Alameda City USD              
Administrative Regulation

AR 5116.1 
Students

Intradistrict Open Enrollment

Enrollment under the No Child Left Behind Act

Within a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed 10 school days, after a student becomes the victim of a violent criminal offense while on school grounds, the student's parents/guardians shall be offered an option to transfer their child to an eligible school identified by the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall consider the student's needs and parent/guardian preferences in making the school assignment. If the parents/guardians choose to transfer their child, the transfer shall be completed as soon as practicable.

Within 10 school days after learning that a school has been designated as "persistently dangerous," the Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of the school's designation. Within 20 school days after learning of the school's designation, the Superintendent of designee shall notify parents/guardians of their option to transfer.

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)

Parents/guardians who desire to transfer their child out of a "persistently dangerous" school shall provide written notification to the Superintendent or designee and shall rank-order their preferences from among all schools identified by the Superintendent or designee as eligible to receive transfer students. The Superintendent or designee may establish a reasonable timeline, not to exceed 10 school days, for the submission of parent/guardian requests. 

The Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of their school assignment within 10 school days of the date that submissions are due. The Superintendent or designee shall consider the needs and preferences of students and parents/guardians before making an assignment, but is not obligated to accept the parent/guardian's preference if the assignment is not feasible due to space constraints or other considerations. Upon assignment, the transfer shall be completed as soon as practicable. If parents/guardians decline the assigned school, the student may remain in his/her current school.  

The transfer shall remain in effect as long as the student's school of origin is identified as "persistently dangerous." The Superintendent or designee may choose to make the transfer permanent based on the educational needs of the student, parent/guardian preferences, and other factors affecting the student's ability to succeed if returned to the school of origin. 

The Superintendent or designee may cooperate with neighboring districts to develop an interdistrict transfer program in the event that space is not available in a district school.

(cf. 5117.1 - Interdistrict Attendance Agreements)
(cf. 5117.2 - Alternative Interdistrict Attendance Program)

Enrollment Priorities

Schools receiving requests for admission and intradistrict enrollment requests shall give priority for attendance in the following order:

First:	Students residing in the school's attendance area.

Second:  Students diverted from their resident attendance zone.

Third:	Siblings of children already in attendance at the school.

Fourth:	  Students placements requesting transfers from Title I schools identified for program improvement.

Fifth:	Students requesting transfers who are victims of an on-campus violent crime or are attending a school identified as persistently dangerous.

Sixth:	Students approved through the AUSD open enrollment program.

Seventh:  Children of district employees applying under the Allen Bill.

Eighth:	  Students applying under the Allen Bill.

Ninth:	Students applying under an interdistrict transfer.

If attendance area boundaries need to be adjusted, the Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services will recommend procedures to assure an equitable redistribution of student enrollment with Governing Board approval.

Annual Kindergarten Round-Up Enrollment Procedures

Each year during the month of January, a two week initial enrollment period (Kindergarten Round-Up) will be held. If after the initial two week period there are more students than available spaces, first enrollment priority will be given to siblings of currently enrolled students living in the zone of attendance that have returned a completed application within the two week period. The remaining students will be assigned enrollment priority numbers through a random drawing. These students will then be enrolled until all spaces are filled.  The remaining students will also be provisionally enrolled, and given a notice that they may be placed at a different school. Depending on how many students a school is over capacity, the district may open an additional class at the school or divert these students to neighboring schools. This reassignment may take place at any time between May 1st and the 20th school day of the new school year.

Enrollment When Over Capacity

Parents/guardians shall be notified in writing, at the time of registration, if a grade level or school is at or over capacity. 

When all classes at an individual school in a given grade level reach maximum, a school reaches capacity, or district class size averages are exceeded, new students shall be diverted to a school where space is available.

Should students need to be moved out of a school after the school year begins, school officials shall first seek student transfers on a volunteer basis.  If the need still exists, students will be diverted to other schools in the reverse order of the Enrollment Priorities. 

Selection Procedures for AUSD Open Enrollment Program

The Superintendent or designee shall identify those schools which may have space available for additional students on February 1.  A list of these schools and open enrollment applications shall be available at all school offices by February 1. They would be returned to the Office of Student Services and alternative education by February 28.

Students of parent/guardians who submit applications to the district by February 28 shall be eligible for admission to their school of choice the following school year under the district's open enrollment policy.

1.  If a school has more applications than space available, selection for the school for the school or program of choice shall be determined by lot from the eligible applicant pool

2.  Priority will be given to applicants who have a sibling enrolled at the requested school.

3.  Multiple birth students will be treated as a single number in the lottery.  If their number is drawn and the number of students exceeds the number of spaces available, parents may take the space(s) and place the remaining siblings on a waiting list.

4.  The Superintendent or designee shall inform applicants by March 15 as to whether their applications have been approved or denied.  This notification will be by mail.  If the application is denied, the reasons for denial shall be stated.

5.  Applicants who receive approval must confirm their enrollment within two weeks by March 30.

6.  Admission to a particular school shall not be influenced by a student's academic or athletic performance.

7.  Any complaints regarding the selection process shall be submitted to the Superintendent or designee per the district complaint policy, Board Policy 1312.

(cf. 1312 – Complaints Concerning the Schools)

8.  Special Education students may participate in open enrollment based on the above priority system and space available in the programs at the desired school with concurrence of an IEP team.

9.  Students who have left their school of residence through open enrollment or year round opt out and who wish to return to their school of residence must reapply through the open enrollment process.

10.  Students may remain at an elementary school through 5th grade or 8th grade, depending on the school of choice; a middle school through grade 8; and a high school through grade 12.  However, a student may be subject to displacement due to excessive enrollment. 

Families who change residence within Alameda during the school year must show proof of residence for the new address.  

The student(s) then has three options:

1.  The student may remain at the school of attendance for the balance of that school year providing space is available.

2.  The student may remain at the school of attendance through 5th grade, 8th grade, or 12th grade on a space available basis.

3.  The student may immediately enroll in the school designated for his/her new address if space is available.  If space is not available, the student will remain at his/her current school.

Families who move outside the boundaries of the school district during the school year and wish their student(s) to remain at the school must apply for an interdistrict transfer.  The transfers will be approved or denied under the same criteria as all other transfers subject to satisfactory attendance, behavior, academics, and/or special education needs.

For each succeeding year, the student must apply for an interdistrict transfer.  The transfer would be considered in priority over new interdistrict students.

Administrative Placements

1.  Guidance Placement 

Students who have severe adjustment difficulties or who have a physical handicap may be granted permission to transfer to another school provided that there is space available at the appropriate grade level and the Office of Student Services and Alternative Education approves of the proposed transfer after conferring with the principals and parents/guardians.  For a transfer to be considered, it shall be supported by documentation from the professionals, i.e., therapist, psychologist, or medical doctor, who treated the student for the condition. 

A student may be given priority for attendance outside his/her current attendance area when special circumstances exist that may be harmful or dangerous to that particular student. Harmful or dangerous special circumstances shall be identified pursuant to law and administrative regulations. 

2.  Junior/Senior Privilege

Students who move from the attendance zone of a school and remain in Alameda after entering the 11th or 12th grade may be permitted to continue in that school in order to graduate with their class. Seniors who move out of the city of Alameda are permitted to return on an approved interdistrict transfer. 

3.  Special Education

Special Education students will be placed in programs throughout the district and provided transportation according to the determination of the Individual Educational Program (IEP) Team. 

4.  Child Development Centers

Students in K-3 enrolled in the district's Child Development Center may attend the closest elementary school if space is available and under the provisions of Open Enrollment. Their 4th and 5th grade siblings may attend the same school if space is available.

Notifications

Notifications shall be sent to parents/guardians at the beginning of each school year describing all current statutory attendance options and local attendance options available in the district.  Such notification shall include:  (Education Code 48980)

1.  All options for meeting residency requirements for school attendance

(cf. 5111.1 - District Residency)
(cf. 5111.11 - Residency of Students with Caregiver)
(cf. 5111.12 - Residency Based on Parent/Guardian Employment)
(cf. 5111.13 - Residency for Homeless Children)

2.  Program options offered within local attendance areas

3.  A description of any special program options available on both an interdistrict and intradistrict basis

4.  A description of the procedure for application for alternative attendance areas or programs and the appeals process available, if any, when a change of attendance is denied

5.  A district application form for requesting a change of attendance

6.  The explanation of attendance options under California law as provided by the California Department of Education

Regulation	ALAMEDA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved:  June 26, 2007	Alameda, California