Student Registration

Registration For 2026-2027 Academic Year is Underway

Cedars International Academy Schools is a Project-Based Learning, tuition-free, public charter school district for students of all ability levels, including accelerated academic programs to match student readiness.  Opening in 2001, Cedars International Academy Schools now serves over 500 students in Pre-K3 - 12th Grade.

To learn more about Cedars International Academy Schools, visit our About section.

• Returning Students: January 12- January 26, 2026.
• New Students: January 26 - February 8, 2026. If we have more students applying for a grade than we have space for, then we will hold a lottery for that grade level on February 10.  Accepted applicants will be notified by email by February 16 and will be sent a link to complete the registration process.  If the Registration forms are not received within 7 days, the spot will be given to the next student on the waiting list.

Registration for current Cedars families is from January 12-26. Registration packets will be emailed to the primary guardian’s email address for returning students after the winter break. These emails often go to the Spam folder, so please check your Spam folder if you do not see the email on Friday.  Below is what the subject line states, and who it is from will be on the emails.

Email Subject: Important Information - Returning Student Registration Begins January 12th

Email From: Cedars International Academy [email protected]

Current students are exempt from the lottery if their returning registration forms are received by February 9th.  If the registration forms are received after February 9th, the student will go on the waiting list if no space is available.

Admission Applications for siblings and new students will be available online beginning January 26th at www.cedars-academy.org/apps/pages/apply. Siblings are exempt from the lottery if the Admission Application is received by February 9th (space permitting). Please send an email to [email protected] to inform us of the sibling names.

Lottery Process

If classes are NOT full on February 10th:

• A lottery will NOT be required
• All new applicants are accepted (pending review of discipline record). 
• Parents will be emailed between February 12 and 16 to inform them they have a spot, along with the Registration Packet link.

If there are more applicants than space available on February 10th:

• A lottery will be held on February 10th
• Drawn applicants are accepted (pending review of discipline record). 
• Parents will be emailed starting on February 13th to inform them they have a spot, along with the Registration Packet link.
• Any child not drawn during the lottery will be placed on a waiting list according to selection.

The registration packets must be completed and received within 1 week of notification that the child was selected to reserve the student’s spot. 

If the Admission Application is received after the lottery, your child(ren) 's name(s) will be placed on a waiting list in the order received after those students are not accepted in the lottery. Placement will be made in order of the waiting list.

Cedars International Academy Schools uses a lottery-based registration system. Every student has an equal opportunity to enroll by filling out an admission application. The new student admission application opens in January for the following school year.

The lottery is performed by randomly assigning a number to each application submitted by the lottery deadline.  Applications are drawn for the number of openings at each grade level.  Our lottery results will be shared with families by February 16. Please note that applications submitted AFTER the lottery date are added to the end of the waitlist.

The children of Cedars International Academy Schools staff and board members or the siblings of current Cedars students are given priority registration and are exempt from the lottery. For example, if a student has a sibling at either one of the Cedars campuses, or if a student is the child of a staff member or of a Cedars Board Member, and would like to be admitted to Cedars, they will receive priority over a new student.

Mandatory Parent Meeting

You will receive an email by July telling you of our upcoming mandatory parent events. We go over Federal funds, handbooks, and share much more school information. Be sure to attend one of the mandatory meetings.

Eligibility for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4

To be eligible for enrollment in a free Pre-K3 (or Pre-K4) class, a child must be at least three (or four) years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year and meet at least one of the following eligibility requirements:

• unable to speak and comprehend the English language
• is educationally disadvantaged (eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program. Guidelines about NSLP eligibility can be found at the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Income Eligibility Guidelines. Once you select the appropriate school year, click on the Print Version link on the left of the page.
• is homeless, as defined by 42 USC, §11434a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or other person having lawful control of the child, including children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
• is the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority
• is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty
• is or has ever been in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (foster care) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Family Code §262.201
• is the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as: 
• a peace officer under Texas Government Code §3106.002, 
• a firefighter under Texas Government Code §3106.003 
• an emergency medical first responder under Texas Government Code §3106.004

Project Supply Fee and School Supplies

Cedars International Academy Schools offers a hassle-free option for parents to pay a $50 Project Supply Fee each school year.  When choosing this option, Cedars purchases all supplies needed to complete projects throughout the school year.  Supply fees may be paid through the Cedars School Store on the Cedars’ website during registration.

If selecting this option, parents of returning students should pay the Project Supply fee here during registration and no later than April 30 of the prior school year.  Parents of returning students with New siblings joining Cedars may pay the Project Supply fee for the new siblings by adding the fee twice to the currently enrolled student.  Parents of New Students who wish to pay the Project Supply fee will be able to do this during the first week of school in August or by bringing cash to the Registrar's office.

Parents also have the option of purchasing their own supplies for their child(ren).  The Project Supply List for Pre-K3 - 8th Grades can be found here. H.S. Project Supply lists are provided throughout the school year for each project. Project supplies must be purchased throughout the year for HS if the Project Supply fee is not paid during registration.