Jerome Joint School District No. 261

STUDENTS 3010

Open Enrollment

The Board of Trustees of Jerome School District No. 261 declares that it will not normally accept out-of-district

students due to the extreme crowded conditions and lack of adequate financial resources to hire additional staff to

provide services for non-resident students. However, the School Board of Trustees recognizes that some of it’s

patrons may want to enroll their children in a school that is located within a district other than where their primary

residence is located, therefore, this policy is adopted to allow all in-district and out-of-district patrons to choose

among this District’s schools under specified conditions. In making a decision on a student’s open enrollment

application, the District shall consider the needs of the student requesting the transfer as well as the other

students affected by the transfer and will accept students if capacity allows. A student currently under suspension

or expulsion in this district or another district is not eligible for Open Enrollment under this policy.

The District will prioritize applications from students who live within the District and may deny students for one or

more of the following reasons:

1. The student was expelled by the previous District;

2. The student has a documented history of significant disciplinary issues or history of chronic absenteeism. However, students applying who have a 504 plan or IEP may not be denied enrollment or have enrollment revoked if the behavior resulting in disciplinary action or chronic absenteeism is a manifestation of the student’s disability.

3. The receiving school within the District does not have space available according to the capacity limits set

by the Board of Trustees.

The process outlined in this policy is required for admission to any school within the District, and shall be initiated

again when a change in grade warrants a change in school – such as when the pupil wishes to continue open

enrollment into middle school or high school.

Due process for all students remains the same regardless of which school they attend within the District and

regardless of where the student resides once accepted under the open enrollment policy.

Transportation

Parent’s or guardian’s of a student accepted under this policy will be responsible for transporting the accepted

student. If bus space is available, then students accepted under the open enrollment policy may be transported

from an appropriate, established bus stop within the district’s boundaries. However, this may not apply to

students with disabilities who have transportation identified in their IEP as a related service need.

Varsity Sports

Eligibility rules for participating in extracurricular activities shall apply to students who request to attend a

different school as described in this policy and any related procedures.

It is recommended that a student who is considering submitting an open enrollment application to this district, and

who anticipates participating in a sport governed by the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) should

review IHSAA rules prior to submitting their open enrollment application. Certain school transfers could lead to a

student being ineligible to play at the varsity level for one year.

Application/Approval Process

Applications will be accepted on a form provided by the Idaho State Department of Education until February 1 of

each year for enrollment in the subsequent school year. This deadline shall be waived in the case of students who

move out of their attendance zone during the school year. The District may consider other applications submitted

after February 1.

At the time of application, the District will provide the student’s parent/guardian a list of eligible reasons for denial

or revocation of open enrollment.

Maximum Capacity

The District will only accept an open enrollment student if the grade level and/or programs they require are below

the capacity limits specified in 3010P. The District shall report, at least four times during the school year, the space

available at each grade level, by school, using these capacity limits and will post it prominently on the District

website.

The Superintendent, or designee, shall establish a procedure for:

1. Determining which students are chosen when classroom space allows the admission of some, but not all, qualified applicants;

2. Notifying parents/guardians of the possible reasons for denial or revocation;

3. Notifying parents of the action taken on the open enrollment application, including the reasons for the

denial of any application;

4. Removing a student from a transfer school, including the grounds for removal, parent notification, and

the appeal process; and

5. Notifying parents/guardians of the appeal process available to them in the event their student’s

application is denied.

Re-enrollment

Open Enrollment students do not need to re-apply to maintain their enrollment at the school in which they’re

enrolled; However, the parent/guardian shall notify the District of their intention to re-enroll on an annual basis no

later than May 1.

Students who reside in the District and move out of their school attendance zone during the school year must

initiate an Open Enrollment request to stay in their school.

Revocation of Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment Transfer students are required to comply with all District policies. Unacceptable behaviors by a

transfer student or false or misleading information on their open enrollment application are grounds for the

District to remove an open enrollment student at any time. The District may revoke a student’s enrollment if one

or more of the following occurs:

1. The student is chronically absent.

2. The student commits repeated, serious disciplinary infractions.

3. The student has been expelled.

4. The number of resident students exceeds the capacity limits set in Procedure 3010P. A student’s open

enrollment cannot be revoked on these grounds if a student has attended the receiving school for more than two consecutive school years. If a student’s enrollment is revoked for this reason, the District shall offer information about other District schools that may be accepting open enrollment students.

Students under consideration of revocation who have a 504 plan or IEP may not have enrollment revoked if the

behavior resulting in disciplinary action or chronic absenteeism is a manifestation of the student’s disability.

Student Appeals

If an open enrollment application request is denied or revoked, a parent/guardian may request an administrative

review by the Board. The parent/guardian must request the review within five school days of receiving the written

denial notice. The Board shall consider the appeal at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and issue its decision in

writing.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

All student’s rights and responsibilities remain the same regardless of what school they attend within the District

and regardless of where the student resides once accepted under the open enrollment policy.

Preventing or Recruiting Potential Open Enrollment Students

Neither the District nor its employees will not take any action to prohibit or prevent application by a student to

attend school in another school district or to attend another school within the District. In no event is the District,

or an employee of the District to recruit students outside of their attendance area. Violation of this policy may

involve disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Evaluation of Policy

Annually, the Superintendent shall report to the Board the effect of this policy. Their report should include the

number of open enrollment requests accepted or denied by each school, the reasons for denial, and any

unanticipated results of this policy.

Cross Reference: 2240 Class Size

3080 Nonresident Student Attendance by Out of State Students

Legal Reference: IC §33-512 Governance of Schools

IC §33-1401 Transfer of Pupils - Definitions

IC §33-1402 Enrollment Options

IC §33-1404 Districts to Receive Pupils

IC § 33-1409 Measuring and Reporting Capacity

IC § 33-1410 Student Appeals

IC §33-2001 Education of Exceptional Children - Definitions

Policy History:

Adopted on: 04/28/2009

Revised on: 02/25/2020

Revised on: 12/19/2023