FAQs

Enrollment FAQs

  • Spring 2024 Midyear Enrollment
    Our classical charter schools are open-enrollment with no financial, academic, or merit-based admissions requirements. Families may apply for the current school year on our website or over the phone. You will be given a waitlist number and will be contacted if a spot in your child’s grade level becomes available.

    2024-2025 Enrollment
    Students who apply after January 30, 2024 will be offered spots or added to the waitlist in the date and time order in which they apply, behind applicants who were included in the lottery.

  • Yes, we are! We will continue to enroll students throughout the 2023-2024 school year at all campuses. Limited spots are available in many grade levels.

  • Valor South Austin serves grades K-12. Valor North Austin will serve grades K-12 in the 2024-2025 school year. Valor Kyle will serve grades K-10 in the 2024-2025 school year and continue to add a new grade each year to K–12. Valor Leander and Valor San Antonio will serve grades K-9 in the 2024-2025 school year and will add a grade level each year until they reach their fully capacity at K-12.

  • Yes, each application is school-specific, and you may apply to as many campuses as you prefer in the same year. If you receive offers from multiple campuses, you will need to accept at one campus and cancel the application at the other campus.

  • When a sibling of an enrolled student applies, the sibling application will receive a priority status called "sibling priority." This moves the sibling applicant to the top of the waitlist and is intended to allow siblings to enroll together at Valor if space is available. Specific waitlist placement for applicants given sibling priority is also affected by several factors, including whether the siblings applied during the Application Period, the number of siblings in each grade level, and any other prioritized applications such as those of employee children.

    Definition: A sibling is defined as an individual with a biological or legally adopted brother or sister residing in the same household as the applicant, a child having one or both parents in common, a stepbrother or stepsister that resides in the same household as the applicant, or a child residing in the same household as the applicant through legal guardianship. Additionally, a child who resides in the same household as the applicant through a single family foster placement and who is in the process of being adopted into the foster family is considered a sibling for purposes of this policy. Cousins, nieces, nephews, and unrelated children sharing an address with the applicant are not considered siblings.

  • Yes! You will need to submit a new application for the 2024-2025 school year with the campus where you like to attend. This application will receive a "transfer" priority, which places transfer applicants toward the top of the waitlist and just below applicants with sibling priority.

    Students enrolled at one Valor campus may apply to another campus at any time. However, applicants wishing to transfer are only eligible for transfer priority once they have completed the school year where they are enrolled.

  • Yes. To be eligible for admission at Valor, your child must generally reside within the geographic boundaries specified in Valor's charter. Our geographic boundaries currently include these school districts:

    Alamo Heights ISD

    Austin ISD

    Bartlett ISD

    Bastrop ISD

    Blanco ISD

    Boerne ISD

    Burnet ISD

    Comal ISD

    Coupland ISD

    Del Valle ISD

    Dripping Springs ISD

    Eanes ISD

    East Central ISD

    Edgewood ISD

    Elgin ISD

    Florence ISD

    Fort Sam Houston ISD

    Georgetown ISD

    Granger ISD

    Harlandale ISD

    Hays CISD

    Hutto ISD

    Jarrell ISD

    Johnson City ISD

    Judson ISD

    La Vernia ISD

    Lackland ISD

    Lago Vista ISD

    Lake Travis ISD

    Leander ISD

    Liberty Hill ISD

    Lockhart ISD

    Luling ISD

    Manor ISD

    Marble Falls ISD

    Marion ISD

    Navarro ISD

    New Braunfels ISD

    North East ISD

    Northside ISD (Bexar)

    Pflugerville ISD

    Prairie Lea ISD

    Randolph Field ISD

    Round Rock ISD

    San Antonio ISD

    San Marcos ISD

    Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD

    Seguin ISD

    Somerset ISD

    South San Antonio ISD

    Southside ISD

    Southwest ISD

    Taylor ISD

    Thrall ISD

    Wimberley ISD

Lottery and Offers

  • Valor's lottery for 2024-2025 was held on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Applicants in each grade level were randomized by an automated enrollment software system called SchoolAxis. All applications received after the lottery deadline of January 29, 2024 will be added to the waitlist in the order of the date and time they are submitted, behind applications included in the lottery.

  • Following the lottery, we made a first round of offers on January 30, 2024 for Kindergarten at each campus. Families given an offer receive an email and/or text based on your settings in SchoolAxis. All other families receive an email and/or text sharing that the lottery results are in and providing instructions on how to check your waitlist number. Offers for grades 1 and higher may be limited in number until current families complete their intent to return forms (Re-enrollment) in March. As a result, waitlist positions for applications in grades 1 and higher may not change significantly until later March/early April after Re-enrollment.

  • When you receive an offer, the email/text will include a link to log in to the SchoolAxis Parent Portal. Click "View Applications" and then click the "Accept Offer" or "Decline Offer" button for each child. Please respond even if you decline the offer so that Valor can offer the spot to the next student on the waitlist. You may contact the school if you would like to discuss questions before responding to your offer.

  • After the first round of offers, offers for open seats at Valor will continue to be made on a rolling basis throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2025. When a family declines an offer, that spot will be offered to the first child on the waitlist in that grade. Offers will be made before and throughout the school year when there are open positions available in a grade.

    While we can't predict the likelihood of receiving an offer, it's very common that families initially waitlisted at the time of the lottery eventually receive an offer. We encourage you to remain as flexible as possible in your decision-making so that you can accept a spot at Valor if it becomes available. Your child's position on the waitlist may frequently change. You can log in to your SchoolAxis account at any time and see the child's real-time position on the waitlist. After the lottery, we encourage you to check your waitlist number every few weeks to see if you are closer to receiving an offer.

Waitlist

  • There is a separate waitlist for each grade level. Waitlist numbers in SchoolAxis are specific to the grade level.

  • A student will move up on the waitlist (closer to #1) when other families decline an offer and Valor offers the spot to the next person on the waitlist. A student may also move down on the waitlist when another waitlisted student in the grade with a better lottery number receives sibling priority. Each waitlisted sibling receives the prioity when their sibling accepts an offer. The ordering of prioritized sibling applications within a grade's waitlist is based solely on lottery results and is not on a first-come, first-served basis.

Application Types and Statuses

  • Your application type is either "Application Period" or "Post Application Period" based on when you submitted the application. If you submit it on or before the deadline of January 29, 2024 for the 2024-2025 school year, the type will be listed as "Application Period".” If you submit it after the deadline, the type will be "Post Application Period.” This timing determines much of the sequencing and behavior of the waitlist.

  • Your application status tracks your progress at each stage of applying and enrolling throughout the year. After the lottery, your status will move from "Submitted" to either "Offered" (if you receive an offer), or "Waitlist." When you accept an offer, it will become "Accepted." The status will also change during the stages of the registration process.

General Topics FAQs

  • No. Valor schools are tuition-free public charter schools.

  • Yes, all Valor students wear uniforms. We believe that uniforms foster a sense of unity, help to eliminate distractions, and set an appropriate tone for the learning environment. Certain items, such as polos and plaid skirts, must be purchased through DENNIS Uniform. Other items, such as pants and shorts, may be purchased from a variety of places. Financial assistance for uniform costs will also be provided for families in need.

  • Homework at Valor generally falls within these estimates:

    - Kindergarten: 15-20 minutes of HW (Reading practice only)

    - 1st-3rd Grade: 25-35 minutes of HW (15-20 minutes of Reading; 10-15 minutes of Math; occasional work in other subjects)

    - 4th-5th Grade: 40-45 minutes of HW (25 minutes of Reading; 15-20 minutes of Math; occasional work in other subjects)

    - 6th-7th Grade: 70-80 minutes of HW (25 min Reading, 15-20 min Math, 10-15 min Science, 15 min History, 10 min Latin)

    - 8th Grade: 75-90 minutes of HW (25-30 min Reading, 15-20 min Math, 10-15 min Science, 15 min History, 10 min Latin)

    - 9th-12th Grade: 110-140 minutes of HW (40-55 min of IHP, 30-35 min Math, 25-30 min Science, 15-20 min Foreign Language)

    Our Family Handbook includes more information about our vision for homework and how you can support your child at home.

  • Valor provides students with a range of competitive athletic opportunities, including both team and individual sports, in grades 6-12. Sports vary from campus to campus but may include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, softball, track and field, or volleyball. Our sports program encourages healthy athletic competition while developing virtues such as courage, sportsmanship, and perseverance. We offer financial assistance for athletic participation fees to families in need.

    In addition, we offer a diverse array of clubs for students in Upper School and Lower School so that all students have engaging opportunities for further growth. Clubs may include art, chess, choir, creative writing, dance, garden, improv, journalism, Lab Assistant Program, Latin, Run Club, strings, strength training, or yearbook.

  • Yes. As public charter schools, Valor provides services for students with special needs, ensuring that all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. Valor provides special education services to all eligible students in the least restrictive environment and will fully meet the provisions of each student’s individualized education plan (IEP). We employ an inclusion model of Special Education whenever possible, seeking to provide services to the extent possible within the general education setting.

  • Yes, Valor has a four-year college counseling program for all high school students beginning in 9th grade. We have dedicated college counselors that give students a broad exposure to the colleges and universities that are available. The college counselors work with each family to find the best college or university fit by knowing the personality, abilities, interests, and aspirations of each student. Our college counselors accompany families throughout their high school experience, providing relevant tools, resources, and information.

    Some of the key services include: information sessions, individualized meetings, PSAT/SAT/ACT preparation workshops, financial aid sessions, essay writing workshops, and frequent on-campus visits from colleges and universities throughout Texas and the nation. We are very excited to help all our students get admitted to and succeed in the colleges of their choice.

  • As public charter schools, Valor receives state funding on a per pupil basis. Unlike traditional independent school districts, charters receive very limited facilities funding from the state and do not receive local tax revenue (e.g. from property taxes).

    To bridge our funding gap, Valor raises additional funds from parents, foundations, and other partners in order to offer the best possible educational experience for our students. Learn more about how you can invest in our vision of education.

  • K-5 grade students have a homeroom teacher for the core subjects, as well as special teachers for Art, Music, P.E., and Latin or Spanish.

    In addition to time for Language Arts, Math, Science, and History, specials follow this schedule:

    - Art, Music, and Latin/Spanish - 2x per week (35 min. each)

    - P.E. - 4x per week (35 min.)

    - Recess - 2x per day (20 min. each)

    Students in grades 6-12 have a seven period rotating class schedule with 50 minute periods and a 30 minute block for academic support and enrichment.

  • Yes, breakfast and lunch are available for sale through Diwa catering company each day at school. Families who qualify are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals at Valor. As an organization, we are committed to providing healthy, nutritious food to our students. View current menus and payment options here.

  • Valor is not currently able to provide bus transportation for students. We offer free Capital Metro bus passes for any family in need, and we can also assist families with making carpooling arrangements when needed.

  • While Texas certification is not a requirement for most teaching positions, Valor is committed to hiring passionate, skilled, mission-aligned teachers who are well-qualified for their roles. In order to find the best candidates, Valor recruits both locally and nationally for teaching and leadership positions.

    All Valor teachers have a Bachelor's degree at a minimum, and while many teachers will hold Texas certification, others may have a degree or demonstrated proficiency in their subject area. All special education and English Language/Bilingual teachers at Valor hold state certifications. Read more about our hiring profile.

Still have questions?

Please call or email the front office for any of our five schools if you have other questions or would like to set up a meeting. Our team is available to talk and eager to get to know you! There are also many other topics and specific school policies (e.g. attendance, grading, student discipline, etc.) addressed in detail in our Family Handbook.

About Our Schools

A Valor education is an invitation to live the fullest life possible, one directed by wisdom, animated by wonder, and anchored in friendship.

Educational Vision

Valor’s educational vision draws deeply from the classical tradition, which identifies wisdom and virtue as the ultimate goals of education.

Classical Curriculum

We are committed to making a balanced, integrated course of study available to all students, regardless of background or ability.  

Athletics

Valor’s coaches and athletes pursue the following four ends of sports: physical excellence, character development, spiritedness, and true leisure.

Student Life

Valor’s Student Life program gives breadth and depth to the student experience and gives rise to better friendships and a deeper connection with the schools and community.

Testimonials

Read testimonials from current parents and students.