The following documents will be required to complete the enrollment registration:

Age verification document: This can be a birth certificate, passport, or government issued identification.
Immunization Record, for record keeping purposes: Vaccinations are NOT a requirement for enrollment in a non-classroom based charter. All students must provide a copy of immunization records or fill out the immunization card as it applies. Click HERE for more information.
Proof of Residence: This can be a utility service statement, homeowner or renter insurance bill, paystub, or correspondence from a government agency (Examples: CalWORKS, Social Security, and Medi-Cal). Proof of Residence must be dated within 90 days of the submission date.
Oral Health Assessment for grades TK-1st: Click HERE for more information.
Report of Health Examination or Waiver for grades TK-1st: Click HERE for more information.
Transcript for grades 10th-12th Grades: Click HERE for more information.

If you did not apply during Open Enrollment, please fill out our application linked here.

Student Grade Level Placement Chart

Waitlist

Enrollment applications submitted after March 15, 2023 will be placed on waiting list and applicants will be offered enrollment when a spot becomes available. Historically, waitlisted applicants wait up to 3 days before they are offered admission.
If you did not apply during Open Enrollment, please fill out our application linked here.

Enrollment FAQ

When will an Independent Study Teacher (IST) contact me?

Your assigned Independent Study Teacher (IST) will be off for Summer Break and will return for the 2023-2024 school year the week of August 7th to greet and assist you with ordering needs. If you need immediate assistance, our Enrollment Team would be happy to answer any questions that you may have until your IST returns. Our Enrollment Team can be reached at enrollment@centralvcs.org or by phone at (559) 512-7103.

Where can I find information regarding the funding?

Planning Amounts are being finalized for the 2023-2024 school year.

Why can’t I enroll my young child? Do you have a preschool?

Monarch River Academy does not offer preschool programs at this time. does not offer preschool programs at this time. The youngest grade level the school offers is Transitional Kindergarten which would require a student to turn 5 by April 2, 2024 for the 2023-2024 school year. Admittance into our Kindergarten program requires a student to turn 5 by September 1, 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year. The Grade Level Placement chart can be located on our school websites under the Enrollment tab.

I missed the deadline for Open Enrollment. Can I still sign up?

Yes! While our open enrollment period may have ended, the school will continue to offer spots to incoming families until all available Independent Study Teacher (IST) roster spaces have been filled. At that time enrollment will close for the 2023-2024 school year. Second semester enrollment information has yet to be determined.

Are vaccinations required?

Being vaccinated or fully vaccinated is not a requirement to enroll into an independent study school. However, because we are a public school, we are still required to collect vaccination records for all students per the California Department of Education. For families who do not immunize, please reach out to your Enrollment Specialist who can provide you with alternate documents to be completed.

How are Independent Study Teachers (IST) assigned? Can we choose our IST? What if I do not like the IST I am assigned to?

Independent Study Teachers (IST) are assigned based on the location of the enrolling students. We try to place families with the closest available IST. Families are free to request a specific teacher as well. Families can also request an IST with specifications (bilingual, has worked with students with disabilities, has knowledge of a learning/ teaching style). Although we try our best to accommodate a family’s request, it is not always possible. If you have already been assigned an IST and are not happy with your assignment, you may contact your Regional Coordinator (RC) to request a change. If you do not know who your RC is, please contact our Enrollment Team at enrollment@centralvcs.org or by phone at (559) 512-7103 and they would be happy to put you in contact.

How do Planning Amounts work? What costs are Planning Amounts allowed to cover?

The Planning Amounts allocated to students each school year are public funds. Planning Amounts can be used to cover the costs of curriculum, approved vendor classes, and school related items. Technology costs for the student(s) can be covered, as well. All non-consumable items will be requested to be returned to our Lending Library upon your graduation or withdrawal from your school. The Ordering System (OS) page which also provides a more detailed overview of products and services.

Who can I speak to regarding my SPED student, if an IEP is appropriate for my student, and or how SPED services are provided?

Special Education (SPED) services are provided virtually. To better understand this delivery of services method and all other SPED related questions please reach out to our SPED Department for further details at (559) 258-1767.

Who can I speak to regarding my student’s 504 plan and or how 504 services are provided?

Your assigned Independent Study Teacher (IST) will help you with your student's 504 accommodation plan and assist you with establishing a plan if one is needed alongside Angelica Robles who can be reached at 504plans@centralvcs.org or by phone at (909) 277-9964.

How can I find out what information I am missing on my student's registration?

The fastest and easiest way to find out what information is missing from your registration is to go onto your Reg-Online portal. Any section that includes a red “x” instead of a green “✔” will need to be completed or updated. Our Enrollment Specialists will also be emailing families with a list of missing items or items in need of adjustment. Please feel free to reach out to our Enrollment Team at any time with any questions regarding registration at enrollment@centralvcs.org or by phone at (559) 512-7103.

I submitted an Open Enrollment form for both Monarch River Academy and for Yosemite Valley Charter School. How do the schools differ? Which school is best?

Both schools are independent study public charter schools. Three main differences are: the counties each school covers, the approved vendors for the schools, and the teachers that work for the schools. Students can only be enrolled at one of our school programs.

Who can I speak to regarding my questions about curriculum?

Your Independent Study Teacher (IST) will help you with this. There will be time at the start of school to order a specialized curriculum or you may choose to work with the curriculum our school provides. We also have a lending library where curriculum can be found. Your IST will walk you through all curriculum options. Please feel free to explore our inhouse curriculum by visiting the Curriculum page on our website.

Can I enroll my student into a higher grade level?

Grade level is determined in two ways. (1) The state enrollment record is verified and the student enrolled in the next level and (2) we will refer to our Grade Level Placement Chart according to birthdate. We can not advance or retain a student upon enrollment. If your student has received retention or advancement paperwork from previous school please provide those documents to your Enrollment Specialist for review.

Am I able to retain (hold back) my student when enrolling into the school?

Students can only be retained if their prior school has recommended it. If you feel that your student is a candidate for grade level retention, you can bring up your concerns to your Independent Study Teacher (IST) who will be happy to evaluate your student throughout the year.

Who can we contact regarding new legislation that affects independent study charter schools?

If you have any questions regarding new legislation and how it will affect your student(s), please contact Monarch River Academy's Superintendent, Steph Johnson at steph.johnson@centralvcs.org.

Do we need to provide our own laptop/tablet, or will the school provide them?

The school can provide a laptop or tablet device for your student. Orders for technology can be placed once you have access to your OS (Ordering System) account.

Can my student(s) attend this school and another public or private school?

Students are not allowed to be dual enrolled into two schools; whether it is another public school or a private school. High school students, however, may sign up to take classes at their local community college. Families may discuss this path with their Independent Study Teacher (IST) or their counselor.

How will my high school student schedule be set up? What support will my student receive in order to pick their classes?

Your Independent Study Teacher (IST) and High School Coordinator will use the Transcript provided during registration to work with you to determine a high school graduation plan for your student. Your student will be assigned a High School Counselor who will overlook current official transcripts to ensure your student is enrolled and assigned to the correct classes that correspond with graduation requirements.

We currently do not have internet access at home. Can my students still attend?

Yes! Families can be provided with internet access in the form of hot spots once enrolled. If you are a family with limited internet access, please feel free to reach out to our Enrollment Team so that we may assist you during the enrollment and registration process at (559) 512-7103.

Can I register my student at any time throughout the year?

Families will be able to continue enrollment and registration until Independent Study Teacher (IST) rosters are filled at which time all new students will be added to our waitlist and enrolled based on availability throughout the year. The most up to date information will be made available on the school websites on the Enrollment page.

How do I withdraw my student?

If you would like to withdraw your student during Summer Break before school starts please contact our Enrollment Team at enrollment@centralvcs.org or by phone at (559) 512-7103. If you would like to withdraw after the school year has begun, please reach out to your Independent Study Teacher (IST) who will handle all withdrawal inquiries.

What if I have custody issues?

For custody questions, please reach out to our Enrollment Team at enrollment@centralvcs.org or by phone at (559) 512-7103.