Join MAD!

The first round of admissions for MAD takes place during the Spring of your 8th grade year. We offer admission to incoming freshmen via lottery based on a 50/50 model that is in alignment with the requirements of the California Partnership Academies educational code. 

50% of our seats are allocated to students who meet the “at promise” criteria of the California Partnership Academies Ed code. Eligibility for these seats will be determined using student data.

The remaining 50% are assigned using a random number generator.

Our Academy is a California Partnership Academy that receives annual funding from the California Partnership Academy grant. Our current enrollment model was developed in an effort to comply with the CPA grant requirements, to meet the needs of our community as a whole, and to further progress towards our goal of creating an academy student body that is more reflective of our high school as a whole. Ed Code regarding California Partnership Academies can be found here: Article 5: Partnership Academies [54690 - 54697].  

To be included in the enrollment lottery for the first round of admissions, parents must fill out the MAD Academy freshmen interest form by March 1st of the applicant’s 8th grade year. This form is distributed by SBHS counselors at the 8th grade school sites or at designated private school meetings between December and February. It is also posted here on our website during that time. Indicating interest in our program is not a guarantee of enrollment. 

After March 1st of the applicant’s 8th grade year, our admissions system changes to a merit-based model. We also follow the 50% “at promise” ratio when selecting applicants to fill open spots. To be considered for spots that may open up due to attrition, you will need to fill out the MAD Application that corresponds to your graduating year. Our application includes a statement of interest as well as an optional portfolio submission.

Average attrition has been around 0-10 students per grade per year, and attrition can happen at any time throughout the year. For this reason, there is no date by which applicants can definitively know whether or not they will be offered a spot in MAD. Your application will be kept on file until the end of your junior year.

FORMS AND APPLICATIONS

To be considered for an open spot in MAD after the initial freshmen lottery, please fill out the form that corresponds to your graduating year.:

Class of 2025: We do not enroll new 12th grade students.

Class of 2026: Class of 2026 new - MAD Application (available through term 3 2025)

Class of 2027: Class of 2027 new - MAD Application

Class of 2028: Class of 2028 - MAD Academy WAITLIST form  - The MAD Academy interest form for the class of 2028 closed on March 1st, 2024. To be added to the waitlist after students who filled out the form by the deadline, fill out this waitlist form. The waitlist is valid until the end of term 3, which ends on 4.4.25. At that point the waitlist will expire, and the MAD class of 2028 application will be posted on the MAD website. All those still interested in joining MAD will then need to fill out the application in order to be considered.

Class of 2029: Class of 2029 - MAD Application

Important Dates for the Class of 2029:

Academy Interest Form window: November 8th, 2024 - March 1st, 2025

Enrollment communication: May 1st, 2025

Acceptance of enrollment offer deadline: May 8th, 2025

Students must be enrolled at SBHS to be enrolled in MAD. If you are coming from out of district, you must first complete the transfer process by January 26th:

 SB Unified Enrollment and Registration

Demand for SBHS academy enrollment varies greatly year by year. Some years there are more applicants than we can accommodate. There is no guarantee of enrollment in our program. For this reason we strongly advise against enrolling at SBHS for the sole purpose of enrolling in our academy, and encourage families to keep their options and their minds open. There are many wonderful courses and programs at SBHS in and outside of our academies.

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process!