FAQ's

FAQ's

What are the requirements to enroll in Buckingham?

There are no tuition fees, and there are no prior grade/attendance requirements to enter. But there are grade and attendance requirements to continue enrollment at Buckingham.

BCCA does not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of the characteristics listed in Education Code Section 220 (actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identification, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code or association with an individual who has any of the aforementioned characteristics). (Ed. Code § 47605, subd. (d)(1).)

California Education Code dictates enrollment practices of charter schools within the state of California.  Pursuant to education code 47605 (2)(B), when and the pupil population of BCCA reaches capacity new students' enrollment will be determined by random public drawing (lottery). 

Ed. Code § 47605. (B) If the number of pupils who wish to attend the charter school exceeds the school's capacity, attendance, except for existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending the charter school and pupils who reside in the district except as provided for in Section 47614.5. Other preferences may be permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law.

What is a lottery? 

If there are more applicants than spaces, a lottery is conducted to determine which applicants will be offered admission. A computer system randomly selects names based on specific priorities. For example, students who live in the enrollment area of the Vacaville Unified School District get priority over other applicants. 

 

 

How do lottery priorities work?

Depending on space available at each grade level, enrollment priority during the re-enrollment/registration process shall be given to students meeting the following criteria (in addition to the residing in the enrollment area of VUSD):

  • Currently enrolled students

  • Siblings of students presently enrolled or graduated within the past 4 years

  • Students of VUSD employees

  • Students who live within 1 mile of campus

  • Students whose parents did not graduate from college 

  • Students living in VUSD enrollment area

If the number of students on the BCCA enrollment interest list exceeds capacity, then students will be enrolled in order of the enrollment priority groups.  When the process reaches a group that cannot be fully accommodated, a random public drawing will be held for members of that group. Numbers drawn in excess of enrollment capacity will be used to form a waiting list and will be arranged in order by lottery drawing. If students with enrollment priority do not adhere to designated re-enrollment/registration protocols and procedures, they may forfeit their enrollment priority and may request to be added to the waiting list.

 

Do students who attended a charter middle school (such as Kairos) automatically get a spot at Buckingham? 

No, students coming from charter middle schools such as Kairos go through the same process to apply/enroll as all other students. Buckingham does not have access to the student information system databases at non VUSD schools such as Kairos (which is an independent charter and not part of VUSD). 

Will a current passport work in place of a birth certificate?

Yes, as well as a baptism certificate or affidavit may be used.

If we are interested in the BCOL program do we still need to complete the pre-enrollment process?

Yes, BCOL is a hybrid program that is part of Buckingham. Students must be selected during the lottery process to enroll in the BCOL program.

Once enrolled, what are the requirements to stay at Buckingham?

Attendance, behavioral and academic requirements, expectations, and policies are outlined in the Master Agreement, signed by student and parent/guardian upon initial enrollment, and are in the School Handbook


Each student at BCCA is required to meet the following pupil benchmarks (which are also outlined in our School Handbook) to maintain satisfactory academic, attendance, and behavioral standing: 

  • Adhere to all academic, attendance and behavior policies of Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy and Vacaville Unified School District.

  • Maintain 70% in all courses to receive a passing grade. BCCA gives no credit or passing grade for anything below 70% on all class assignments, homework, authentic assessments and final grades.

  • Maintain a minimum of 90% attendance ratio per semester.


What parental involvement is required? 

We believe parental involvement makes our school better and we strongly encourage it. That being said, pursuant to Ed Code 47605 (n), parental involvement is not a requirement for acceptance to or continued enrollment at our school. 

What makes Buckingham different from neighboring VUSD schools? Are graduation requirements different? 

At Buckingham, we emphasize college readiness throughout all of our courses in a smaller setting. Students are held to a high standard in that there are no “D” letter grades that result in students earning credit when they don’t achieve basic proficiency. Buckingham students have an additional requirement known as Service Learning in which they have the opportunity to address a problem in our community and complete 40 hours of community service. Starting with the class of 2026, Buckingham students are also required to complete a college course (either community college or the equivalent) or complete a Career Technical Education Pathway (2-3 year course requirement). Our graduation requirements mirror the a-g requirements that students must meet in order to be eligible to apply to a 4 year college.  

Are Special Education Services available at Buckingham?

With the exception of a few elective classes, all students at Buckingham are enrolled in college prep classes. Special Education Services are offered at Buckingham. The delivery model is a learning center approach. Students with an IEP are offered resource support services in a Resource Study Skills Class, in the general education class or outside the general education class, depending on the offer of education in the IEP. The Special Education Teacher works collaboratively with the General Education Teacher, parent, and student. Students are given accommodations and modifications as per IEP to the extent required by special education law.

Are students with Special Education Services successful at Buckingham?

Currently, about 9% of Buckingham's students have Special Education Services; many of which have been successful. The level of success can depend upon many factors such as the academic needs of the student, parent support, frustration level of the student, self-discipline, etc. If a parent is considering Buckingham as a school of attendance for their child with special needs, it is recommended they visit the school site, speak with staff, and thoroughly read the handbook prior to making their decision.

More Information: Visit the School Enrollment Webpage or call (707) 453-7300.

Ed. Code § 47605. (B) If the number of pupils who wish to attend the charter school exceeds the school's capacity, attendance, except for existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending the charter school and pupils who reside in the district except as provided for in Section 47614.5. Other preferences may be permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law.


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