Application Criteria

Kindergarten – Fifth Grade 

 The registration period for the 2020-2021 school year begins in December 13th  and will end in January 17th 

To be considered for more than one specialty site, parents must complete an application for each school. 

You must create a new username and password for each student application you submit. 

Note: Using the Same Username and Password Will Void Application Information Previously Submitted. 

Application Steps

• Complete online application which includes teacher recommendations. Parents must provide two email addresses for teachers who will be completing the online recommendations. 

• Submit required documentation to the specialty school of application.

• An Entrance Exam is required for grades K-4 and High School. Once the application has been reviewed, parents will be notified by email if their child meets the eligibility requirements and is invited to take the entrance exam. Applicants will complete the entrance exam at the specialty school of application. 

• To be considered for more than one specialty school, applicants must complete an application for EACH school (Princeton, EPIC, W. J. Christian, Phillips, and Ramsay). Failure to complete the online application process will automatically disqualify your child for consideration from all specialty schools.

• Parents/legal guardians and student(s) are not required to live within the city limits of Birmingham. If an accepted student lives outside the Birmingham School District, the parents will be required to pay an “out of zone” fee of $1000.00 (per student).  For fee information, please contact the Attendance Department @ (205) 231-2288; also you must obtain a release from the district in which you reside.

Required Documents 

• ​​​Parent/Guardian Driver’s License or Photo ID

• Copy of the student’s last Report Card (Required for grades 1-8)

• Two teacher Recommendations completed by the teacher via the online portal. The applicant is responsible for providing the teacher’s email address when completing the online application.

Kindergarten - Grade 4

• The child must be five (5) years old on/or before September 2nd to apply for Kindergarten.

• The child must be six (6) years old on/or before December 1st to apply for the First Grade.​​​​

• Applicants for grades Kindergarten, First, Second, Third and Fourth will be administered a Grade Level Readiness Test.

• Each year applicants are ranked based on the criteria for admission. Admission is based on,

  • the Grade Level Readiness Test results,

  • most current report card, and

  • two teacher recommendations.

• Kindergarten and First grade applicants will receive a testing date and time upon receipt of their completed application. 

• The testing schedule for grades 3-4 is as follows:

  • January 29th  2nd Grade Test-4:00 pm @ EPIC, Phillips, Princeton

  • January 30th  3rd Grade Test- 4:00 pm @ EPIC, Phillips, Princeton

  • January 31st  4th Grade Test- 4:00 pm @ EPIC, Phillips, Princeton

Grades 5 - 8

• Each year applicants are ranked based on the criteria for admission. Admission is based on, 

  • the most current report card, 

  • two Teacher Recommendations (one must be a current teacher), and

  • available slots. 

  Additional Information

• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

•  The size of each class will be based on the state mandated class size guidelines.  When classes meet maximum enrollment levels, students who are eligible to participate will be placed on a waiting list and notified as vacancies occur throughout the first semester.  After the first semester, the enrollment will be closed until the following year.

• Student academic performance, behavior, and attendance will be evaluated at the end of each grading period.  Repeated failure to meet program requirements may result in the student being dismissed from the program.

• Every applicant, including siblings, will receive equal consideration for acceptance, in accordance with the aforementioned procedures. No spaces are guaranteed.

• Parents/Guardians will receive an email notification of acceptance or placement on the waiting list by March 9, 2020.

• The Acceptance Letter/Invitation to attend the specialty school must be signed and emailed or hand delivered to the school of application by Friday, March 13, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in order to reserve placement. Acceptance into the program does not mean the student is officially registered for the upcoming school year.

• All accepted students must register and be in attendance on the first day of school. For more information on registration click here.