If capacity is insufficient to enroll all students who submit a timely application, the school will select students through a lottery selection process except for students receiving preferential enrollment as described in the next paragraph. The lottery will be held within three days after the close of the open enrollment period and will determine the students to be enrolled in the spaces available and the order of the waiting list for each grade level. Students who are not admitted as a result of the lottery and those who submit applications after the open enrollment period will be placed on a waiting list on a first come basis. When space is available at their grade level, the parents of the next student on the waiting list will be contacted and invited to enroll. If enrollment is declined, the student can be placed at the end of the waiting list or dropped from the waiting list at the parents' discretion.

Enrollment preference will be given to students returning to Paulo Freire in the second or any subsequent year of its operation, to siblings of students already enrolled, and to children of organization employees. The number of children of organization employees receiving preferential enrollment, however, shall not exceed 50% of total student enrollment at any grade level.