E10: K-8 Voluntary School Reassignment Policy

  • Policy Code: E10

    First Reading:    April 17, 2018
    Second Reading:    May 1, 2018
    Adopted:    May 1, 2018

    Policy

    Children entering grades K-8 who live in the communities of Essex Town, The Village of Essex Junction, and Westford may exercise school voluntary reassignment. Our goal is to allow options for families, while also ensuring balanced class sizes, and providing a positive learning environment for all of our children. Parents may apply for voluntary reassignment in any of the schools in these communities. Given space availability, we will work to meet as many families’ needs as possible.

    By exercising school choice, we hope to achieve:

    1. Balanced class sizes in all schools by eliminating, combining or dividing classes too small or too large, while not having to hire more personnel.
    2. Optimal learning environments in all schools
    3. Meeting the diverse needs of our student population
    4. Options for all families


    Definitions:

    Eligible Student:  Any K-8 student living in the communities of Essex Town, The Village of Essex Junction and Westford. 

    School of Residency: The school for which a student’s residence is zoned.

    Voluntary Reassignment School:  The school in which the student was reassigned to attend.

    Voluntary School Reassignment Guidelines:

    1. The EWSD Superintendent will communicate the availability of school reassignment within the district.  

    2. Families may apply for in-district school transfer; fill out the K-8 Elementary School Transfer Application form and mail the form to the superintendent at 58 Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT 05452 by April 15th. Families will be informed of school choice placement by May 1st.  

    3. School voluntary reassignment will be limited to the amount of available space in each building. If you are interested in having your student attend a school other than the one located in your community, you will need to complete and submit the school transfer form. Once we receive all applications by April 15th, we will assign students accordingly. If there is more interest in one particular school than space is available, we will hold a lottery. Siblings of currently enrolled students will be given priority, after which a lottery system, as developed by the superintendent, shall be employed.

    4. Transfer students must be accepted on a nondiscriminatory basis. Transfer requests may be denied if the requested transfer would have negative impacts on class size or staffing at the sending or receiving school or due to other extenuating circumstances. The Superintendent of Schools will make the determination of approval or denial.

    5. Each transfer student will not be required to return to their school of residency through their K – 8 experience for as long as the student and legal guardian continues to reside in the district of EWSD.

    6. If a student wishes to return to his/her school of residency for the next school year, the family must apply for the reassignment and follow guidelines 2 and 3.

    7. Students participating in the in-district transfer program do not need to reapply for subsequent years.

    8. Requests for consideration must be made in writing – by completing appropriate application documents – by April 15. The requests will be considered based on impacts outlined above or considering any other extenuating circumstances. The superintendent will make decisions regarding an application by May 1, and parents will be notified in writing as soon as the decision has been made. Decision of the superintendent is final.

    9. Students who participate in this program and attend a different elementary school than their home school of residence will be expected to remain at the new location through the remainder of that school year unless there are extenuating circumstances to be considered by the superintendent. Decision of the superintendent is final.

    10. These protocols are in no way intended to apply to mid-year request for transfer of students. The superintendent may consider such requests if student well-being is in question. Otherwise, requests for in-district transfer must be limited to the end of school year application process and start of school year transfer timeline.

    11. If a student’s family moves mid-year to another community within the school district, they will have the option of staying at their voluntary reassigned school or transfer to their new school of residence for the remainder of that school year.

    12. We will honor requests for school choice after the deadline at the next decision point, which is in August. This allows new families to our area to choose their in-district school. After the start of school, we will consider on a first come, first serve basis if the district agrees it is in the best interest of the child’s education.

    Appendix A: K – 8 Voluntary School Reassignment Form