How to Apply

WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE LOTTERY!

OPEN ENROLLMENT IS FROM JANUARY 9 - FEBRUARY 20, 2026

2026-2027 School Year Lottery and Admissions

We're so happy you're considering enrolling in our school! We offer school tours for families to learn more about MATES' history, campus life, and our curriculum. We are sure you will like what you see and look forward to having your family in our MATES Community.

All prospective students must apply to MATES through our lottery. Our enrollment process is as follows:

Apply for the lottery in Lotterease beginning on January 9, 2026 through February 20, 2026
You will be notified if you are offered a seat or waitlist number through Lotterease after the lottery on March 26, 2026
If you are offered a seat and accept it, next you will be given instructions to complete our school enrollment form for the 2026-27 school year
If you are waitlisted, you will be able to track your progress on the Lotterease website 24/7

Lottery applications must be accurate and complete by the deadline. You will receive emails on your application status, but you are responsible to confirm your application is complete and approved in Lotterease. No exceptions are made for the application deadline dates/times. We suggest not waiting until the last minute in case there is something incorrect. Any incomplete/incorrect applications will not be included in the lottery.

Lottery Timeline:

Friday, January 9, 2026 - Open Enrollment begins and Lotterease Registration and Pre-Lottery applications are available by 8:30 am

Friday, February 20, 2026 - Open Enrollment ends and Lotterease applications are closed at midnight. The only way to confirm your application is complete and added to the lottery is to submit it before the end of the work day so we can review it before 4:00pm. If you submit after that time, you may not be entered in the lottery if anything is missing, incorrect or illegible. Submit early, no late follow-ups.

Thursday, March 26, 2026 - MATES Lottery runs and notifications of offers of enrollment/waitlist emails are sent out through Lotterease

Thursday, April 2, 2026 - Deadline to accept enrollment is 11:59 pm sharp or your spot is automatically offered to the next student on the waitlist

Once the application and all documents have been approved for accuracy by MATES office staff, you will be entered into the lottery. You will receive an email when it is approved. Through Lotterease, you will be able to apply to the lotteries, track the progress, and receive reminder messages and notifications.

Admission preferences in the lottery are given to students in the following order, 1 being the highest preference. Please determine your group now, because you will indicate the preference level in your lottery application. To be in the former Meadows attendance area, your exact house number and street address must be on the list provided. If not, you are most likely a Thousand Oaks resident in the CVUSD preference. If indicated incorrectly, you risk not being included in the lottery.

(Returning Students - place holder)
Siblings of existing MATES students
Children of employees of MATES up to 1% of the classroom-based population
Children who reside within the former attendance area of Meadows Elementary School at the time the MATES lottery is held (Click here for address list of the former Meadows attendance area)
Children of employees of MATES over 1% of the classroom-based population
Children who reside within the attendance area of Conejo Valley Unified School District
All other applicants

New Students

The age requirement for our TK program is 4 by September 1, 2026. The kindergarten requirement is age 5 by September 1, 2026. Students who are 5 by September 1, 2026 may NOT apply to our TK program and must apply to kindergarten.

Lotterease Registration and Lottery Application Instructions

Remember, there is no advantage to applying earlier than anyone else, it's a random lottery. So take your time with the new process and please read the instructions provided.

DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED WHEN COMPLETING THE APPLICATION

While completing the application form, please be prepared to upload the following documents.

1. You are required to upload a copy of your child's Birth Certificate or Passport for birth date verification.

2. Proof of Residence includes:

1. Homeowners
  1. A copy of the current mortgage statement or property tax bill (names included on the property tax bill, not the generalized form from the web)
  2. Parent/guardian's valid driver's license with current address OR 1 utility bill (gas, water, electric, trash - phone or cable not accepted)
2. Rental Apartment - Apartment Complex
  1. A copy of the lease agreement in the parent/guardian's name on Property Management letterhead.
  2. Parent/guardian's valid driver's license with current address OR 1 utility bill in the parent/guardian's name (gas, water, electric, trash - phone or cable not accepted)
3. Rental Home
  1. Supplemental Residency Form
  2. Lease agreement in the parent/guardian's name
  3. Parent/guardian's valid driver's license with current address OR 1 utility bill in the parent/guardian's name (gas, water, electric, trash - phone or cable not accepted)
4. Room Rental/Co-Resident, i.e. living with family
  1. Supplemental Residency Form
  2. Lease agreement in the parent/guardian's name OR a letter from the homeowner/lessor where the applicant's family is residing.
  3. Utility bill in the homeowner's/lessor's name (gas, water, electric, trash - phone or cable not accepted.
  4. One of either:
    1. 2nd Utility bill in the homeowner's/lessor's name (gas, water, electric, trash - phone or cable not accepted)
    2. Parent/Guardian's valid driver's license with current address

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPLETE APPLICATION

To access Lotterease starting on January 9, 2026:

To register an account in Lotterease
1. Click the Lottery Application button or the link below to access Lotterease
2. Create a Lotterease Parent/Guardian Account by entering your parent/guardian contact information on this screen. DO NOT ENTER YOUR STUDENT'S INFORMATION YET. The information you enter on this screen is the only information we have to contact the parent/guardian if your student is selected. Please, double-check for accuracy
3. Select SUBMIT at the bottom
Register a student
1. On the next screen, add your student information, then SUBMIT
2. School Name: MATES, then SUBMIT
3. Choose Option "Enter into Lottery", then SUBMIT
4. Lottery Name - Select the appropriate grade and school year lottery for your child, then SUBMIT
5. Accurately select the preference group that applies to you (pick one) from the list, then SUBMIT
6. You will be redirected to Enrollease to complete the Pre-Lottery form online
7. Upload the required documents for date of birth and residency verification, then SAVE. "Enter" will also save your progress
Add a sibling to a lottery
1. You are currently in Enrollease, and to add a sibling, you need to go back to Lotterease. Click the drop-down menu under the Enrollease logo and choose Lotterease
2. Use the Add Sibling button in the left menu to add another child
3. Proceed (starting again at B. 1.) in the same way to enter the grade level lottery and continue to the pre-lottery form

Please note, only siblings should be linked on Lotterease accounts. Do not add other relatives (grandchildren, cousins, friends) to your Lotterease account; only Parents/Guardians can represent their child in the lottery process.

It's essential that you accurately complete the application. If you select the incorrect grade level and do not correct it, your student will be processed in the grade level lottery you selected incorrectly. If you are offered a seat in the incorrect lottery, your spot will be forfeited, and your student will then be moved to the bottom of the waitlist of the correct lottery that your student should have applied for. MATES is not responsible for parent/guardian errors in the application process. Please double check your application for accuracy by viewing the application in Lotterease/Enrollease and making sure your application is correct.

You can also access the application with the following link (click or cut and paste into your browser):

https://app.lotterease.com/cgi-bin/sl_V2_1.pl?session_id=&user_id=&account_id=1379&nav=Parents_Registration

If you add these email addresses to your contacts: [email protected] and [email protected], you won't miss an important email! Some email platforms filter more than others and it can end up in your junk folder.

Need to Login Again?

To view your Pre-Lottery Form (return to complete the form or upload documents)

Use this link to log in to your Lotterease account: https://app.lotterease.com/cgi-bin/sl_V2_1.pl?session_id=&user_id=&account_id=1379&nav=Parents_Login
Click on your child's name and select 'View Applications'
Then click 'edit' under Action column
Then 'View Pre-Lottery Form'
Any missing information will be listed at the top of the page or you may receive messages regarding any documents that are incorrect/illegible.

In the event that you do not have access to a computer or smartphone, you are welcome to come to the office at MATES and complete the application on a laptop we have available. Don't forget to bring your documents to upload.

General Lottery Information

The lottery will be conducted on March 26th by grade level, and will progress through the priority levels of each grade. You will be notified by email through your Lotterease account if you are offered admission for the 2026-2027 school year, or you will be informed of your number on the waitlist.

MATES is nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, and all other operations. MATES is open to all students regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation, home language, or disability. MATES shall admit all pupils who wish to attend the school up to capacity.

All applications will be checked by MATES staff for validity and accuracy. If an employee of the school reasonably believes that the parent or legal guardian of a pupil has provided false or unreliable evidence of residency, MATES may make reasonable efforts to determine that the pupil actually meets the residency requirements set forth in the MATES charter. Giving false or omitting information requested will risk or delay the processing of the student's application and could jeopardize enrollment at any time in MATES.

You can contact the MATES office at any time if you have questions at 805-495-7037, or email [email protected]

The MATES Board determines the capacity for each grade level for the upcoming school year annually. Applications will be accepted during a publicly advertised open enrollment application period each year in winter or early spring for enrollment in the following school year.

Following the open enrollment period, applications are counted to determine which grade levels have received a quantity of applications that exceed that grade’s capacity. If there are more applications for a grade level than available positions, MATES will hold a public random drawing to determine enrollment for the impacted grade level. Returning MATES students who notify the school before the end of the open enrollment period are guaranteed enrollment the following year and are exempt from the public random drawing.

You can find more information on the lottery process on the LOTTERY Information page of the website.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School affirms its commitment to equal opportunity in education and employment for all individuals. MATES does not discriminate against any person on the basis of actual or perceived age, race, color, nationality, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, immigration status, citizenship, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability (mental or physical), medical condition, pregnancy status, childbirth, religion, creed, marital status, or any other state or federal protected characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes in the California Penal Code or otherwise protected by federal, state, local law, ordinance or regulation. MATES prohibits any act of sex discrimination including sexual harassment in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by California law, Title IX (20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.) and the Title IX regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106), including in admission and employment. Public schools receiving federal funds are required to designate and adequately train employees who perform Title IX responsibilities. Inquiries, or complaints alleging noncompliance with Title IX and 34 C.F.R. Part 106 may be filed with the MATES Title IX Coordinator, submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education, or provided to both. For questions or concerns, please contact the charter school's Title IX Coordinator, Reneé Dake, 2000 La Granada Drive., Thousand Oaks, CA, 91362, 805-495-7037, [email protected]. The contact information for the Title IX Coordinator, Charter School Title IX notice of nondiscrimination, and additional information regarding your rights under Title IX are available on the Charter School website at: https://www.matescharter.org/apps/pages/titleIX

What is the Lotterease Seal of Transparency and Fairness?

When you see the Seal on a school website, you can be confident that your application will be included

in the school lottery in a fair and transparent way.

That is because Lotterease is an independent automated lottery system that the school uses to manage

their lottery and waitlist. Since Lotterease is an independent system, the school staff do not have the

ability to manipulate or adjust the lottery outcome. They must work within the requirements of the

system.

In addition, all activity that takes place with your application is tracked in a history log that you can view

at any time by logging into the parent portal.

If the school you want your child to attend displays the Lotterease Seal of Transparency and Fairness, you

can rest assured that you child will get their fair chance to attend the school.