7120 - CRITERIA FOR BALANCING SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP TO CAPACITY

Brevard County (Florida)

Bylaws & Policies

7120 - CRITERIA FOR BALANCING SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP TO CAPACITY

The Board recognizes the need to define criteria for the implementation of strategies to meet the Level of Service requirements established by the Board and contained in the Interlocal Agreement for Public School Facility Planning and School Concurrency (part of the 2005 Growth Management Legislation).

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

	A.	"Soft" Redistricting
		An alternative to standard redistricting that recognizes the vested interest of students and parents in the schools they have been attending. The purpose of soft redistricting is to move prospective students scheduled to attend a school where student enrollment exceeds permanent capacity to a neighboring school with available capacity.
	B.	Redistricted Boundary Area
		That portion of a school attendance area that is assigned (redistricted) to another school attendance area.
	C.	Current Students
		All students attending a school at the end of the school year prior to redistricting.
	D.	Prospective Students
		All students living in the redistricted boundary area that are "new" to the school. Clarifications:

		1.	All Kindergarten students at an elementary school, all 7th grade students at a middle school or junior/senior high school and all 9th grade students at a high school are "new".
		2.	All students moving into the redistricted boundary area are "new", regardless of the grade level.

	E.	Sibling
		Family members of a current student residing in the same residence as the current student who begin their attendance at a school during a year in which the current student is attending the school. Siblings who do not begin their attendance at the school while the current student is attending the school are not considered siblings for the purposes of Out-of-Area exceptions.
	F.	Travel Time
		The average one (1) way commute time on a school bus.
	G.	Capacity
		The capacity of a school shall be 100% of the permanent satisfactory factored FISH (Florida Inventory of School Houses) capacity on the date of the fall FTE count.
	H.	Out-Of-Area School
		A school other than the school serving the parent's residence.

Criteria for All Redistricting

	A.	Busing - Travel time from the redistricted boundary area to the new school should not exceed forty-five (45) minutes. This criterion does not apply for students who attend a School of Choice or an Exceptional Education Program.
	B.	Enclaves - Redistricting should not create isolated areas of students (enclaves). Where possible, redistricting should eliminate existing enclaves.
	C.	Year-Round Schools - Students shall not be redistricted to Year-Round Schools.
	D.	Socio-Economic Status - Redistricting should be accomplished with diversity as a consideration.

Specific Criteria for "Soft" Redistricting

	A.	Prospective Students - Prospective students living in or moving into the redistricted boundary area shall be required to attend the "new" school.
	B.	Current Students - Current students who live in the redistricted boundary area may attend the "new" school or remain in their current school until graduation.
	C.	Siblings - Siblings of current students who live in the redistricted boundary area may attend the "new" school or remain in their current school until graduation of the current student.
	D.	Exceptions - Students may attend other schools as described in Out-of-Area, Employee Preference, and Special Schools and Programs.

Specific Criteria for Standard (Hard) Redistricting

	A.	All students living in or moving into the redistricted boundary area shall be required to attend the "new" school.
	B.	Exceptions - Students may attend other schools as described in Out-of-Area, Employee Preference, and Special Schools and Programs.

Criteria for Out-of-Area Approvals

	A.	Students currently approved to attend a school outside of their normal attendance boundary who continue to meet the contract requirements for out-of-area assignment must reapply for approval each year to stay in the school they now attend unless they choose to return to their home school. Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, if a school’s enrollment is projected to exceed ninety-five percent (95%) of its permanent capacity, existing out-of-area students will not be renewed as necessary to insure that the projected enrollment will be reduced to a maximum of 95% of the school’s permanent capacity. Non-renewals of existing out-of-area students will be prioritized on a "last-in, first-out" basis, then by grade level beginning with the lowest grade levels, for all out-of-area students in that grade level.
	B.	No new incoming out-of-area requests will be approved for schools where student enrollment is projected to be greater than ninety percent (90%) of permanent capacity. Special consideration will be given to students who are requesting to move from a school of higher capacity utilization to one of lower capacity utilization within this category.
	C.	No new outgoing out-of-area requests will be approved for schools where student enrollment is projected to be less than seventy-five percent (75%) of permanent capacity. Special consideration will be given to students who are requesting to move from a school of higher capacity utilization to one of lower capacity utilization within this category. Schools with year-round schedules are exempt from this criteria.
	D.	The Director of School Choice may "freeze" a school to new incoming and/or outgoing out-of-area requests, regardless of the projected student enrollment to permanent capacity ratio, if the Director determines that this restriction is in the best interest of the School District.
	E.	No sibling preference for students who participate in choice programs within a school unless the sibling is selected for and enters the choice program (excludes Freedom 7 ES, Stevenson ES, West Melbourne ES, Edgewood Jr./Sr. HS, and West Shore Jr./Sr. HS).
	F.	Criteria items "A" through "E" above are guidelines only. Final approval is at the discretion of the Superintendent on a case-by-case basis.

Criteria for Employee Preference

	A.	Children of School District employees may attend any school, with the exception of Stevenson ES, West Melbourne ES, Freedom 7 ES, West Shore Jr./Sr. HS, and Edgewood Jr./Sr. HS, as an out-of-area student if the child meets the entry requirements and capacity is available (enrollment does not exceed permanent capacity). The capacity restriction does not apply to school-based employees.
	B.	Only children of employees working at Stevenson ES, Freedom 7 ES, West Melbourne ES, Edgewood Jr./Sr. HS, and West Shore Jr./Sr. High may attend these choice schools as an out-of-area student if the child meets the entry requirements.

Criteria for Special Schools and Programs

	A.	Enrollment at magnet schools, schools of choice, and District-approved Small Learning Communities shall be limited to 100% of the permanent capacity of the school on the date of the fall FTE count.
	B.	Students enrolled in special programs (i.e., Exceptional Education, Teen Age Parent, and Alternative Learning) shall be assigned to the school closest to their home with capacity offering the special program(s).
	C.	New McKay Scholarship students may be approved at the requested school(s) if:

		1.	Student enrollment is projected to be no more than ninety percent (90%) of the permanent capacity of the school; and
		2.	The student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) can be implemented at the school; and
		3.	The personnel allocation plan can be implemented for the student’s matrix level; and
		4.	The school has no more than twenty two percent (22%) ESE students (excluding gifted).

Implementation Flexibility

The Board provides to the Superintendent flexibility in the implementation of this policy due to extenuating circumstances. The Superintendent shall notify the Board of any exceptions.

F.S. 163.3180, 1001.41, 1001.42

Adopted 3/25/08
Revised 4/09
Revised 6/24/10
Revised 6/14/11