Admission Criteria

The District shall determine if non-resident students and resident transfer students will be admitted 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. Excess capacity for open enrollment is estimated on or before April 15. If no excess capacity exists then applications will be denied. If excess capacity is anticipated, the applications will be reviewed.
  • Availability of staff members to service students at each site.
  • Capacity in relevant special programs.
  • Availability of other resources.
   
• The student"s prior status in the educational and juvenile court system, including:
  • Whether the student has been suspended by another school or is in the process of being suspended or expelled by any other school.
  • Whether the student is in compliance with any conditions imposed by a juvenile court.

Failure to disclose the above information on the Open Enrollment application will 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.
• Acceptance is on a year-by-year basis and subject to re-application and review each year.

  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:

  1. Resident transfer students who currently attend the school and their siblings
  2. Children of employees (applicable to employees" worksite only) and previously accepted and enrolled non-resident students
  3. Resident transfer students
  4. Previously accepted and enrolled non-resident students" siblings
  5. Non-resident students

  Application Procedures

  The student"s parent/guardian completes the Open Enrollment application and submits it to the school in which the student seeks to enroll or to the District"s administrative offices. Applications must be submitted after February 1. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, within each enrollment priority group. Names of applicants that cannot be accommodated will be placed on a waiting list established for each enrollment priority group. Applications received during the school year will be placed last on the waiting list in the appropriate enrollment category. The District will determine whether the student"s admission would be in conformity with its admission criteria. To ensure notification by June 1, the open enrollment form must be submitted by April 15. If an open enrollment form is submitted after April 15, parents may not be informed until after school begins.

  Transportation

  The District does not transport open-enrollment students except as set forth in A.R.S. 15-816.

  Compliance With Rules

  Once students are accepted and attending the school of choice, they must comply with school rules. Failure to comply with school rules is a breach of agreement and a cause for open enrollment revocation. Before revocation for breach of agreement, the principal or designee conducts an informal hearing with the student, parent/guardian and other appropriate persons. The principal explains the alleged conduct that violates the rules or regulations. Those rules and regulations may include standards of academic effort, conduct and attendance. Students are given an opportunity to respond. After the hearing the principal decides if revocation of open enrollment status is appropriate.

  Grades 9-12 Special Note

  Eligibility for athletics and extracurricular activity is affected when students transfer from one school to another. Students considering transfer must contact the District Athletic Director to determine eligibility status in relation to the possible transfer.