3131 District Attendance Area Transfers
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Each student in the district is required to attend the school designated for the geographic attendance area in which they reside.
A parent or guardian may request that their child be allowed to attend another school in the district. Requests must be submitted, in writing, to the principal of the building at which the student is currently assigned or to the District Office. Washington students who request attendance area transfers are subject to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s eligibility rules.
Transfers may be granted if:- A financial, educational, safety, or health condition affecting the student would be reasonably improved as a result of the transfer;
- Attendance at another school in the district is more accessible to the parent's place of work or to the location of child care; or
- There is some other special hardship or detrimental condition affecting the student or the student's immediate family which would be alleviated as a result of the transfer. Special hardship or detrimental condition includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A student who moves to a new attendance area in the district during the school year may elect to transfer at the time of the move or at the end of the semester or grading period.
The principal of the currently assigned school shall consult with the principal of the school to which the student desires to transfer to determine:
1. Whether space is available in the grade level or classes at the building in which the student desires to be enrolled;
2. Whether appropriate transportation, educational programs or services are available to improve the student's condition as stated in requesting the transfer; and
3. Whether the student's transfer is likely to create a risk to the health or safety of other students or staff at the new building.
Transfers must be granted if the student is a child of a full-time certificated or classified employee unless:
- The student has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership;
- The student has been expelled or suspended from school for more than ten consecutive
days; or - Enrollment of a child would displace a child who is a resident of the district (the child must be permitted to remain enrolled until they complete their schooling.
Parents shall be informed annually of the district's attendance area transfer option. The district shall make available for public inspection the Superintendent of Public Instruction's annual information booklet on enrollment options in the state at each school building, the district office and local public libraries.
Cross References:
Board Policy 3130 Attendance Areas
Legal References:
RCW 28A.225.270 Intradistrict enrollment options policies
RCW 28A.225.300 Enrollment options information to parents
RCW 28A.225.290 Enrollment options information booklet
C 36 L 03 Enrolling Children of Certificated and Classified School Employees
ADOPTED: 09/24/1992
REVISED: 10/22/98; 11/25/03; 1/12/06; 03/24/11
Procedure No. 3131P District Attendance Area Transfers1. Students who wish to transfer from their resident school in the District to another school within the District must complete a Student Transfer Request. Such requests will be reviewed and prioritized using the following criteria:
- The capacity of the building, program, grade level or classroom as determined by the District.
- Whether the student is a child of a full-time certificated or classified employee and the request is for the employee's assigned school or a feeder pattern school.
- The availability of a unique program at a school to meet the educational needs of the student.
- Whether child care is located in the requested school attendance area.
- Whether the requested school is more accessible to the parent’s place of work.
2. A variance may be denied or revoked if:
- The student’s disciplinary records indicate a history of violent or disruptive behavior or gang membership at their current school.
- The student is currently under suspension, expulsion or emergency expulsion. A variance may be revoked after a suspension or expulsion has been imposed.
- The student has difficulties with attendance or tardiness or has a truancy petition filed from their present or resident school.
- If continued enrollment poses a risk to the health and/or safety of other students and staff.
3. Parents/legal guardians must:
- Complete the Student Transfer Request
- Receive approval from the Superintendent or designee.
- Provide their own transportation to a designated location within the school's service area.
- Ensure prompt and regular attendance in accordance with compulsory attendance laws and district policies.
4. For the upcoming school year, parents/legal guardians submitting a Student Transfer Request by March 15 will be notified of approval no later than April 30. Those denied will be placed on a waiting list, with placement on the list chosen by lot, and have first priority if space becomes available at a later date.
5. Applications received after the deadline also will be placed on a waiting list in the order in which they are received. The Superintendent or designee will review late applications by the end of the first week of the start of the school year. Waiting lists will only be maintained until September 30 of the current school year.
6. School sites shall register only those students whose official and verified residential address places them within that school’s service area. All other student requests for transfers will be coordinated through the District Office.
7. Students receiving special education or bilingual services will be assigned to schools according to the placement procedures of those respective programs, if that placement is required to meet their needs. In the instance of a specific placement being required, no variance will be needed. In other instances students may request a variance and will be considered using the same criteria and procedures as other students.
8. Students participating in home-based instruction who wish to be part-time students in a school other than their resident school must apply for a variance.
9. Variances are limited to one request per academic year. If the family moves to a new residence during the year a corrected application must be filed with the new address.
10. Variances will be granted on a full school year basis. Once a variance has been approved, the student will be enrolled in the requested school for the full school year, contingent upon the student’s continuous attendance and appropriate school behavior. Students with attendance or discipline problems may be returned to their assigned resident school. Approved students will be expected to attend the requested school and not return to their resident school until the following school year. Variances must be re-applied for annually.
11. A parent/legal guardian may rescind the variance request within ten (10) days following receipt of the notice of approval of the request by providing notice to the Superintendent or designee. Unless such a notice of rescission is received within the ten-day period, the variance approval will be deemed valid and will become effective for the following school year.
12. Generally, the residence of a student is the residence of their parent or legal guardian. The residence of a student is defined as the place where the student eats, sleeps and otherwise finds their principal place of abode. In the case where a child is residing with someone other than their parent or legal guardian, the residency of the student will be established if the child spends 4 or more nights per week at that residence during the regular school calendar. A "Verification of Residence" signed by the parent/legal guardian may be required. A signature and address of a child care provider will be required for those seeking a variance on that basis.
13. Falsification of student or parent/guardian information, including an address, residence, conditions of living arrangements, or child care location, to obtain a school assignment may be cause for the withdrawal of the student at the end of the current grading period and reassignment to their assigned resident school. Written notice of intent to withdraw the student will be forwarded to the parent/guardian.
14. A student may be granted a variance to a school outside their assigned attendance area if proper documentary evidence is presented to the Superintendent or designee indicating that a proposed change of residence to another attendance area will occur or has occurred. Proper documentary evidence shall consist of the following:- An earnest money agreement clearly showing date of possession and a statement from a realtor or mortgage company showing that all necessary activities such as financing or title clearance have been accomplished, or that the nature of the proposed transaction is such that the possession date can probably be met.
- A copy of a rental or lease agreement specifying the date of occupancy within 30 days.
- A financial, educational, safety, or health condition affecting the student would be reasonably improved as a result of the transfer;
3000 Policies
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QUALIFICATIONS OF ATTENDANCE AND PLACEMENT
3110 Admission and Attendance
3114 Part-time, Home-based, or Off-Campus Students
3115 Students Experiencing Homelessness: Enrollment Rights and Services
3116 Students in Foster Care
3120 Enrollment
3122 Excused and Unexcused Absences
3123 Withdrawal Prior to Graduation
3124 Removal of Student during School Hours
3125 Release of Student during School Day
3126 Child Custody
3131 District Attendance Area Transfers
3140 Release of Resident Students
3141 Nonresident Students
3142 International Exchange Students
3143 District Notification of Juvenile Offenders
STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
3200 Student Rights and Responsibilities
3205 Sexual Harassment of Students Prohibited
3207 Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying
3210 Nondiscrimination
3211 Gender-Inclusive Schools
3220 Freedom of Expression
3223 Freedom of Assembly
3224 Student Dress
3225 School-Based Threat Assessment
3226 Interviews and Interrogations of Students on School Premises
3230 Student Privacy and Searches
3231 Students Records
3232 Parent and Student Rights in Administration of Surveys Analysis or Evaluations
3235 Protection of Student Personal Information
3240 Student Conduct Expectations and Reasonable Sanctions
3241 Student Discipline
3242 Closed Campus
3243 Student Driving
3244 Prohibition of Corporal Punishment
3245 Students and Telecommunication Devices
3246 Use of Isolation, Restraint and Other Uses of Reasonable Force
STUDENT WELFARE
3410 Student Health
3412 Automated External Defibrillators (AED)
3413 Student Immunization and Life Threatening Conditions
3414 Infectious Diseases
3415 Accommodating Students with Diabetes
3416 Medication at School
3417 Catheterization
3418 Response to Student Injury or Illness
3419 Self-Administration of Asthma and Anaphylaxis Medications
3420 Anaphylaxis Prevention and Response
3421 Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Prevention
3422 Student Sports – Concussion, Head Injury and Sudden Cardiac Arrest
3424 Opioid-Related Overdose Reversal
3432 Emergencies
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
3510 Associated Student Bodies
3515 Student Incentives
3520 Student Fees, Fines, Charges
3530 Student Fund Raising Activities Involving Students