JFBOPEN ENROLLMENT
JFBIn accordance with state law, the District has established an open enrollment policy and implemented an open enrollment program without charging tuition for nonresident students and resident transfer 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.
School District policies shall include the information required by A.R.S. 15-816.01(I) that is needed to request enrollment and that is consistent with guidance and state and federal law regarding pupil privacy and civil rights, and information regarding the provision of transportation or resources for transportation.
The policies must be easily accessible from the home page on each school's website and be available in English and in Spanish or in any other language used by a majority of the populations served by the school or School District.
A 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, the information required pursuant to this subsection shall also be posted by specialized program.
Schools shall accept pupils throughout the school year as capacity allows. Pupils who are denied access due to capacity shall be informed that they are on a wait list and of the details regarding the process prescribed in A.R.S. 15-816.01(E).
Pupils shall be selected as seats become available.
A school district shall enroll at any time any resident pupil who applies for enrollment to the school district.
If remaining capacity at a school, as determined by the School District Governing Board, is insufficient to enroll all pupils who submit a timely request, the school or School District shall select pupils through an equitable selection process.
Except as provided in A.R.S. 15-816.01, a school that is operated by a school district may 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.
Open Enrollment Information
and Application
The Superintendent shall provide open enrollment information annually. Information shall include the process to submit an open enrollment application either online or in print.
Admission Criteria
The Superintendent shall determine if non-resident students and resident transfer students will be admitted without tuition in accordance with the following criteria:
A. 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:
1. Physical capacity of the school building and classrooms.
2. Availability of staff members (i.e., administrators, teachers, other certificated employees and related service providers).
3. Capacity in relevant special programs.
4. Availability of other resources.
B. The student's prior educational status and/or juvenile court system status including:
1. Whether the student has been suspended or expelled by another school or is in the process of being suspended or expelled by any other school.
2. Whether the student is in compliance with any conditions imposed by a juvenile court.
3. The status of the student's attendance, discipline and/or grades.
Failure to disclose the above on the District's open enrollment application will result in revocation of the student's acceptance for open enrollment.
Enrollment Priority Groups
The District will give enrollment priority to applicants in the following order, as long as their enrollment can be accomplished in accordance with the District's admission criteria:
A. Resident transfer students who currently attend the school and their siblings.
B. Children of employees and previously accepted and enrolled nonresident students.
C. Resident transfer students.
D. Previously accepted and enrolled nonresident students' siblings.
E. Nonresident students.
Application Procedures
The student's parent/legal guardian completes and submits the open enrollment application using the following criteria:
A. Applications will be accepted beginning the second Monday in January.
B. Applications for initial open enrollment acceptance will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, within each enrollment priority group. If program or service is at capacity based on current enrolled students, a wait list may be generated.
C. The District will determine whether the student's admission would be in conformity with its admission criteria.
D. The student's parent/legal guardian will be notified of the decision by phone, mail and/or email as promptly as possible upon receipt of an application.
E. Continuing status of an open enrollment is subject to review for acceptance or revocation each year without reapplication.
F. If currently on an open enrollment and requesting a different site, a new application will be required.
Transportation Provisions
The District does not transport open enrollment students, except the District will provide transportation limited to no more than thirty (30) 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 nonresident students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) specifies that transportation is necessary for fulfillment of the program.
Adopted: September 08, 2021
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