Southern Local School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5113 - ADMISSION OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING UNDER INTER-DISTRICT OPEN-ENROLLMENT

Each principal shall notify the Superintendent by thirty (30) days prior to the start of each term the space available for adjacent-district students and for tuition students.

The Superintendent shall be responsible for informing the adjacent districts of the availabilities for inter-district open enrollment by no later than thirty (30) days after the start of each school term.

Application for Admission
 A.The number of openings in a particular program for adjacent-district students will be determined by optimum size for a particular program or classroom which is the number of students that can be accommodated without increasing District expenditures for staff or equipment.
 B.Applications for admission from adjacent-district students will be submitted to the principal in this District.
 C.Applications from adjacent-district student will not be considered until thirty (30) days prior to the start of each term.
 D.Applications from tuition students shall be given priority over applications from adjacent-district students.
 E.When an adjacent-district student or his/her home-school requests an application, s/he is to be informed of the prerequisites for each program or course of study in which enrollment is sought. No adjacent-district student will be enrolled in a program or course of study who has not met the prerequisites established for District students and tuition students.
 F.The final date for considering applications for adjacent-district students is fifteen (15) days prior to the start of each school term. Adjacent-district students' applications shall be revoked in reverse order of acceptance (last in-first out) if enrollment, at any time, of a new home-school student or an application from a nonhome-school student prior to the start of the school year, brings the enrollment of District students to optimum size. However, adjacent-district students who have begun the program shall be allowed to complete the semester or the school year.
 G.Applications from adjacent-district students under an I.E.P. shall not be considered if the District is not currently providing the services called for in the I.E.P. Because of double grades and the main-streaming of special education students, application by students from contiguous districts to attend the Lerart Falls Elementary and the Portland Elementary under the open enrollment program will be denied.
 H.Other enrollment factors being equal, adjacent-district students will be accepted on the basis of the date of receipt of the application. Revocations of application or transfers back to the adjacent-district students' home schools will be in reverse order of date received.

 I.The parents of the adjacent-district student as well as the principal of his/her home school will be notified, using Form 5113 F1, of their acceptance by the principal no later than ten (10) days prior to the school term. If the student is not accepted, s/he is to receive Form 5113 F2.
 J.The Superintendent shall notify all adjacent districts in thirty (30) days of the programs and schools which have space available for adjacent-district students as well as provide each with a copy of the procedure that is to be followed for applications.
 K.The District shall not discriminate against any disabled students (IDEA or 504). The District shall not be required to provide any services or adapt any facilities not already provided disabled, resident native students. If an adjacent-district student becomes disabled under Section 504 or the staff finds out that an adjacent-district student is in need of services in accordance with an I.E.P., it will provide appropriate services. The student, however, must agree to attend the District school at which the needed services are currently available. If any services must be obtained elsewhere, the Superintendent shall notify the adjacent district to determine if it wants to arrange for the services or have the District arrange for them at the adjacent district's expense.
 L.Enrollment in a program or school shall be subject to an agreement that transportation of the adjacent-district student to the school or to a scheduled in-District bus stop is provided for by the student, his/her parents, or the adjacent district. Exceptions to this requirement may need to be made for disabled students.
 M.Applications from adjacent-district students may be rejected if the racial balance of the adjacent district or this District's program, classroom, or school would be negatively impacted, as defined in Policy 5113.
 N.Applications may also be rejected if the student has been suspended or expelled for ten (10) days or more during the semester of application or the preceding semester.
 O.Any enrolled, adjacent-district students who are eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics and have been released by their home districts are to be informed they could lose their eligibility for an entire year if or when they return to the home district. Each is to be informed of the rules promulgated by the OHSSA.
 P.Students who are receiving discipline from the sending school district will complete that discipline in the receiving school district, Southern Local School District.
 R.Students, grades K - 8 from contiguous districts, will not be accepted under the open enrollment program if their enrollment will increase the class size in which they will enroll above the 25 - 1 student/teacher ratio as established by the minimum standards.