JFB
OPEN  ENROLLMENT

The District has an open-enrollment program as set forth in A.R.S. 15-816 et seq.  The open enrollment program described in this policy shall be placed on the District website and made available to the public on request.

No tuition shall be charged for open enrollment, except as authorized by applicable provisions of A.R.S. 15-764, 15-797, 15-823, 15-824, and 15-825, or if the District has entered into a voluntary agreement with another district for the payment of tuition for certain pupils.

The School District shall update on each school's website the school's capacity and whether the school is currently accepting open enrollment students, by grade level, at least once every twelve (12) weeks unless there are no changes to report for the individual school.

If a school has any other separate capacity by specialized program, information regarding whether that program is accepting open enrollment students, in the same manner.  The websites for the District and the individual schools will reflect information that is consistent with the model format adopted by the State Board of Education.  This information will include instructions for how parents may apply for open enrollment.  Hard copies of these instructions shall also be available to parents at individual schools.

Schools shall accept pupils throughout the school year as capacity allows.  Pupils who are denied access due to capacity shall be placed on a waitlist and informed that they are on a waitlist.  Pupils on the waitlist shall be selected as seats become available.

Definitions

"Resident Pupil" means a pupil whose residence is within the attendance area of a school.

"Resident School" means a school that is within the designated attendance area in which a pupil resides.  "Resident Transfer Pupil" means a resident pupil who is enrolled in or seeking enrollment in a school that is within the School District but outside the attendance area of the pupil’s residence.

"Nonresident Pupil" means a pupil who resides in this state of Arizona and who is enrolled or seeking enrollment in a school district other than the school district in which the pupil resides.  "Open Enrollment" means the process by which Resident Transfer Pupils and Nonresident Pupils are allowed to enroll in any school within the District.

Enrollment  Options  Preferences

The District shall enroll at any time any Resident Pupil who applies for enrollment at that pupil’s Resident School.  For open enrollment, the District shall give enrollment preference to and reserve capacity for all of the following based on the priority listed below:

1.  Pupils returning to the school from the prior year

2.  Pupils who are children of persons who are employed by or at a school in the District

3.  Siblings of pupils already enrolled

4.  Resident Transfer Pupils

The District may also give enrollment preference to the following pupils regardless of the priority list above:

1.  Pupils who are in foster care

2.  Pupils who meet the definition of unaccompanied youth described in the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act (P.L. 100-77, 101 Stat. 482, 42 United States Code section 1143a).

3.  Pupils who attend a school that is closing.

If, after applying the preferences above, the remaining capacity at a school is insufficient to enroll all pupils who submit a timely open enrollment request, the school shall select pupils based on a lottery.  If a pupil is selected through the lottery process, any siblings of that pupil shall then be given preference for enrollment as well.  Pupils placed on a waitlist shall also be informed of the lottery process.

Transportation

For Nonresident Pupils with disabilities whose individualized education program specifies that transportation is necessary to fulfill the program, the District shall provide transportation limited to not more than thirty (30) miles each way to and from the school of attendance or to and from a pick-up point on a regular transportation route or for the total miles traveled today to an adjacent district.

The District shall not provide transportation to any other Nonresident Pupils other than as described above.

Non-Discrimination

Except as provided in A.R.S. § 15-816.01, a school shall not limit admission based on any of the following:

A.  Ethnicity or race

B.  National Origin

C.  Sex

D.  Income level

E.  Disability

F.  Proficiency in the English language

G.  Athletic ability

Adopted:  November 8, 2022

LEGAL REF.:
A.R.S.
8-371
15-341
15-764
15-797
15-816 et seq.
15-823
15-824
15-825
15-841
15-922
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.:
EEAA - Walkers and Riders
IIB - Class Size
JF - Student Admissions
JFAA - Admission of Resident Students
JFAB - Admission of Nonresident Students
JFABD - Admission of Homeless Students
JFABDA - Admission of Students in Foster Care
JG - Assignment of Students to Classes and Grade Levels