5113 - INTER-DISTRICT OPEN ENROLLMENT

Defiance City School District

Bylaws & Policies

5113 - INTER-DISTRICT OPEN ENROLLMENT

The Defiance City Board of Education shall permit any student from other school districts in Ohio to apply and upon acceptance enroll in its school district free of any tuition obligation, provided all procedures as outlined in the administrative regulations are met.

GENERAL INFORMATION

	A.	Application/Admission procedures as outlined in the "open enrollment administration regulations" shall be strictly adhered to by the Board of Education.
	B.	District capacity limits are determined by grade level, school building, and educational program.
	C.	Resident students, children of non-resident school employees, and previously enrolled open enrollment students shall have preference over first-time applicants.
	D.	No minimum requirements related to academic, athletic, artistic or extracurricular ability shall be required.
	E.	No limitations shall be imposed on the admission of handicapped students except when services required in an IEP are not available in the district.
	F.	Applying students will not be required to be proficient in the English language.
	G.	Expulsion or suspension for (10) consecutive days or more during the term for which admission is sought or the term preceding the term for which admission is sought shall be a basis for rejection.
	H.	Procedures to ensure maintenance of an appropriate racial balance in the district’s schools will be implemented.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply:

Home District

The school district from which the student emanates.

Open Enrollment

State-mandated options, policies, and regulations concerning the Board's authority to adopt resolutions regarding intra-district and inter-district enrollment policies and guidelines. Inter-district open enrollment permits the admission of students to this District from other districts in the state.

District Student

A student who resides in this District and is referred to in the statute as a Resident Native Student.

Tuition Student

A nonresident student who is enrolled in this District on a tuition basis.

Program

Any one of the specific course offerings of this District.

Program Size

The restrictions on a number of students in a program due to circumstances unique to that specific program, the terms of a collectively-bargained, negotiated agreement, and/or financial or operating conditions of the District

Racial Balance

"Racial" refers to minorities classified as Afro-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, or Native-American students. "Balance" refers to the percentage of "racial" students in a District program, classroom, or school.

Negatively-Impacted Racial Balance

Any school that has a minority-student population of less than fifteen percent (15%) or more than five (5%) is considered racially isolated. If a nonminority student in such a school, classroom, or program seeks enrollment in a District program, the racial balance is negatively impacted and the admission is to be denied on that ground. The application is also denied if the transfer of the nonminority student creates a racially-isolated school, classroom, or program.

The Superintendent shall prepare guidelines for the implementation of this policy in ways that comply with relevant State laws and guidelines and establish procedures that provide for the following:

	A.	Nondiscrimination on the basis of grade level, including preschool disabled; academic ability; English language proficiency; or any level of artistic, athletic, or extra-curricular skills. A student's application cannot be denied because of disciplinary action in his/her home school, except for a suspension or expulsion for ten (10) days or more that occurs in the current semester or the semester immediately preceding the application. If the District does not currently provide services required for a disabled, adjacent-district student, his/her application may be denied.
	B.	Application procedures including the criteria by which applications from outside-district students shall be reviewed and prioritized.
	C.	Maintenance of appropriate racial balance in District schools, classrooms, and programs.
	D.	Communications with applicants and their parents concerning this policy and the District's guidelines, including the timelines for application and notification.
	E.	Athletic eligibility complies with State regulations and the provisions set forth by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
	F.	Any transportation provided by the District for an outside-district student takes place within established bus routes and bus stops within the District.

The Board reserves the right to object to the Open Enrollment of a District student to another district in order to maintain an appropriate racial balance. If the Board of Education of a student's home school district objects to a transfer of one of its students to this District for the same reason, this Board will deny the transfer unless the tuition fee is paid for the student.

This policy shall be reviewed periodically by the Board to determine whether to adopt a resolution to continue the policy or to rescind Inter-District Open Enrollment. The Board reserves the right to modify the conditions under which Inter-District Open Enrollment would continue for any particular program, classroom, or school.

R.C. 3313.98

Revised 3/10/03