Gooding Joint School District #231
STUDENTS 3010
Open Enrollment by Students Who Reside Within and Outside the District
The Board of Trustees recognizes that some of its patrons may want to enroll their children in a different school than the school that serves the attendance area in which they reside. The Board also recognizes that some out-of-District parents/guardians may want to send their child to a District school. Therefore, this policy is adopted to allow all in-District and out-of-District patrons to choose among this District’s schools under specified conditions. In making a decision on a student’s open enrollment application, the District shall consider the needs of the student requesting the transfer as well as the other students affected by the transfer and will accept students if capacity allows.
The District will prioritize applications from students who live within the District and may deny students for one or more of the following reasons:
- The student was expelled by the previous District;
- The student has a documented history of significant disciplinary issues or history of chronic absenteeism. However, students applying who have a 504 plan or IEP may not be denied enrollment or have enrollment revoked if the behavior resulting in disciplinary action or chronic absenteeism is a manifestation of the student’s disability.
- The receiving school within the District does not have space available according to the capacity limits set by the Board of Trustees.
The process outlined in this policy is required for admission to any school within the District, and shall be initiated again when a change in grade warrants a change in school – such as when the pupil wishes to continue open enrollment into middle school or high school.
Due process for all students remains the same regardless of which school they attend within the District and regardless of where the student resides once accepted under the open enrollment policy.
Transportation
Parents/guardians of a student accepted under this policy will be responsible for transporting the accepted student. If bus space is available, then students accepted under the open enrollment policy may be transported from an appropriate, established bus stop within District boundaries. However, this may not apply to students with disabilities who have transportation identified in their IEP as a related service need.
Sports
It is recommended that a student who is considering submitting an open enrollment application to this District and who anticipates participating in a sport governed by the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) review IHSAA rules prior to submitting their open enrollment application. Certain school transfers could lead to a student being ineligible to play at the varsity level for one year.
Application/Approval Process
Applications will be accepted on a form provided by the District until February 1 of each year for enrollment in the subsequent school year. This deadline shall be waived in the case of students who move out of their attendance zone during the school year. The District may also consider other applications submitted after February 1.
At the time of application, the District will provide the student’s parent/guardian a list of eligible reasons for denial or revocation of open enrollment.
Maximum Capacity
The District will only accept an open enrollment student if the grade level and/or programs they require are below the capacity limits specified in 3010P. The District shall report, at least four times during the school year, the space available at each grade level, by school, using these capacity limits and will post it prominently on the District website.
The Superintendent shall establish a procedure for:
- Determining which students are chosen when classroom space allows the admission of some, but not all, qualified applicants;
- Notifying parents/guardians of the possible reasons for denial or revocation;
- Notifying parents of the action taken on the open enrollment application, including the reasons for the denial of any application;
- Removing a student from a transfer school, including the grounds for removal, parent notification, and the appeal process; and
- Notifying parents/guardians of the appeal process available to them in the event their student’s application is denied.
Re-enrollment
Open Enrollment students do not need to re-apply to maintain their enrollment at the school in which they’re enrolled; However, the parent/guardian shall notify the District of their intention to re-enroll on an annual basis no later than February 1.
Students who reside in the District and move out of their school attendance zone during the school year must initiate an Open Enrollment request to stay in their school.
Revocation of Open Enrollment
Open enrollment students are required to comply with all District policies. Unacceptable behaviors by a student or false or misleading information on their open enrollment application are grounds for the District to remove an open enrollment student at any time. The District may revoke a student’s enrollment if one or more of the following occurs:
- The student is chronically absent.
- The student commits repeated, serious disciplinary infractions.
- The student has been expelled.
- The number of resident students exceeds the capacity limits set in Procedure 3010P. A student’s open enrollment cannot be revoked on these grounds if a student has attended the receiving school for more than two consecutive school years. If a student’s enrollment is revoked for this reason, the District shall offer information about other District schools that may be accepting open enrollment students.
Students under consideration of revocation who have a 504 plan or IEP may not have enrollment revoked if the behavior resulting in disciplinary action or chronic absenteeism is a manifestation of the student’s disability.
Student Appeals
If an open enrollment application request is denied or revoked, a parent/guardian may request an administrative review by the Board. The parent/guardian must request the review within five school days of receiving the written denial notice. The Board shall consider the appeal at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and issue its decision in writing.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
All student’s rights and responsibilities remain the same regardless of what school they attend within the District and regardless of where the student resides once accepted under the open enrollment policy.
Preventing or Recruiting Potential Open Enrollment Students
Neither the District nor its employees will take any action to prohibit or prevent application by a student to attend school in another school district or to attend another school within the District. In no event is the District, or an employee of the District to recruit students outside of their attendance area. Violation of this policy may involve disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
Evaluation of Policy
Annually, the Superintendent shall report to the Board the effect of this policy. The report should include the number of open enrollment requests accepted or denied by each school, the reasons for denial, and any unanticipated results of this policy.
Cross Reference: 2240 Class Size
3080 Nonresident Student Attendance by Out of State Students
Legal Reference: IC §33-512 Governance of Schools
IC §33-1401 Transfer of Pupils – Definitions
IC §33-1402 Enrollment Options
IC §33-1404 Districts to Receive Pupils
IC § 33-1409 Measuring and Reporting Capacity
IC § 33-1410 Student Appeals
IC §33-2001 Education of Exceptional Children – Definitions
Policy History:
Adopted on: 7-17-2012
Revised on: 1-14-2020, 8-8-23
Reviewed on: