ADMISSION TO
BURRIS LABORATORY SCHOOL
2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR 

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 15, 2008, all current Burris students will indicate their intent to enroll for 2008-2009.  From this information, an estimate will be generated for the number of grade level openings for the 2008-2009 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 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25.  Registration of siblings will be concluded by March 7, 2008. 

Kindergarten:  For the 2008-2009. school year, applications for non-sibling kindergarten openings will be accepted from August 2007 until April 4, 2008.  The non-sibling kindergarten lottery will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Burris auditorium on Wednesday, April 9, 2008.  This lottery will fill the 2008-2009 kindergarten openings not filled by siblings and will provide a waiting list to fill openings that might occur after the lottery.

Grades 1-12:  For the 2008-2009 school year, applications for non-siblings in grades 1-12 will be accepted from August 2007 until June 13, 2008.  The non-sibling lottery for grades 1-12 will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the Burris auditorium on Monday, June 16, 2007.  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 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 2008-2009.  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 2008-2009 academic year.

Burris Laboratory School offers a limited number of openings for students with gifts and talents. This action is in keeping with a long-term commitment to serve students with gifts and talents and to facilitate research on the education of gifted students.   Applications for admission as a gifted and talented student will be available on March 3, 2008 for 2007-2008. Applications will be accepted between March 17 and May 30, 2008.  The lottery will be held on June 10, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. in the Burris auditorium. Applications for students with gifts and talents will be available on-line at the BURRIS web site or in the main office of the school.  

Ball State University has appointed an Admissions Appeal Committee and put a policy in place for appealing admission decisions under very limited circumstances. The  appeal procedures may be downloaded here.