| Inland Lakes Schools |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5121.01 - SCHOOLS OF CHOICE PROGRAM
(Inter-District)The Board of Education has determined that it will allow nonresident students, residing within the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle ISD, but whose parent(s) does not reside in the District, and who qualify, to enroll in the District through a Schools of Choice program during the forthcoming school year. Furthermore, the Board has determined that it will also allow nonresident students residing in intermediate school districts contiguous to the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle ISD to enroll in the District through a Schools of Choice Program during the forthcoming year, provided they qualify.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions will apply to the District's Schools of Choice program.
| A. | Constituent District | |
| A school district located within the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle ISD. | ||
| B. | Contiguous Intermediate School District | |
| A school district which borders on the District, but is in a different ISD which borders on the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Intermediate School District. | ||
| C. | Home District | |
| A nonresident student's district of residence within the ISD. | ||
| D. | Constituent-District Student | |
| A student who is a legal resident or otherwise legally entitled to attend school in another school district within the same ISD who does not have a parent residing in the District and who seeks admission to this District under Schools of Choice. | ||
| E. | Contiguous District Student | |
| A student who is a legal resident of, or otherwise legally entitled to attend school in a district within any intermediate school district which borders on the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Intermediate School District; does not have a parent residing in the District; and seeks admission to the District under the Schools of Choice Program. | ||
| F. | Program Size | |
| The enrollment or size restrictions in a specific program, course, class or building. The District reserves the exclusive right to establish program size and to limit enrollment based upon the capability to properly allocate available resources, create and maintain a proper learning environment, and comply with contracts, grants and applicable laws and regulations. | ||
| G. | Resident Student | |
| A student who is a legal resident of this District and is consequently entitled to attend school in this District in accordance with Policy 5111 - Eligibility of Resident/Nonresident Students. | ||
| H. | Tuition Student | |
| A student who resides outside the Intermediate School District and has enrolled or seeks to enroll in this District upon payment of the established tuition fee. |
The Board shall review this decision annually based on information provided by the Superintendent concerning the availability of space in each of the District's schools and programs. The Board shall determine by June 1st whether or not it will accept applications for enrollment by nonresident students for the next school year. If the Board determines that there will be a limited number of positions available in a grade, school, or program, the District shall, by the second Friday in August, establish and publicize a fifteen (15) day period during which applications will be accepted and the place and manner for submitting applications. If the Board determines that there are unlimited positions available in a grade, school, or program, applications shall be accepted through the first week of school.
If the Board determines that for a forthcoming school year that no space is available for a Schools of Choice program, students who have been enrolled in the District through such a program may or may not be able to continue their enrollment, depending upon the number of new resident students enrolling for the coming school year. If fewer spaces exist than in the preceding school year, the Superintendent shall determine on a random-selection basis which non-resident students may enroll for the coming school year.
If the Board determines during the first semester of a school year that space will be available for a Schools of Choice Program and students, other than those already entitled to preference because they made timely application before the school year began, can be enrolled for the second semester, then the District will accept applications and enroll qualifying nonresident students provided those nonresidents comply with the registration deadlines established in the administrative guidelines.
ENROLLMENT OF NONRESIDENT STUDENTS
| A. | If the number of applications for admission from nonresident students exceeds the number of available enrollment opportunities, nonresident students shall be selected for admission using a random selection process (with the exceptions noted below). | |
| Exceptions |
| 1. | Enrollment priority shall be given to a sibling of a nonresident student already admitted under this program. | ||
| 2. | Tuition students shall be included in the determination of class and program size prior to accepting Schools-of-Choice students. |
| B. | Whenever a student moves into the ISD or a constituent local district after the application deadline, s/he shall be eligible to enroll in a District school for the current school year, providing there is space available and the enrollment is prior to the fall count date. Otherwise, tuition will be required until the next count date is reached. | |
| C. | Before a contiguous district student who is eligible for special education programs and services will be accepted, there must be a separate written agreement between the district of residence and the accepting district specifying the responsibility for paying the added costs of the special education programs and services. | |
| D. | Enrollment is not available to any nonresident student who has been suspended, expelled or otherwise released or excluded from his/her home district for disciplinary reasons. | |
| E. | The District's Policy 2260 - Equal Educational Opportunity shall apply to all applicants under this program. In addition, the District will not discriminate on the basis of an applicant's intellectual, academic, artistic, athletic, or other ability, talent, or accomplishment, or based on a mental or physical disability. | |
| F. | The Superintendent shall be responsible for developing and promulgating administrative guidelines to implement this policy. Such guidelines shall address at least the following matters: |
| 1. | Communication with the parents of nonresident students seeking admission (or the student, if legally emancipated) concerning the timelines and other requirements for application as well as a statement of nondiscrimination (See Policy 2260 - Access to Equal Educational Opportunity). | ||
| 2. | Participation in interscholastic athletics. | ||
| 3. | District transportation services. | ||
| 4. | Pre-requisites and other eligibility standards associated with courses of study. | ||
| 5. | Transfer of academic credit. | ||
| 6. | Assignment within the District. | ||
| 7. | Return to the resident district if space is not available in a forthcoming school year. | ||
| 8. | Admission of special-education students. | ||
| 9. | Payment of fees and other charges. |
RELEASE OF RESIDENT STUDENTS
| A. | The Board shall release any resident student who wishes to apply for enrollment in a constituent district under its Schools of Choice program. The Superintendent shall ensure that the records of a resident student who transfers to a constituent district are sent promptly to the other district. | |
| B. | The Superintendent shall inform the State Department of Education should the number of resident students transferring to constituent districts under a Schools of Choice program exceed ten percent (10%) of the District's resident student population. | |
| C. | This policy shall be reviewed annually on or before April. |
M.C.L.A. 388.1705
PA 300, 1996, as amended
Revised 4/17/00
Revised 4/29/02