• School Questions
    • Do I have to pay tuition?
      • No. DECS is a public charter school. There is no fee to attend.
    • Do you have to live in Minnesota to attend?
      • Yes. Because we are a public school, students are required to be residents of Minnesota.
    • How old does my child need to be to enroll in kindergarten?
      • All kindergarten applicants must be at least five years old by September 1 of the year they attend.
    • How old does my child need to be to enroll in 1st grade?
      • All first-grade applicants must be at least six years old by September 1 or the year they attend. 
        • ‘Note:’ An exception to the age requirement may be made if the student has completed kindergarten. 
    • Does Duluth Edison require uniforms?
      • Yes. See the current policy here 
    • Is busing provided?
      • Yes. For our K-5 students, we offer busing to our North Star and Raleigh academies based on where you live in the Duluth school boundaries. For grades 6-8, we bus all students to our North Star Academy site from anywhere within Duluth School boundaries.
  • Applications/Lottery/Wait List
    • Is there a deadline for applications or can I apply anytime?
      • The answer to this question can be both Yes and No. 
      • To be included in the Lottery, held on March 1, applications need to be received by one week prior to the lottery. 
      • We continue to accept applications all year long.  Any application received after the Lottery deadline will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • When is the Lottery?
      • The 2023-24 Lottery will be held on the first Friday of March. 
      • Families will be contacted by the end of the day if their student was accepted or added to a wait list.
    • What is the Lottery?
      • If more applications are received than there are spots available, we will hold a lottery.  Applications received by the lottry due date will be included in the lottery. 
      • For each school and grade, we will accept enough names to fill the available seats. 
      • Any student who is not accepted during the lottery will be added to a waitlist for that school and grade. 
    • When will we get the results of the lottery?
      • By the end of the day, on the first Friday of March.
      • An email will be sent to the email address provided on your student’s application. 
    • I missed the lottery deadline.  Can I still apply?
      • Yes.  We accept applications all year long.
    • How long is the waitlist?
      • This answer will vary depending on multiple things. 
      • Please contact Sasha Gohde at 218-728-9556 ext 5006, sasha.gohde@duluthedison.com
    • My student is on the waitlist.  How long should I expect them to be there?
      • This answer depends on many things. 
      • Please contact Sasha Gohde at 218-728-9556 ext 5006, sasha.gohde@duluthedison.com
    • How does the waitlist work?
      • Enrollment for each building and grade level is limited. When we have more applications than spots available, students will be added to a waitlist for their specific grade and location. 
      • Students will be added to the wait list in the order their application is received by our offices. 
      • Siblings of current students will have preference. 
      • Students of staff members will have preference.
      • As soon as a spot becomes available, the student at the top of the wait list will be accepted.  If they decide not to attend, we will move to the next student on the wait list. 
  • Enrollment – Current Families
    • I have students currently attending DECS. Do I need to re-apply for next year?
      • No.  Students that are currently enrolled and attending DECS do not need to fill out a new application each year.  In the Spring, we will ask our families to let us know if they plan to attend in the coming school year. 
      • Note: If your student unenrolls from Duluth Edison and transfers to a different school, then a new application will be required before they can return. This is true at any time during the school year. 
    • I need to unenroll my student. What do I do?
      • Contact the Enrollment Coordinator, Sasha Gohde at 218-728-9556 ext 5006, sasha.gohde@duluthedison.com.  She will need to know when your student’s last day will be and where they will be attending. 
      • Typically, the new school will contact us about records but if needed, we will reach out to them. 
      • Your student’s school issued chromebook and charger will need to be returned.