JF
STUDENT  ADMISSIONS

Required  Age

The District shall admit children between the ages of five (5) and twenty-one (21) years who reside within the District's boundaries.  Students who are residents of the District, and are living with their parent(s) or legal guardians (except emancipated children or those who are homeless or abandoned [pursuant to A.R.S. 8-546]), and meet the age requirements will be eligible for admission.

●  Minimum age for admission:

■  Preschool children with disabilities who qualify and who are at least three (3) years of age will be admitted to a preschool program pursuant to A.R.S. 15-771.  A preschool child is three years of age as of the date of the child's third birthday.  If otherwise eligible, the District may admit a child who is within ninety (90) days of reaching age three (3) years if it is determined to be in the best interest of the individual.  The Superintendent shall make such determination based upon one (1) or more consultations with parents(s), guardian(s), the child, and the multidisciplinary placement team. 

■  For admission to kindergarten, children must be five (5) years of age prior to September 1 of the current school year.

■  For admission to first grade, children must be six (6) years of age prior to September 1 of the current school year.

●  Entrance requirements for secondary students:

■  Except for students sixteen (16) years of age or older, or students who have been home schooled and are of high school age, a diploma, certificate of completion, or other evidence of completion of the eighth grade such as an official transcript or report card from a school acceptable to the District is required for admission to the freshman class.  A complete transcript or other acceptable verification of all high school level course work taken in accredited schools by a transfer student must be presented prior to assigning the transfer student to a grade level other than freshman level.

■  Any student may, at the discretion of the principal, be required to complete placement tests prior to final registration for assignment to subjects and/or a grade level.

●  Admission of suspended or expelled students:

■  The District reserves the right to hold students accountable for behavior that did not occur on District property or behavior that occurred in another school outside the District, including situations where the student was not a student in the Catalina Foothills School District.  In such cases, the District, in its sole discretion, can schedule a hearing to determine if the student will be allowed to enter a District school if the student will be suspended or expelled from a District school, or if the District will honor the discipline imposed while the student attended another school or district.

Other  Requirements

The person enrolling a student (except homeless students) in the District will be asked to produce proof of residency.  In addition to proof of residency the person enrolling a student will submit one (1) of the following proofs:

●  A certified copy of the child's birth certificate; or

●  Other reliable proof of the student's identity and age, including the student's baptismal certificate, an application for a Social Security number, or original school registration records, and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate; or

●  In the case of a student in the custody of an agency, a letter from the authorized representative having custody of the student (pursuant to statute) certifying that the student has been placed in the custody of the agency as prescribed by law.

The parent, guardian, or surrogate will be given thirty (30) days to provide documentation requested as listed above.  If documentation is not provided, a letter will be sent to notify the parent, guardian, or surrogate that unless the documentation is provided within ten (10) days, the local law enforcement agency will be notified.

If a student's residence in the district is imminent (within thirty [30] days) due to the completion of construction of a house, the student may be admitted upon acceptable proof of that residency being submitted to the Superintendent.

The Governing Board shall admit a child who is a resident of the United States, but not of Arizona, if evidence indicates that the child's physical, mental, moral, or emotional health is best served by placement with a grandparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, or uncle who is a resident within the School District, unless the Governing Board determines that the placement is solely for the purpose of obtaining an education in this District without payment of tuition.  The family member must provide written documentary proof of the court proceeding seeking legal guardianship or custody within thirty (30) days of enrollment and notify the District when guardianship or custody is formally obtained.

Nothing contained in this policy shall authorize the District to disclose to any person a student's educational record without prior parental consent unless the District makes a determination that disclosure of such records is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student.

"Residence"  Defined

The residence of a student is the residence of the person having legal custody of the student, except as provided in A.R.S. 15-823 through A.R.S. 15-825.

Residency of the parent/guardian or surrogate may be determined by showing the individual's presence and intent to remain in the District.  Documentation of residency may include, but is not limited to, landlord-tenant agreements, rent or lease receipts, and receipts for utility payments.  The District reserves the right to investigate the claimed residency status and to require additional documents to prove residency within the district.

Certificate  of  Educational
Convenience  Applications

A pupil who is precluded by distance, lack of adequate transportation facilities or a parent’s or guardian’s employment from attending a school in the School District or county of the pupil’s residence or who resides in unorganized territory may apply for a certificate of educational convenience.

A school district that receives an application pursuant to §15-825 shall submit the completed application to the County School Superintendent electronically, in person or by regular mail.

Adopted:  November 8, 2022

LEGAL REF.:
A.R.S.
15-825
15-828
42 U.S.C. 11301, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001,
   as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015

CROSS REF.: 
IKEB - Acceleration
JEB - Entrance Age Requirements
JFAA - Admission of Resident Students
JFAB - Admission of Nonresident Students
JFABD - Admission of Homeless Students
JFB - Open Enrollment
JG - Assignment of Students to Classes and Grade Levels
JLCB - Immunizations of Students
JLH - Missing Students
JR - Student Records
JRCA - Request for Transfer of Records