Welcome to Nevada City School of the Arts!
Nevada City School of the Arts (NCSA) is an arts-integrated public charter school rooted in creativity, academic excellence, and community. Guided by our philosophy that the arts are essential to a complete education, we offer learning environments where students are seen, supported, and inspired.
NCSA offers two enrollment options, allowing families to choose the program that best fits their child’s learning needs.
Classroom-Based NCSA Program
Our full-time program offers an arts-integrated educational experience led by experienced educators with low student-to-teacher ratios. Academic instruction is aligned with state standards and enriched through visual arts, music, theater, and movement, while social-emotional learning is woven throughout the school day. The arts are both integrated into core subjects and taught as stand-alone disciplines, making creative expression and emotional growth an essential part of every student’s experience.
NCSA Independent Study at Home Program
The NCSA Independent Study at Home Program is designed to complement home education while offering students structured academic enrichment, creative exploration, and meaningful social connection within a supportive school community. This program reflects NCSA’s commitment to curiosity, individuality, and arts-based learning while maintaining the flexibility of homeschooling.
Enrollment in the Independent Study at Home Program is separate from the full-time NCSA program and does not provide priority admission to the full-time program.
Learn more about the Independent Study at Home Program Program HERE
Enrollment & Lottery
Enrollment for both the Classroom-Based NCSA Program and the NCSA Independent Study at Home Program is determined by a public lottery. Families may enter the lottery annually between November and April. Lotteries are held each spring to fill available seats for the upcoming school year. Students not selected through the lottery may be placed on a waitlist for their program and grade level.
Families are active partners at NCSA, supporting their children’s education through volunteering and participation in our Annual Giving Campaign.
2026/27 Lottery Is Open
Lottery Deadline: Monday, March 30th, 2026 @1pm
Lottery Date: March 31st, 2026
Prospective Parent Information Meetings
We hope you will attend one of the prospective parent information meetings in the NCSA theater for the 24/26 school year if you are planning on applying.
Click HERE to RSVP to a meeting
January – Tuesday 1/6/25 at 10 am NCSA theater
February– Wednesday 2/11 at 10 am NCSA theater
March– Tuesday 3/10 at 5:30 pm NCSA theater
March– Wednesday 3/18 at 5:30 pm NCSA theater
Group Tour Dates
If you would like a tour of the school, please sign up for one of the following dates HERE
November – Wednesday, November 12th @ 10am
December – Wednesday, December 10th @10am
January– Tuesday, January 13th @ 10am
February – Thursday, February 19th @ 10am
March– Wednesday, March 25th @ 10am
Before you apply:
1. Read the Enrollment Policy
2. Register to attend a New Parent Information Meeting
3. Review current Vaccine Requirements and be ready to submit if you get a spot at NCSA. Please note that NCSA will not enroll students who are not caught up on vaccinations. WE WILL NOT HOLD YOUR SPOT WHILE YOU GET CAUGHT UP.
4. Not sure what your district of residence is? Use this county tool to look up your address: https://nevco.org/school-district-boundaries/
5. If your student is in TK or K please get these forms filled out by your Dentist and Physician
6. For the 2026-2027 school year, all children who turn 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026, will be eligible for Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
For enrollment questions or if you need assistance applying, please reach out: 530-273-7736 x-1020 // enrollment@ncsota.org
How to enter your student in our Lottery
1
register on the Lotterease platform
You will need to register on the Lotterease platform to enter your child into the lottery system. On this registration, be sure to use your information and not your child’s. You will be asked in a later step to enter your child’s information.
2
enter your child’s information
You will now need to enter your child’s information to add them to your account. Once you have created your account, you will need to navigate to the “Add Child” link on the left menu.
3
enroll them in a lottery
Now that you have added your child to your Lotterease account, you will now have to enroll them in a lottery. Select your child’s name from the left menu and you will be prompted to select a school. Select: Nevada City School of the Arts and hit submit.
4
You have entered your child into the lottery
Congratulations! You have entered your child into the lottery at Nevada City School of the Arts. Now you can login to your account and check the status of your application. Click the button below to login to your Lotterease account.