JBC: Enrollment

Resident Students

A "resident student" is any child who has attained the age of eligibility for school attendance and lives with a parent or a person acting as a parent who is a resident of the district. Children who are "homeless" as defined by Kansas law and who are located in the district will be admitted as resident students. For purposes of this policy, "parent" means the natural parents, adoptive parents, step-parents, and foster parents. For purposes of this policy, "person acting as a parent" means a guardian or conservator, a person liable by law to care for or support the child, a person who has actual care and control of the child and provides a major portion of support, or a person who has actual care and control of the child with written consent of a person who has legal custody of the child.

Nonresident Students

Details concerning the enrollment and continued enrollment process for nonresident students may be found in board policy JBCC.

Enrollment Restriction

Unless approved in advance by the board, no student, regardless of residency, who has been suspended or expelled from another school district will be admitted to the district until the period of such suspension or expulsion has expired.

Enrollment Procedures

The superintendent shall establish orderly procedures for enrolling all students, including pre-enrollment, changes in enrollment, normal enrollment times, and communication to parents and to the public.

Part-Time Students

The board allows any child to enroll part-time in the school district to allow the student to attend any courses, programs, or services offered by the school district if the child:

• Is also enrolled in a nonaccredited private elementary or secondary school or in any other private, denominational, or parochial school as required by law;
• requests to enroll part-time in the school district; and
• meets the age of eligibility requirements for school attendance.

District administrators shall make a good faith attempt to accommodate scheduling requests of students enrolling in the school district in these situations but shall not be required to make adjustments to accommodate every such request.

Part-time students, other than those specified previously in this policy may enroll with the administration's permission if they complete all paperwork in a timely fashion and are in attendance no later than September 20. Such part-time students may be admitted only to the extent that staff, facilities, equipment, and supplies are available, and the students follow the district's student conduct policies and rules.

Identification of Students

All students enrolling in the district for the first time shall provide required proof of identity. Students enrolling in kindergarten or first grade shall provide a certified copy of their birth certificate, a certified copy of the court order placing the child in the custody of the Secretary of the Department for Children and Families, or other documentation which the board determines to be satisfactory. Students enrolling in grades 2-12 shall provide a certified transcript, similar pupil records or data, or other documentary evidence the board deems satisfactory.

The above requirements are not to serve as barriers to immediate enrollment of students designated as homeless or foster children as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the McKinney-Vento Act as amended by ESSA. The district shall work with the Department for Children and Families, the school last attended, or other relevant agencies to obtain necessary enrollment documentation.

If proper proof of identity is not provided within 30 days of enrolling, the superintendent shall notify local law enforcement officials as required by law and shall not notify any person claiming custody of the child.

Enrollment Information

The enrollment documentation shall include a student's permanent record card with a student's legal name as it appears on the birth certificate or as changed by a court order and the name, address, and telephone number of the lawful custodian. The records shall also provide proper proof of identity.

Assignment to a School Building, Grade Level, or Classes

Unless otherwise provided herein, the superintendent shall assign students to the appropriate building. Any student desiring to attend a school outside the attendance area in which the student resides may do so only with the prior written permission of the superintendent.

If required by law, students placed in foster care or students who are homeless may be educated in their "school of origin" instead of the building corresponding to the assigned attendance area. (For definition of "school of origin", see regulations for JBCA and JBCB.)

Assignment to a particular grade level or particular classes shall be determined by the building principal based on the age and educational needs of the student. If the parents disagree, the principal's decision may be appealed to the superintendent. If the parents are still dissatisfied with the assignment, they may appeal in writing to the board.

Transferring Credit

In middle school and high school, full faith and credit shall be given to units earned in other accredited schools at the time the student enrolls in the district, unless the principal determines there is valid reason for not doing so. For online credit approval procedures after enrollment, see board policy IIBGB.

Transfers from Non-Accredited Schools

Students transferring from non-accredited schools will be placed by the principal. Initial placement will be made by the principal after consultation with parents or guardians and guidance personnel. Final placement shall be made by the principal based on the student's documented past educational experiences and performance on tests administered to determine grade level placement.

Students who transfer from non-accredited schools shall provide the following information:

1. Name of course.
2. Name of instructor.
3. Instructor's state certification.
4. Number of clock hours of course duration.
5. Grade earned.
6. Units of credit given by previous school.

Grade Placement (K – 8)

Grade level placement of transfer students in grades K – 8 will be determined by the school officials based upon the student's academic standards, the student's test results and the recommendation from the previous school. The district may administer a standardized achievement test if adequate records are not available. A student may be moved from the initial placement based on academic performance.