Spring Round Application Process

During the Spring Round of admissions, families can apply (or reapply) for grades that are projected to have available seats or a short waitlist after Main Round. Final Main Round matches will be made by New Orleans Public Schools by April 7, 2025. Willow will publish which grades are participating in the Spring Round in early April.

All public schools in New Orleans, including Willow School, participate in the NOLA-PS Common Application Process (NCAP). Our school, along with three other public schools in Orleans Parish, has academic admissions criteria that require a supplemental application and an admissions exam. This process is essential to evaluate the readiness of applicants for our rigorous program and is reflected in a matrix score.

If you would like to be notified when the Spring Round begins, please add your email to the Spring Round Interest Form.

What's Different in the Spring Round

Grades Open for Applications: During Main Round, Willow accepts applicants to all grades K-12. In the Spring Round, Willow does not accept applicants to grades where it is projected that there are no available seats and a long waitlist after the Main Round. Willow will publish which grades are participating in the Spring Round in early April.

NOLA-PS Application ("OneApp"): Families do not need to complete a NOLA-PS application during the Spring Round. Eligible students will be asked to complete a NOLA-PS Seat Request Form, which will be used in the placement process with the school district. The Seat Request Form tells the district that your student wants to accept an available seat at Willow more than another NOLA-PS school assignment.

Assessment Matrix Score: In the Spring Round, students who applied in the Main Round can take the assessment again, resulting in two assessment scores (one from Main Round and one from Spring Round). Applicants can use their best scores from the math and reading sections to earn matrix points in the Spring Round. For example, let's say a student earned 9 matrix points in math and 4 matrix points in reading on the Main Round assessment, then earned 8 matrix points in math and 8 matrix points in reading in the Spring Round assessment. For the Spring Round matrix calculation, we would use the student's highest scores to calculate their total assessment points: 9 points in math from the Main Round and 8 points in reading from the Spring Round.

Mid-Year Report Card: Applicants provide the most up to date report card available for the application period. Main Round applicants provided a mid-year report card from the first semester, first trimester, or first two quarters. For the Spring Round, applicants provide a mid-year report card reflecting the first semester, two trimesters, or three quarters.

Priorities: Priorities do not apply during the Spring Round. According to Orleans Parish School Board policy, priorities can only apply during Main Round. For Willow, this means there is no sibling priority, Tulane priority, or economically disadvantaged priority for the Spring Round of admissions.

Quicker Timeline: The Spring Round is shorter than the Main Round application period. There is less time for document submission and follow-up, so we ask that families respond as quickly as possible to outreach from the Willow admissions team.

Step 1

Submit the online Willow application by completing the SAF or Reactivation Form by April 30.

Unlike the Main Round, the only application families need to complete in the Main Round is the Willow admissions form. Families do not need to complete a NOLA-PS application.

If you are a first time applicant, you'll complete the full Willow Supplemental Admissions Form (SAF). If you already applied in Main Round, you simply need to do the Reactivation Form. Families do NOT need to do both forms - only one or the other.

First Time Applicants: Submit the Willow Supplemental Admissions Form (SAF) between April 8 - April 30, 2025. The form will be linked when it is available on April 8.

Families should complete the Willow Supplemental Admissions Form (SAF) as early as possible. You only complete this form once.

  • Log into the system. If it is your first time applying, sign up and create your family profile. If you already have an account, log in to access the application.

  • Express your preferences for an assessment date.

  • Share testing accommodations information, if applicable. Learn more on the eligibility and assessment calendar pages.

  • 3rd-12th Grade Applicants may submit a copy of the final 2023-2024 report card and/or a copy of mid-year 2024-2025 report card (three quarters, two trimesters, or one semester)

  • All applicants submit the Arts Interest Profile as a component of the SAF.

Main Round Applicants: Submit the Willow Spring Round Reactivation Form between April 8 - April 30, 2025. The form will be linked when it is available on April 8.

If your family applied in the Main Round for the 2025-2026 school year, you do not need to complete the SAF again. You simply need to complete the brief Reactivation Form to reapply during the Spring Round, indicate your family's preference for a new assessment date, and share new accommodations paperwork (if applicable).

Step 2

Submit report cards and/or accommodations materials by the deadline.

Accommodations Documentation

  • Due by 4/27 for the assessment on 5/10.

  • Due by 5/7 for the assessment on 5/17.

Students receive accommodations during school testing for a variety of reasons, primarily to ensure that they have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities. These accommodations are typically provided to students with documented disabilities or special needs, as mandated by laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Learn more about accommodations requests on the eligibility assessment page.

Report Cards for 3rd-12th Grade Applicants - Due by 5/18.

If not submitted on the SAF, families should email the Willow admissions team a copy of final 2023-2024 report card and/or a copy of mid-year 2024-2025 report card (three quarters, two trimesters, or one semester).

Document Submission Methods - Submit by 11:59pm on the deadline.

All documentation must be received by 11:59pm on the deadline posted. Documents will not be accepted after these deadlines. Please contact the admissions team if you need help.

Families can turn in documentation any way that works well for you:

Families Reactivating Main Round Applications: If your family is reactivating an application and already completed these steps, you may not need to do them again. The Willow admissions team will follow up with your family to let you know which documents need to be submitted in order to maximize your child's opportunity to earn points on the eligibility matrix based on their Main Round application.

Step 3

Applicant takes the assessment on May 10 or May 17.

After completing the Willow Supplemental Admissions Form (SAF) or the Spring Round Reactivation Form, each child is assigned a day and time to complete testing at one of our Willow School campuses. Families will receive details about the assessment logistics via email prior to the test date. Learn more about the assessment experience on the eligibility assessment page. Assessment results are usually available to parents within a week of the assessment.

Makeup Dates: If for any reason, the applicant is unable to be assessed on May 10, the parent/guardian must notify the Admissions Office about the need for a makeup assessment on the next school day following the missed assessment date. Requests to schedule for May 17 must be submitted by May 12. Missed assessments can NOT be made up if the assessment date missed is the final testing date on May 17.

Please note: Applicants who do not earn sufficient points on the assessment will not be asked to complete the remaining next steps, as it would be impossible to attain the minimum matrix points needed to qualify. Students can earn a maximum of 20 points from the assessment. Learn more on the matrix page.

Step 4

Willow communicates final matrix score and eligibility to families by May 23.

A matrix score is calculated for each applicant based on their assessment performance (reading and math), arts interest profile, and grade-specific components. Applicants must earn 28 matrix points in order to be eligible for The Willow School for the 2025-2026 school year.

Willow communicates to guardians about their child’s eligibility by email no later than May 23, 2025. All eligible students will be asked to complete a Seat Request Form to indicate they would like to accept an available seat at The Willow School. The Seat Request Form is not available online. The Willow admissions team will email your family a Seat Request Form if you are eligible and asked to complete it.

Step 5

NOLA-PS Main Round School Match

Participate in school assignment process in late May.

New Orleans Public Schools (NOLA-PS) is responsible for managing all enrollment, including the Main Round match process and student assignment in the Spring Round. The Willow School team works closely with the district staff at New Orleans Public Schools to assign eligible students to available seats or to the waitlist.

Based on the number of eligible students in each grade who complete a Seat Request Form, applicants will be assigned to an available seat at Willow or to the waitlist. If there are more eligible applicants than available seats, NOLA-PS will determine which students receive placement by running a mini-lottery where each applicant is assigned a random number. Priorities do not apply in the Spring or Summer Rounds, per Orleans Parish School Board policy. Families will receive notification of their assignment to The Willow School or to the waitlist in late May or early June 2025.

The Willow admissions team is happy to answer any questions you have and help you complete your child's application. Please reach out to us by email or phone. In person and virtual appointments are available by request for support or computer access.

Applicants in Grades K-4, please reach out to Peter Hunt: email LowerAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-324-7318.

Applicants in Grades 5-12, please reach out to Jenny Cromer: email UpperAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-304-3961.

Our admissions office is located at the Willow middle school campus at 5625 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115.

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