JFBOPEN ENROLLMENT
JFBGeneral
In accordance with state law, the District has established this open-enrollment policy and implemented an open-enrollment program without charging tuition for nonresident students and resident transfer students. In addition, the standards for open enrollment set forth below apply to tuition paying preschool students.
For purposes of this policy a nonresident student is a state resident who resides outside of the District's boundaries but who seeks to enroll in the District. A resident transfer student is a state resident who resides in the District's boundaries but who seeks to enroll in a school outside of the student's attendance area.
The Superintendent shall develop and implement an administrative regulation and any other documents needed to administer the District's open-enrollment program.
Admission Criteria
The Superintendent shall determine if nonresident students and resident transfer students will be admitted without tuition, in accordance with the following criteria:
● The school in which the student seeks to enroll has the capacity to serve the student without adversely impacting educational opportunities for resident students attending their resident school. Factors to be considered in making this determination include, but are not limited to, the following:
■ Physical capacity of the school building and classrooms.
■ Availability of staff personnel (i.e., administrators, teachers, other certificated employees, related service providers).
■ Capacity in the relevant special programs.
■ Availability of other resources.
The estimate of existing capacity shall take into consideration 1) District resident students attending school at their assigned locations, 2) students attending District schools pursuant to certificates of educational convenience, 3) students required by statute to be admitted, and 4) continuing open-enrollment students.
● The student's prior status in the educational and juvenile court systems, including:
■ Whether the student has been expelled or is currently suspended by another school or is in the process of being expelled or suspended by another school.
■ Whether the student is in compliance with any conditions imposed by a juvenile court.
Failure to disclose the above on the District's open-enrollment application may result in revocation of the student's acceptance for open enrollment.
● The student's admission does not violate the provisions of a court order or agreement of desegregation in the student's resident district.
Enrollment Priority Order
The District will give enrollment priority to applicants in the following order*, so long as their enrollment can be accomplished in accordance with the District's admission criteria:
● Student(s) currently attending the school at which the application is being made.
● Sibling(s) i.e., full brother/sister, half brother/sister, step brother/sister of a currently enrolled student.
● Child(ren) of District employees and children, under the care of a legal guardian, who is a District employee. Primary preference will be given to employees of the school.
● Students who do not currently attend the school.
*Enrollment preference may be given to children who are in foster care.
Procedures
Application procedure for initial open enrollment
or open enrollment after a break in attendance:
● The student's parent/guardian completes the District's open-enrollment application and returns it to the school at which the student seeks to enroll. Applications are available at each school, District's administrative office, and on the District website.
● Applications for initial open-enrollment acceptance will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis following the enrollment priority criteria set forth above.
● The principal/principal's designee will notify the student's parent/guardian regarding the student's enrollment opportunities at the school as promptly as possible upon receipt of an application for enrollment during the current school year, and in accordance with notification dates established by the Superintendent for applicants seeking admission for the following school year.
Once an open enrollment application has been approved, it is not necessary to reapply for open enrollment in subsequent years unless the student wishes to change schools, or there has been a break in the student's enrollment due to being withdrawn.
Transportation Provisions
The District generally does not transport open-enrollment students, except that:
● The District will provide transportation limited to no more than twenty (20) miles each way to and from the student's school of attendance or to and from a pickup point on a regular transportation route or for the total miles traveled each day to an adjacent district for nonresident students with disabilities whose individualized education programs (IEPs) specify that transportation is necessary for fulfillment of the program.
● The governing board of the district educating the pupil may provide transportation limited to no more than twenty (20) miles each way to and from the school of attendance, or to and from a pickup point on a regular transportation route, or for the total miles traveled each day to an adjacent district for eligible nonresident pupils who meet the economic eligibility requirements established under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Acts (42 United States Code sections 1751 through 1785) for free or reduced-price lunches.
● The District may provide transportation for other open enrollment students under the following provisions:
■ Transportation is authorized between a school bus stop (which has been selected and designated at the discretion of the school District, which is to be no more than two and one-half ( 2 1/2) miles beyond the nearest point of the school District boundary, and which is located outside of the District enrollment boundary) and the assigned school for that bus stop (as specified by the school District).
■ Parents and guardians are responsible for safe passage of students between home and the designated bus stop.
■ To begin transportation services under this provision, a minimum of fifteen (15) students is required for travel between a bus stop and its designated school. Once transportation services begin, they will be continued until such time that ridership and/or enrollment fall below ten (10) students. If cancellation is imminent, parents and guardians will be given written notice four (4) academic weeks prior to termination of service.
Adopted: March 15, 2017
LEGAL REF.:
A.R.S.
8-371
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