A guide for families
Charter schools in Prince George's County: how to apply
Public charter schools in Prince George's County are tuition-free and open to every family in the county. Admission is by lottery, not by test. Here is how the process works, and how Legends in Lanham fits in.
Updated October 2026
What “charter school” means in Prince George's County
A public charter school is a public school. There is no tuition and there are no entrance exams. Charter schools in the county are authorized by Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS), and admission to every one of them runs through the same PGCPS charter school lottery.
Legends Public Charter School is a tuition-free K–8 charter school at 9700 Philadelphia Court in Lanham, central Prince George's County, serving 900+ scholars from across the county. It is operated by Equity Now, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
How to apply, step by step
- 01
Applications open November 1
Families apply through the PGCPS ScribChoice system, the official platform for all charter school applications in Prince George’s County. Applications are free, you can apply to more than one school, and you can rank schools in order of preference.
- 02
The application window closes in February
All applications submitted during the window are treated equally in the lottery. Order of submission does not matter.
- 03
A computerized random lottery in early March
PGCPS runs a random drawing for grades that have more applicants than seats. No test scores, no auditions, no essays. The only preference is sibling priority: if you already have a child at Legends, your other children are drawn first.
- 04
Results and acceptance
Families are notified of their lottery number and waitlist status through ScribChoice and have two weeks to accept a seat. If a family declines, the seat goes to the next family on the waitlist.
- 05
Enrollment
Accepted families return enrollment forms, submit the required documents, and attend orientation. Families who are not selected can join the waitlist; seats sometimes open during the year.
Applying for kindergarten
Most seats at Legends open in kindergarten and in 6th grade. Legends enrolls 60–80 kindergartners each year, and kindergartners must turn five by September 1 of the enrollment year.
Kindergarten classes are capped at 18 scholars, with two adults in every K–2 classroom: a certified lead teacher and a trained Legends Fellow (AmeriCorps). Financial education starts in kindergarten.
The interest list is the way to be told first when applications open for the 2027–28 year, with invitations to tour and help through the lottery.
Grades 1–8, siblings, and seeing the school first
Legends accepts students into all grades K–8 based on availability, and current families are given priority for sibling enrollment. If a grade is full, you can join the waitlist; seats sometimes open during the year.
Tours are by appointment during the school day, so you can see the two-adult classroom in action before you apply. Call 240-455-5900 to book one.
Every scholar starts somewhere. Start here.
Tuition-free. Two adults in every K–2 classroom. Open to every family in Prince George's County.
Join the Kindergarten Interest List