SCHOOL OF CHOICE/BOUNDARY EXEMPTION

Description:

Parents may request that their students attend a school outside their attendance area either under a School of Choice or via a Boundary Exemption Hearing.

School of Choice Lottery Option – Application Deadlines
Secondary Students (6-12): February 1st of the previous year
Elementary Students (K-5): May 1st of the previous year

A - SCHOOL OF CHOICE OPTION
The School of Choice provisions encompass conditions at the requested school building, parental action, and some other considerations:

1. Before granting School of Choice to a student, the administration shall verify that space is available at the requested school and will not cause overcrowding at that building.
2. The parent shall assume the responsibility for requesting information and submitting the completed School of Choice application to the Department of Student Services before February 1ST for grades 6-12 and before May 1ST for grades k-5.

B - BOUNDARY EXEMPTION HEARING
Due to hardship, parent may petition the district for a Boundary Exemption action that allows the student to attend a school other than their designated home school.

The Administration is directed to develop the necessary guidelines to implement this policy.

SCHOOL OF CHOICE AND BOUNDARY EXEMPTION GUIDELINES

Parents may request that their students attend a school outside their attendance area either under a School of Choice or via a Boundary Exemption Hearing.

A - SCHOOL OF CHOICE OPTION
The School of Choice provisions encompass conditions at the requested school building, parental action, and some other considerations:

1. Conditions at the Building:
Before granting School of Choice to a student, the administration shall verify that space is available at the requested school. The space is determined by subtracting the enrollment projections for the school building from the number that constitutes 96% of its publicized capacity. At the elementary level, in addition to the building capacity, the offered space will be calculated at the level of the classroom. The space is decided by subtracting the enrollment projections from 22 in grades k through 2, and from 24 in grades 3 through 5.

2. Parental Action:
The parent shall assume the responsibility for requesting information and submitting the completed School of Choice application to the Department of Student Services before February 1ST for grades 6-12 and before May 1ST for grades k-5.

3. General Provisions:

• Should the number of applications for the School of Choice exceed available spaces, a lottery system shall be used to determine those who will be enrolled.
• Movement to the School of Choice will occur on the first day of the following fall semester.
• A School of Choice Option may be revoked in cases where enrollment exceeds the capacity criteria at a building/grade level. The most recently admitted School of Choice student shall be the first to be reassigned to the home school.
• Students granted School of Choice shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. All students in grades 9-12 who move to a School of Choice shall be ineligible to participate in any interscholastic athletic contest for one (1) full semester. Students who are involuntarily returned to their home school shall immediately be eligible for athletic participation at the home school.
• Students whose residence changes within the District during the school year are exempted from the School of Choice application deadlines. Students may complete the balance of the semester at the school they have been attending. With principal consent the permission may be extended to allow them to finish the school year. In this case siblings, not enrolled at this school at the time of the decision, will not benefit from this arrangement and are required to apply for School of Choice. Students who move at the beginning of their senior year will be allowed to remain in to graduate from their current high school.
• Once granted, a School of Choice option shall remain in effect for the entire educational level (K, 1-5, 6-8, 9-12) or at minimum of one (1) school year.
• Transportation to and from school will be the responsibility of the parent.

B - BOUNDARY EXEMPTION OPTION

Parent may petition the district for a Boundary Exemption action that allows the student to attend a school other than the designated home school. Under this option, the parent or adult student must submit a written request for Boundary Exemption to the Department of Special Programs and Student Services. In this document the petitioner will explain the reason/s on which they base their request and will provide the evidence pertaining to their hardship. The hardship must consist of some adverse conditions that are an impediment to children education or family stability. This includes, but is not limited to, child care needs, siblings, health concerns, and special programs.

The Director of Special Programs and Student Services will coordinate and chair hearings to decide on these petitions. Depending on the student’s educational level, the panel membership consists of the Director of Secondary Education or the Director of Elementary Education, a Secondary or Elementary principal, the principal of the requested school and a parent representative.

Student Services :

• Enrollment & registration
• School of Choice & Boundary Exceptions
• Attendance Areas & School Boundaries
• Student Discipline
• Student Code of Conduct
• In School Suspension
• Free & Reduced Lunch Appeals
• Work Permits
• Transcripts
• School Census
• Attendance & Truancy
• Residency

Additional Information:

• School of Choice Application
• Boundary Exemption Form
• Boundary Exemption Policy