Policy 5330 – Assignment of Students to Schools – Kenosha Unified School District (2024)

Students whose legal residence is within an individual school boundary must enroll in the building designated for that attendance area, except as otherwise specifically provided.

Students who reside within an attendance area established for a specific school shall have priority for enrollment at that school. These are designated “resident” students.

No student may be required to attend more than two different schools during each K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 educational division due to attendance area boundary changes. Parents/guardians retain the right to comply with an attendance area boundary change if they feel their child(ren) will not be adversely affected by attending a third school.

Requests for transfers of students to schools, other than the school to which they are assigned, may be initiated by either the parent/guardian or the principal of the sending school.

Preference will be given to transfers that have a positive affect on the socioeconomic balance within 20% of the District average.

LEGAL REF.:

• Wisconsin Statutes
  • Sections 120.12(2) School Board duties – general supervision
  • 120.13 School Board [power to do all things reasonable for cause of education]
  • PI 23, Wisconsin Administrative Code [Student safe school transfer options]
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act [School placement options for homeless children and youth]
• No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 [Transfer options for students in schools in need of improvement]

CROSS REF.:

• 3511 Transportation
• 5250 Admission of Emancipated Minors
• 5320 School Attendance Areas

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION: None

AFFIRMED: August 13, 1991

REVISED:

• October 25, 1994
• February 13, 1995
• February 11, 1997
• January 27, 1998
• February 11, 2003
• November 25, 2003
• February 24, 2004
• November 28, 2006
• May 27, 2008

1. 4K – Kindergarten Enrollment
   1. The School District will annually conduct kindergarten registration on a specified spring date(s). Building principals will be responsible for periodic update of projected enrollment following this initial enrollment period. Kindergarten transfers will be accepted by the building principal until May 1 of each year. Parents/guardians will be notified of the transfer decision prior to June 1.
   2. Approval of a school transfer request involving a kindergarten student will be given preference based on socioeconomic balance, space available, and staffing considerations within the receiving school.
2. School Transfer Requests – Grades 1-12
   1. General Requirements
      1. Requests for a student transfer to a school, other than that to which the student is assigned, may be initiated by either the parent/guardian or the principal of the sending school.
      2. Transfer requests at the middle school and high school level based on athletic reasons or participation will not be granted. Students who obtain a transfer after attending one or more days of school, or one or more athletic practices at the school the student is leaving, is ineligible for participation in the athletic program at the school transferred to for the remainder of that year.
      3. Athletes who transfer from any school into a member school after the fourth consecutive semester following entry into grade 9 shall be ineligible for practice and competition for one calendar year, unless the transfer is made necessary by a total change in residence by parent(s). The calendar year will be determined from a student’s last day of attendance at athletic practice.
      4. Students who are granted transfers must provide their own transportation unless otherwise provided by law (e.g., student is eligible for transportation services via the IEP process) or Board policy. In addition, students whose parents are unable to provide transportation for them will be permitted to attend school in their attendance area. Transportation will be provided based on the District’s transportation policies.
      5. Students are eligible to receive only one transfer per year.
      6. All repeat transfers are subject to review on an annual basis prior to June 1st of each year by the principal.
   2. Parent Initiated Requests
      1. The District will approve school transfer requests initiated by students and/or their parents/guardians as required by law. Students and their parents/guardians will be notified of school transfer opportunities that may be available to them consistent with legal requirements.
      2. Other parent initiated school transfer requests will be processed and prioritized as follows:
         1. Except as otherwise provided, parent initiated requests for student transfers from one school to another within the District will be accepted from January 1 through January 21 for the following school year. No applications submitted after January 21 will be considered.
         2. Prior year students enrolled will have first priority.
         3. Transfers that positively affect each school’s economic balance will have second priority. Socioeconomic percentages will be determined annually through the Office of Educational Accountability. Space availability will be determined by the receiving principal. At the elementary level, space availability is determined using District policy on class size. Classroom enrollment within two students of the optimum class size is considered full.
         4. Transfer request(s) for sibling(s) of prior year enrolled students will have third priority.
         5. If transfer requests outnumber seats available, a lottery will be held.
         6. Students who move after January 21 will be given the opportunity to complete the current school year and next school year under this policy and rule or enroll in the new attendance area school.
         7. All parent initiated requests will first require the approval of the sending principal. If the sending principal approves the transfer, it is then forwarded to the receiving principal for his/her approval. The receiving principal returns the form to the sending school. A letter will be sent to the parent(s)/guardian/caregiver informing them of the decision prior to February 1 of each year.
   3. Principal Initiated Transfer
      1. Principal initiated requests will be based on documented student needs.
      2. Federal/state programs requiring a school transfer will be processed by the Executive Directors of School Leadership with principal input.