423 - PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT
Nonresident Open Enrollment PupilsA nonresident pupil may apply for full-time enrollment in a district school or program under the open enrollment program. Applications will be accepted and acted upon in accordance with procedures and time lines specified in state law. The district shall consider the following criteria when accepting or rejecting a nonresident pupil’s application for full-time enrollment:
1. Preference will be given to applications of any nonresident pupils attending school in the district and their siblings.
2. The district will consider the availability of space in the schools, programs or grades within the school district. Considerations will include:
a. maintaining effective class sizes
b. workable pupil-teacher ratio
c. nonresident pupils currently attending district schools whose tuition is paid by other districts
d. enrollment projections of district students
3. The district will not accept a pupil who has been expelled by a school district during the current school year or preceding two school years for conduct specified in the law or who has disciplinary proceedings pending on such conduct. Conduct specified in the law includes endangering the health, safety, or property of others, conveying, or causing to be conveyed, a bomb threat involving school property, possessing illegal substances, and possessing a dangerous weapon while at school or under the supervision of a school authority.
4. If any of the above disciplinary actions occur after initial acceptance of the pupil and prior to the pupil starting school in the district, enrollment will denied to the nonresident pupil.
5. Additional considerations for children with exceptional educational needs include:
a. if the special education and related services required by the pupil’s individualized education program (IEP) are available in the district.
b. if there is space available in the special education program identified in the pupil’s IEP, including any class size limits, pupil-teacher ratios, state enrollment guidelines, or enrollment projections.
c. if the nonresident pupil’s IEP changes after the pupil begins attending the district and the special education program or related services required by that IEP are not available in the district or if there is no space available in the program identified in the IEP, the pupil will be returned to the district of residence.
6. If the pupil has been reported or identified as having a possible exceptional educational need, but has not yet been evaluated pursuant to state and federal requirements, the pupil will not be accepted for enrollment until an IEP is in place. At that time, the above considerations will apply.
7. If the district receives more nonresident applications for a particular grade, program or school than there are spaces in the grade, program or school, acceptance will be based on a random selection of applicants except as listed in selection criteria (points 1 and 2).
Part-time Open Enrollment
A nonresident public high school pupil may apply for enrollment in a course(s) in the district under the open enrollment program. Applications will be accepted and acted upon in accordance with procedures and time lines specified in state law. The district shall consider the same criteria when accepting or rejecting a nonresident pupil’s application for part-time enrollment as for full-time enrollment. (Preference will be given to resident pupils for course enrollment.)
Transportation
Refer to Transpiration of Open Enrollment Students Policy
Rights and Responsibilities
Nonresident open enrollment pupils attending school or classes in the district have all the rights and privileges of resident pupils and are subject to the same rules and regulations as resident pupils.
Resident Open Enrollment Pupils
Full-time Open Enrollment
Resident pupils may apply for full-time enrollments in another public school district in accordance with state law. The number of pupils permitted to enroll in another public school district will be limited as authorized by state law. If the district receives more applications that will be allowed under this section, acceptance will be determined by random selection. Preference will be given to pupils already attending public school in the district to which they are applying and their siblings.
Part-time Open Enrollment
District resident high school pupils may apply for enrollment in no more that two (2) courses in other public school districts in accordance with state law. The district shall reject a pupil’s application to attend a course in another public school district if the course conflicts with the pupil’s IEP.
Exceptional Educational Needs
The district will deny attendance in another district for children with exceptional educational needs if the costs of the special education and related services in the child’s IEP would place an undue financial burden on the district. If the resident pupil’s IEP changes after the pupil begins attending a nonresident school district and the costs of the special education and related services required by the IEP would place an undue burden on the district, the district will discontinue allowing the pupils to attend school in the nonresident district.
District Procedures For Dealing With Public School Open Enrollment Applications
Nonresident Pupil Open Enrollment Applications
Full-time Enrollment
1. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of a nonresident pupil who wishes to attend school in the district shall submit the required application to the school board. The application may include a request to attend a specific school or program offered by the district. The application shall be submitted no earlier than the first Monday of February and not later than the third Friday in February in the school year immediately preceding the school year in which the pupil wishes to attend. The district shall send a copy of the application to the pupil’s resident school board and to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on the fourth Monday of February.
2. Upon receipt of the application, it will be forwarded to the building principal for review and recommendation. All applications shall be reviewed using the acceptance/rejection criteria outlined in board policy. The building principal shall submit recommendations regarding acceptance or rejection of applications to the board for action. No action shall be taken on any application until after the third Friday in February.
3. On or before the first Friday following the first Monday in April following receipt of the application, the applicant shall be notified, in writing, of whether the application has been accepted. If the application is rejected, the notice shall include the reason(s) for the rejection.
4. If the application has been accepted by the district, and not rejected by the pupil’s resident school board, the building principal will determine which school or program the nonresident pupil may attend in the following year. This determination shall be made in consultation with other appropriate staff and in accordance with established district policies and procedures. On or before the second Friday following the first Monday in May following receipt of the application, the applicant shall be notified, in writing, of the specific school or program that the pupil may attend in the following school year.
5. The nonresident pupil’s parent(s)/guardian(s) shall notify the board of the pupil’s intent to attend school in the district in the following school year. This must be done on or before the first Friday following the first Monday in June following receipt of the notice of acceptance.
6. Annually by June 30, the resident district school boards shall be notified of the names of the pupils from the resident district who will be attending school in the district the following year.
Part-time Enrollment
1. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of a nonresident public high school pupil who wishes to take a course(s) in the district shall submit the required application to the board. The application shall be submitted no later than six weeks prior to the date the course is scheduled to commence. The district shall send a copy of the application to the pupil’s resident board.
2. Upon receipt of the application, it will be forwarded to the building principal for review and action. All applications shall be reviewed and acted upon using the acceptance/rejection criteria outlined in related board policies and procedures. No later than one week prior to the date the course is scheduled to commence, the building principal shall notify the applicant and the resident school board in writing, of whether the application has been accepted and the school at which the pupil may attend the course. If the application is rejected, the notice shall include the reason for the rejection. If accepted, the acceptance applies only for the following semester, school year or other session in which the course is offered.
3. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of a nonresident pupil accepted for enrollment shall notify the district of the pupil’s intent to attend a course in the district prior to the date the course is scheduled to commence.
Resident Pupil Open Enrollment Applications
Full-time Enrollment
1. Upon receipt of a copy of a resident pupil’s application to attend a school program in another public school district, school office staff shall forward it to the superintendent for review and recommendation.
2. All applications shall be reviewed using the criteria outlined in board policy. The superintendent shall submit recommendations regarding acceptance or rejection of applications to the board for action. If the application is rejected, the applicant and the nonresident school board shall be notified, in writing, that the application has been rejected. This notification shall be made on or before the first Friday following the first Monday in April. The notice shall include the reason(s) for the rejection.
Part-time Enrollment
1. Upon receipt of a copy of a resident high school pupil’s application to attend a course(s) in another public school district, school office staff shall forward it to the building principal for review and action.
2. All applications shall be reviewed using the criteria outlined in board policy. If the application is rejected, the applicant and the nonresident school board shall be notified, in writing, that the application has been rejected. This notification shall be made no later than one week prior to the date the course is scheduled to commence. The notice shall include the reason(s) for the rejection.
If the application is accepted, the building principal shall determine whether or not the course(s) satisfies district graduation requirements. If it is determined that the course does not satisfy district graduation requirements, the building principal shall notify the applicant of that fact no later than one week prior to the date the course is scheduled to commence.
Appeal or Rejection
If any application for enrollment is rejected as outlined above, the pupil’s parent(s)/guardian(s) may appeal the decision to the DPI within 30 days after the decision.
LEGAL REF: Section 118.13, Wisconsin Statutes
Section 118.51, Wisconsin Statutes
Section 118.52, Wisconsin Statutes
Section 121.54(10), Wisconsin Statutes
Section 121.58(2)(a), Wisconsin Statutes
Chapter 115, Subchapter V, Wisconsin Statutes
Adopted: February 16, 2005
Posted: 11/14/2007 12:13:37 pm