Policy - JF

POLICY: JF

EFFECTIVE DATE: 02/03/21

CANCELS SHEET DATED: 12/01/10

REVIEWED BY POLICY COMMITTEE: 10/14/03; 10/13/10; 01/13/21

STUDENT ENROLLMENT

It is the intent of the RSU #74 School Board to in general provide students with enrollment at a school as close as practical to their primary residence. To accomplish this, the School Board shall establish school attendance areas within the School District. To the extent practicable these attendance areas shall remain stable from year to year.

The following criteria shall determine student enrollment at a specific school within RSU #74:

Parent request for change of school for students in grades Pre-K-5

• Any parent request for reassignment of a student in grades Pre-K-5 to a school other than the school assigned for their attendance area must be made at least four (4) weeks prior to the start of school and must follow the procedure below:

• The parent(s) will submit the request in writing to the Principal on the form provided for this purpose.

• The parent(s) will meet as needed with the principal to discuss the transfer request.

• The Principal shall meet with the Administrative Team to review and determine action on the parent request.

• The parent(s) will be notified by the Principal of the determination of the Administrative Team.

• If the transfer is approved, parent(s) will be notified that this decision is for the current school year only and will be reviewed prior to the start of the next school year.

• The parent(s) shall be responsible for student transportation to and from school even if district transportation is incidentally available. Such students may ride a district school bus provided that doing so does not:

1. require any change in the bus route or schedule.

2. result in overcrowding of the bus.

3. result in any delay in the student’s arrival for school or early departure from school.

4. result in any other additional expense or interference with the transportation or educational schedules or activities.

• If the transfer is denied, the parent(s) will be notified that they may meet with the Superintendent and ultimately the School Board for further consideration.

School initiated change of School for K-5 students:

· From time to time a change of school assignment may be necessary in order for a student to receive a required specialized service or program not available in their attendance area school and which is impractical to provide at that school. In such a case when the student is transferred as part of a school initiated educational plan to access a specialized program or service transportation to and from the new school of attendance shall be provided by RSU #74. Furthermore, every reasonable effort will be made to arrange the schedule of transportation to minimize any loss of instructional time.

· From time to time imbalance of enrollment between Elementary Schools resulting in class size over enrollment (See policy IIB) may require the assignment of one or more students to a school other than the designated attendance area school for those students. In such a case every reasonable effort shall be made to have such reassignments occur through voluntary requests. When voluntary requests are insufficient then enrollment transfers shall be made based on the following criteria.

Ø 1^st selected shall be students attending from another school district under Superintendent agreement or tuition basis.

Ø 2^nd selected shall be students who are attending out of their regular attendance area by parent request.

Ø 3^rd selected shall be students most recently enrolled who have not previously attended the school with over-enrolled classes.

Ø In the event two or more such students are candidates for the same available spot then the student with the longer attendance history at the school shall be given priority.

In any case, the school district will provide transportation to the newly assigned school for students who reside in the district. In the event that over enrollment eases opportunity for reassignment in the following year shall be offered to parents in the reverse order of the selection order outlined above.

· In the event that a change in the RSU #74 School Board determined attendance areas occurs, parents of students whose school assignment would as a result change will be given the first priority for available spots in their original attendance school. In the event two or more such students are candidates for the same available spot, then the student with the longer attendance history at the school shall be given priority.