Welcome Back Bison! Limited Spots Available for 2026-2027 School Year!
Application Process
Be a Part of Our 2026–2027 Class: Applications Now Open!
Every student in Iowa deserves access to an exceptional education, and at Cedar Rapids Prep, we deliver on this for your child.
As a public charter school, all students in the state of Iowa who are able to get to our school in person every day are eligible to apply. There are no entrance exams and no tuition; students must simply apply before the deadline to be eligible for admission.
Want to know why families choose Cedar Rapids Prep? Watch the video and hear directly from our students and staff.
Step 1: Fill Out an Application
Simply complete our online application by submitting your student’s name, contact information, and parent or guardian details.
Applications for 6th and 7th grade are on a waitlist for the 26-27 year.
Applications for 8th and 9th grade are being accepted on a rolling basis until all seats are filled.
2026-2027 School Year:
APPLICATION FOR 2026-2027
Step 2: Await a Decision
Families will be notified of their student’s application status within two business days via email.
6th & 7th Grade Lottery Details:Student applications received by February 17, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. for 6th and 7th grade were entered into a blind lottery on February 24, 2026. Student names were randomly drawn to fill available spots, with remaining applicants placed on a waitlist in the order drawn. Families were notified of their application status within 24 hours of the lottery and were asked to promptly confirm their spot.
Step 3: Enroll
After receiving notification of acceptance, you will be invited to complete the enrollment package, which will include items such as health forms, transcripts, proof of residency, and other relevant documents. Submitting the enrollment forms in a timely manner will secure your student’s spot at Cedar Rapids Prep. Until these forms are received, your student is not officially enrolled at Cedar Rapids Prep. Lack of prompt paperwork will result in forfeiting your spot.
If you have any questions, please contact Cedar Rapids Prep at info@cedarrapidsprep.org.
Get an Inside Look At the Bison Spirit!
🏫 Open House is TODAY! 🎉
We’re excited to welcome our Cedar Rapids Prep families to campus this afternoon! Come meet teachers, connect with staff, explore your student’s learning environment, and see what’s happening at Prep.
📍 Towers Campus: 4:30–6:00 PM
4515 N River Blvd, Cedar Rapids
📍 Hiawatha Campus: 5:00–6:30 PM
1 Parsons Dr, Hiawatha
We can’t wait to see our Prep families! See you tonight! 👋
#CedarRapidsPrep #OpenHouse #PrepFamily #GoPrep
🌟 Student Shoutouts! 🌟
It’s Monday, which means it’s time to celebrate some amazing students! 🎉👏
Join us each week as we recognize students who are making a difference through their hard work, kindness, growth, leadership, and accomplishments. 💙
Help us kick off the week by giving these students a BIG shoutout! 🙌✨
Way to go, students! Keep shining! 🌟
#MondayStudentShoutouts #StudentSpotlight #StudentSuccess
Meet Mr. Wilcox! 🌟
With the upcoming 2026-2027 school year marking his 10th year in education, Mr. Wilcox brings a wealth of experience and a passion for helping students grow. Throughout his career, he has taught in two different school districts, worked across multiple content areas and grade levels, and even spent a year working in school administration.
What excites Mr. Wilcox most about Cedar Rapids Prep is the incredible movement happening among students, families, and educators to create a learning environment unlike any they’ve experienced before. He’s looking forward to collaborating with the eager team of educators at Prep and partnering with families from across the surrounding area who are committed to helping students grow as learners and young citizens of our community.
Beyond academics, Mr. Wilcox hopes to inspire his students to make an impact on the world around them. Through meaningful conversations and learning experiences, he wants to help students build their skills, discover their passions, and recognize the potential they have to make our world a better place.
Outside of school, Mr. Wilcox loves traveling with his wife and four sons. His family enjoys exploring new places, visiting national parks, and learning about the history behind each destination. He also loves starting and ending his day with a good book and enjoys recommending books to friends and family based on their interests. When he’s not reading or traveling, you can find him enjoying the outdoors with his family or cheering on his children as they swim and play soccer.
Welcome to the team, Mr. Wilcox! We’re so excited to have you as part of our Cedar Rapids Prep community! 🦬
#StaffSpotlight #BisonFamily #NewStaff #CedarRapidsPrep
🦬 Cedar Rapids Prep is nothing without our students! 💙
As we look back on the excitement of our first and second day of school , we’re reminded that it’s our students who make our school community so special. We’re so excited for another amazing year together!
Here’s to a great first week, Bison! 🦬💙
🎒✨ 3 DAYS! ✨🎒
The countdown is getting REAL! Only 3 days until the first day of school! 📚🍎
Who’s excited?! 🙋♀️🙋♂️
#ThreeDaysToGo #BackToSchool #FirstDayOfSchool #SchoolCountdown #BackToSchoolExcitement
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🎉 Yesterday, we welcomed our new students at orientation! We’re so excited to have everyone join our Cedar Rapids Prep community! 💙
If you missed orientation, no worries! Keep an eye on your inbox for an email this Friday with all the information. 📧
We can’t wait to see everyone on Monday!
#CedarRapidsPrep #backtoschool📚
Meet Ms. White! 🌟
With 9 years of experience in education, Ms. White has always been passionate about creating learning environments where students feel physically safe, emotionally supported, and ready to do their best academic work. She’s excited to bring that passion to our new Hiawatha campus and help build a strong, cohesive culture across our growing community.
Beyond academics, Ms. White hopes her students learn to believe in themselves, persevere through challenges, and treat others with kindness and respect. She wants every student to leave her classroom knowing that mistakes are a natural part of learning, their voice matters, and they have the power to make a positive difference in their school and community.
Outside of school, Ms. White enjoys spending quality time with her family and her energetic three-year-old. She also loves catching up with friends, checking out local community events, and taking walks outdoors to recharge. And when it’s time to relax, you can usually find her enjoying a healthy dose of reality TV!
Welcome to the team, Ms. White! We’re so excited to have you as part of our community! 🦬
#StaffSpotlight #BisonFamily #NewStaff #CedarRapidsPrep
🎉 NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION IS TOMORROW! 🎉
We’re excited to welcome our new students and families! 💙
📚 6th Grade: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
📚 7th – 9th Grade: 5:30 – 6:30 PM
📍 Location: 4625 N River Blvd NE, Cedar Rapids
🏫 Returning Families:
Join us for Open House on September 1st from 4:30 – 6:30 PM at the Hiawatha Campus!
We can’t wait to see everyone! 🎉💙
🎒✨ ONE WEEK! ✨🎒
The countdown is officially on! Just 1 week until the first day of school!
Who’s ready for a new year full of learning, growing, and making memories? We sure are! ❤️
#OneWeekToGo #BackToSchool #FirstDayOfSchool #SchoolCountdown
🚧 Weekly Building Update 🚧
This week, crews have been working on field drainage while also making more progress around the front entrance. With the first day of school getting closer, it’s exciting to see the building taking shape and another week of progress checked off the list!
We’re getting closer and closer to welcoming everyone into our new space! 🎉🏫
#WeeklyUpdate #BuildingProgress #BuildingOurFuture
Meet Mr. Bentzinger! 🌟
Mr. Bentzinger is joining the Cedar Rapids Prep family as our Art Teacher! With 15 years of experience in education, he brings a wealth of experience in visual art, a passion for creativity, and a commitment to helping students discover the many ways art can shape how we see and engage with the world.
After graduating from the University of Iowa’s College of Education, Mr. Bentzinger has spent 15 years teaching students from PreK through 12th grade. He taught Visual Art at Willowwind School for 10 years and most recently taught Painting, Drawing, and Ceramics at Wilton Jr./Sr. High School. He is also pursuing his M.A. in Art Education at the University of Iowa, where he has served as both a teaching assistant and instructor for Art Education courses.
This year, Mr. Bentzinger is especially excited to build Cedar Rapids Prep’s arts program from the ground up. He looks forward to creating opportunities for cross-curricular collaboration and helping students create, experiment, build confidence, and use their art to make an impact in their community.
Beyond academics, Mr. Bentzinger hopes his students will grow to be kind, creative, and hard-working while developing a genuine appreciation for art and all that it can be—not simply “pretty pictures.”
When he’s not teaching, Mr. Bentzinger loves painting and drawing, especially murals. He is also a huge fan of tabletop RPGs and hobby board games, with favorites including Pathfinder 2e, ROOT, and Magical Athlete. Most of all, he enjoys being a dad and spending quality time with his family.
Welcome to Bison Nation, Mr. Bentzinger! 🦬🎨
#StaffSpotlight #BisonFamily #NewStaff #CedarRapidsPrep
Growing great educators means growing great schools! 🌱📚
Over these past couple of weeks, our teachers and staff have been investing in personal and professional development, learning new things, strengthening their skills, and growing together. We’re so proud of a team that is always looking for ways to become even better for our students! 💙✨
#BisonPride #BuildingOurFuture #cedarrapidsprep
Who is eligible to enroll?
Cedar Rapids Prep is currently accepting applications for 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. Students must be residents of the state of Iowa.
What are the admissions requirements?
Cedar Rapids Prep welcomes all students who have a passion for learning and a desire to grow academically and personally. There are no academic prerequisites or selection criteria.
Do siblings of Cedar Rapids Prep students get priority enrollment?
Siblings of current Cedar Rapids Prep students are automatically given acceptance so long as an application has been received by the February 17, 2026 deadline. If a sibling does not submit an application before the deadline, they are not guaranteed admission. Note that siblings bypass the lottery, before the lottery drawing begins, all siblings that have applied are provided a spot and the remaining spots are filled with non-sibling applicants via the lottery.
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Cedar Rapids Prep does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law in its student admissions process.
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