Anti-Discrimination & Enrollment Policy
I. Anti-Discrimination
Riverstone High School is a public charter school and shall not discriminate in admission, access to programs, treatment, or employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal or South Carolina law.
The school shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws, including but not limited to Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the South Carolina Charter Schools Act.
Admission shall not be limited or denied based on academic performance, disability status, English language proficiency, athletic ability, or prior disciplinary history, except where a student is currently expelled from another public school.
II. Student Eligibility
Riverstone High School is open to all students eligible to attend a public school in South Carolina, subject to capacity limitations.
The school serves students in grades 7–12.
A student whose twenty-first (21st) birthday occurs after September 1 of a school year may remain enrolled and complete that school year, even if the student turns 21 prior to graduation.
Students must:
- Be eligible to attend a South Carolina public school;
- Not be currently expelled from another public school at the time of enrollment; and
- Complete all required enrollment documentation.
Riverstone High School is a blended learning instructional program located in North Charleston, South Carolina, serving students in the surrounding region who are able to attend on-site.
III. Open Enrollment & Rolling Admissions
Riverstone High School operates a year-round, open enrollment model consistent with its accelerated, mastery-based instructional design.
Students may apply at any time during the calendar year.
Because Riverstone’s instructional model allows students to graduate throughout the year, enrollment openings occur frequently. Students may begin classes as soon as:
- An enrollment seat is available; and
- All required documentation has been completed and verified.
Once students complete an application, they will be admitted to the school regardless of race, gender, religion, or ethnic origin, and admission and dismissal procedures will be equitable for all students.
Total enrollment is capped at 625 students. There are no grade-level caps due to the school’s individualized and self-paced structure.
IV. Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- Government-issued photo identification of parent/guardian (if applicable);
- Proof of residency;
- Proof of guardianship (if applicable);
- Completed registration packet;
- Birth certificate;
- South Carolina Certificate of Immunization (DHEC form);
- Academic records (transcript or most recent report card);
- IEP, 504 Plan, or other special education documentation, if applicable (special education documentation will be obtained via an official records request from the prior school district to ensure documents are up to date); and
- Any additional documentation required to comply with state reporting, funding, or accountability requirements.
V. Lottery Procedures (When Capacity Is Exceeded)
A. When a Lottery Is Required
In accordance with Section 59-40-50 of the South Carolina Charter Schools Act, if the number of eligible applicants exceeds available enrollment capacity for a given school year, Riverstone High School shall conduct an annual random lottery to determine admission priority on the waitlist. Applicants throughout the year will be added to the waitlist for the school.
Because Riverstone operates rolling enrollment and regularly graduates students throughout the year, students will be admitted to the school as seats become available, based on the lottery results and waitlist.
Lottery selections apply only to currently available seats and may not be deferred to a future school year.
The following categories of students will be given priority for enrollment:
- Siblings of existing students;
- Children or dependents of active-duty military members;
- Children of a founding board member; and
- Children of an employee of the school.
B. Notice and Conduct
When a lottery is necessary:
- Applicants will be notified of the lottery date, time, and method;
- The lottery may be conducted electronically using a randomized database system or conducted manually;
- The process will be overseen by the Principal or designee; and
- Documentation of the lottery results shall be maintained for compliance and audit purposes.
The school may utilize a third-party vendor specializing in charter school lotteries.
C. Lottery Process
- All eligible applicants will be entered into a randomized selection process.
- Available seats will be filled in the order generated by the random drawing.
- Remaining applicants will be placed on a waitlist in the order drawn.
- The waitlist will be maintained and used to fill openings as they occur.
There is no appeal of lottery results.
VI. Enrollment Preferences
Consistent with Section 59-40-50 of the South Carolina Charter Schools Act, Riverstone High School provides the following enrollment priorities:
- Currently enrolled students (returning students are exempt from lottery);
- Siblings of currently enrolled students;
- Children or dependents of active-duty military members; and
- Children of current Riverstone High School employees and members of the Board of Directors.
Definitions:
- Sibling: A biological, adopted, or legally recognized child sharing at least one parent or legal guardian.
- Child of Employee or Board Member: A legal dependent of a current employee or current board member at the time of the lottery.
Limitation:
Children of employees and board members shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of total enrollment, in accordance with South Carolina law.
No other enrollment preferences shall be granted.
VII. Waitlist Procedures
If all available seats are filled:
- Applicants not admitted through the lottery will be placed on a rolling waitlist.
- The waitlist applies only to current and upcoming open seats.
- As seats become available due to graduation, withdrawal, or dismissal, the next student on the waitlist will be offered enrollment in the order determined by the lottery.
Families will have three (3) business days to accept an offered seat and complete required documentation.
Failure to respond within the designated timeframe will result in forfeiture of the seat, and the next student on the waitlist will be contacted.
Waitlists do not create entitlement to future-year admission.
VIII. Appeals
If an applicant believes admission was denied for reasons other than lottery placement or capacity limitations, the applicant may submit a written appeal to the school’s Board of Directors.
If the school’s governing board upholds the denial and the applicant still believes admission was denied for reasons other than lottery placement or capacity limitations, the applicant may submit a written appeal to the South Carolina Public Charter School District pursuant to Section 59-40-50(C)(1).
The decision of the sponsor shall be binding.
IX. Transportation
Riverstone High School does not provide traditional district bus transportation.
To promote access, the school may provide public transportation assistance, including bus passes, to eligible students who reside more than two (2) miles from campus, subject to funding availability.
Transportation availability does not impact admission decisions.
X. Commitment to Access and Model Alignment
Riverstone High School is designed to serve students seeking:
- Credit recovery and accelerated graduation pathways;
- Flexible scheduling due to employment, parenting, or life circumstances;
- Mastery-based, individualized instruction; and
- Dropout prevention and re-engagement supports.
As a public charter school, Riverstone High School maintains open admission consistent with state law and does not screen or select students based on academic ability, credit deficiency, or performance history.