Policy: 3141

Section: 3000 - Students

Title: Nonresident Students

Status: Active

Adopted: March 19, 1981

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Nonresident students

Any student who resides outside the district may apply to attend a school in the district or file the parental declaration of the intent to provide home-based instruction and enroll for ancillary services, if any. All applications for nonresident attendance or home-based instruction will be considered on an equal basis.

The Ferndale Board of Directors annually will inform parents of the interdistrict enrollment options and parental involvement opportunities. Information on interdistrict acceptance policies will be provided to nonresidents on request. Providing online access to the information satisfies the requirements of this policy unless a parent or guardian specifically requests information to be provided in written form.

A parent or guardian will apply for admission on behalf of his or her child by completing the appropriate district application. The superintendent or designee will develop an application form which contains information including, but not limited to, the current legal residence of the child and the school district in which he or she is currently enrolled or receiving home-based instruction, the basis for requesting release from the resident district.

The superintendent or designee will accept or reject an application for nonresident admission based upon the following standards:

1. Whether space is available in the grade level or classes requested;
2. Whether appropriate educational programs or services are available to improve the student’s condition as stated in requesting release from his or her district of residence;
3. Whether the student’s attendance in the district is likely to create a risk to the health or safety of other students or staff;
4. Whether the student’s disciplinary records indicate a history of violent or disruptive behavior or gang membership (a gang means a group of three or more persons with identifiable leadership that on an ongoing basis regularly conspires and acts in concert mainly for criminal purposes); and
5. Whether the student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days, in which case the student may apply for admission under the district’s policy for readmission of expelled students.

If the non-resident student is the child of a full-time certificated or classified school employee the superintendent or designee will accept the transfer request unless the nonresident student:

1. Has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership;
2. Has been expelled or suspended from school for more than ten consecutive days; or
3. Enrollment of a nonresident child would displace a child who is a resident of the district, (the resident child must be permitted to remain enrolled until he or she completes his or her schooling).

A student who resides in a district that does not operate a secondary program will be permitted to enroll in secondary schools in this district in accordance with state law and regulation relating to the financial responsibility of the resident district.

The superintendent or designee in a timely manner will provide all applicants with written notification of the approval or denial of the application. If the student is to be admitted, the superintendent will notify the resident district and make necessary arrangements for the transfer of student records.

If the application is denied, the superintendent or designee will notify the parent or guardian of the right to petition the board, upon five school business day’s prior notice, for review of the decision and to have a hearing before the board at its next regular meeting. Following the hearing by the board, a final decision will be promptly communicated to the parent in writing.

The final decision of the district to deny the admission of a nonresident student may be appealed to the Superintendent of Public Instruction or his or her designee.

Cross References:
Policy 3120	Enrollment
Legal References:
RCW 28A.225.220	Adults, children from other districts, agreements for attending school — Tuition
RCW 28A.225.225	Applications from nonresident students or students receiving home-based instruction to attend district school — School employees’ children — Acceptance and rejection standards — Notification
RCW 28A.225.240	Apportionment credit
RCW 28A.225.290	Enrollment options information booklet
RCW 28A.225.300	Enrollment options information to parents
WAC 392-137	Finance — Nonresident attendance
Management Resources:
Policy News, June 2003	Enrolling children of School Employees
Policy News, September 1999	School safety bills impact policy

 

Adoption Date: 03.19.81

Ferndale School District

Revised: 09.17.81; 03.24.83; 11.20.86; 03.08.89; 06.28.90;01.27.94; 01.26.95; 01.28.14; 02.26.19