6203

TRANSFER OF SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT

6203

A written request for transfer of a student to another school may be submitted by the parent or court-appointed custodian within ten days of receipt of official school assignment on a form provided by the school system available at any school, central office, or school district website. Instructional needs of the student, building capacity, and classroom capacity shall be factors in considering a request for transfer.

A.

Prioritizing Choices

A written request for transfer should indicate a priority of school choices. Choice I, Choice II, Choice III schools may be indicated.

B.

Reasons Transfer Requests May Be Granted

Specific reasons for transfer must be stated.  A decision to grant a transfer for a   student does not mean that a subsequent request for transfer for a sibling of the student will be granted.  Each application for transfer applies only to the student specified in the request and all criteria referenced in Board Policy 6203 will be applied to each individual request.  The following will be considered in evaluating requests for transfer:

1.

Transfer requests that contribute to better school utilization may be approved.

2.

Before- and after-school child care for students in kindergarten through grade five may be considered. Parents may be asked to show evidence that they have no other options available to them.

3.

High school students who desire a course of study covering objectives not offered by the school serving their attendance area may be allowed to transfer to another school offering a course of study that includes the requested objectives.  Parents will be asked to show evidence of appropriate preparation for the requested course of study, and if the transfer request is approved, the student must enroll in the course of study and maintain good academic standing.  The transfer will not be approved if the approval would restrict access to the course of study for students assigned to the requested school.

4.

Health conditions of the student who is severely physically handicapped (e.g.,has a serious heart problem or is confined to a wheel chair and needs to attend a school on a single floor) or who has a serious emotional problem may warrant a transfer.

5.

The Superintendent or designee may administratively assign a student to any school in the system when the Superintendent or designee determines that such action is in the best interest of the student and schools affected, and that such action would not contravene the overall intent of the Board’s school assignment policies.

6.

If a parent is employed at the requested school, a transfer request for a child may be approved.

7.

A transfer may be approved, if an employee requests a transfer to the calendar option school (for their address) that matches the calendar on which the parent is employed.

8.

In the event of a change of domicile during the school year, the parent(s) may request that the student remain in the current school of enrollment for the remainder of the school year.

9.

A transfer may be approved for a student attending a magnet or calendar option school whose parent(s) apply to return to the base school assignment during the ten day transfer application period.

10.

A transfer may be approved for WCPSS high school students to return to their previously attended school with their previous assignment status when the student returns from an outbound foreign exchange program that has met the standards established by the Council on Standards for International Travel (CSIET) and appears in the current Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs.

C.

Reasons Transfer Requests May Be Denied

The administration may deny transfers requested for the following reasons:

1.

Applications for transfer which are filed more than ten (10) days after the date of the original receipt of assignment will be denied except for extraordinary or unusual reasons.

2.

Applications for transfer to magnet or calendar application schools will be denied if classes at the school are full and priority applicants have not all been placed.

3.

Applications for transfer that would contravene the intent of the Board of Education’s current Growth Management Plan will be denied.

4.

Applications for transfer that cite disagreement with school staff regarding school decisions involving grades, homework, discipline, retention, or class assignment will be denied.

5.

Applications for transfer when a previous transfer to the same school requested has been revoked.

6.

Applications for transfer when there has been a previous falsification of address.

D.

Right To Appeal If The Administration Denies A Transfer Request

Parents and/or legal custodians who submit a transfer request by the application deadline and are denied by the administration may appeal that decision to a panel appointed by the Board of Education by submitting a written request for appeal within five days of receiving notification of the administration’s decision to deny the request.

E.

No Bus Transportation For Transfer Students

Reassignment to another school, based upon a voluntary request for transfer, shall result in the waiver of the school system's requirement to provide transportation, and the parent(s) will assume responsibility for transporting the child to and from school.

F.

Transfers Are Valid Through The Terminal Grade Of The School

All school assignments resulting from approval of voluntary transfer requests will be valid until the child is promoted from the terminal grade of the school or until the transfer is revoked under provisions described below in 6203.J.

G.

Concurrent Enrollment

In some circumstances, concurrent enrollment in two schools might be appropriate. Under a concurrent arrangement, a student would be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities at the base school.

H.

Transfer Students May Not Be Allowed To Participate In High School Athletics Without An Approved Appeal for Athletic Participation

A student who is granted a voluntary transfer away from the base school for reasons 3. or 5. in policy 6203.B shall not participate in athletic activities that come under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and the State Board of Education for 365 days from the first approved transfer date. The Superintendent or his/her designee may hear appeals of this section of Policy 6203 and may grant permission for students to participate in athletic activities based upon such hearings.  The Superintendent shall require written regulation and procedures to govern appeals of this section of Policy 6203.

I.

No Subsequent Transfers During A School Year

Once a transfer has been granted, no subsequent transfer within the same year will be permitted except when the parent’s domicile (permanent residence) changes from one attendance area to another.

J.

Reasons For Revoking A Transfer

Students granted transfers must remain in good standing at the school throughout the year.  The student must attend school and class, be on time and picked up from school in a timely manner.  Failure to remain in good standing or failure to fulfill the specified reasons for originally requesting the transfer may result in revocation of the transfer.

K.

Involuntary Transfer

Whenever a student is charged with a criminal offense, either as a juvenile or an adult, the Superintendent or designee, based upon a review of the allegations associated with the arrest or criminal charges and an informal meeting with the student and parent/legal custodian, shall have the authority to effect an immediate involuntary transfer if the Superintendent or designee, based upon a preponderance of the evidence, is of the opinion that peace, health, safety, or welfare of the students or staff of the Wake County Public School System may be disturbed by maintaining the student in his or her current placement the student’s parent/legal custodian may request a Board hearing to review the involuntary transfer.  Any request for Board review must be submitted to the Superintendent’s office within ten days of the notice of the involuntary transfer.

Legal Reference: G.S.115C-45(c), G.S.115C-366(b), G.S.115C-368G.S.115C37and G.S. 115C-116.

Adopted: May 4, 1981

Revised: May 16, 1983

Revised: November 18, 1991

Revised: June 21, 1993

Revised: April 21, 1997

Revised: July 21, 1997

Revised: January 10, 2000

Revised: June 25, 2001

Revised: May 21, 2002

Revised: March 18, 2003

Revised: April 24, 2007

Revised: June 1, 2010

Revised: December 7, 2010