How Marble Works
Four simple steps from application to enrollment — all backed by cryptographically verifiable fairness.
1. Apply
Parents browse open lotteries and submit applications for their children. Each lottery is tied to a specific school, grade level, and number of available spots. Applications are open for a published window so every family has equal opportunity.
2. Draw
Once the application window closes, a school administrator runs the lottery draw. Marble uses a cryptographically seeded random selection algorithm to shuffle all applications fairly. The draw is instant, and every detail is recorded for transparency.
3. Accept
Selected families receive email and in-app notifications with a time-limited offer. Parents can accept or decline directly from their dashboard. If an offer expires or is declined, the next student on the waitlist is automatically promoted.
4. Enroll
Once a family accepts, the school is notified and can proceed with enrollment. The complete audit trail — seed, algorithm, timestamps — is preserved so the process can be independently verified at any time.
Why It's Fair
Marble is built on principles of transparency and verifiability.
Every draw uses a unique cryptographically generated seed to ensure the selection order is truly random. No human can influence or predict the outcome.
Every draw records the seed, algorithm version, input data, and final ordering. Schools, parents, and auditors can verify that the draw was conducted fairly.
Because the algorithm is deterministic given the same seed and input, anyone with access to the draw data can independently reproduce and confirm the results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the lottery really random?
Yes. Each draw uses a cryptographically generated random seed — the same kind of randomness used by banks and security systems. The seed is generated at the moment the draw is run, and no one — not even the administrator — can predict or influence the result.
Can I verify that my child was treated fairly?
Absolutely. Logged-in users can view the full transparency details for any draw their child participated in, including the algorithm used, the seed, and the complete ordering. The draw can be independently re-run to confirm the results.
What happens if I miss the acceptance deadline?
If you don't respond by the deadline, the offer is automatically forfeited and the next child on the waitlist receives an offer. You'll receive email reminders before the deadline expires.
Can a school change the results after the draw?
No. Once a draw is run, the results are immutably recorded. The seed, input data, and result ordering are stored and cannot be modified. Any changes to offers (like waitlist promotions) are tracked separately with a full audit trail.
How is my child's information protected?
Marble takes privacy seriously. Student data is only visible to authorized parents and school administrators. The platform is designed with COPPA and FERPA compliance in mind, and sensitive information is never shared publicly.
Ready to Get Started?
Browse open lotteries or create an account to apply for your child.