BOARD POLICY
Descriptor Code: JBCCA
Student Assignment to Schools
The Superintendent, having (delete) general authority to administer the schools
within the district, can assign students to any particular school as deemed
appropriate.
The Superintendent also has the discretionary power to assign and transfer
students.
The Board may reorganize schools and (delete) fix (add) assign the grades taught in
each school.
(delete) Compulsory Attendance Zones: The Douglas County Board of Education
has established geographic attendance zones for each school in the county. All
Douglas County students must attend the school in the (add) geographic attendance
zone in which they reside (add) unless an exception is granted under this policy and
its implementing regulations. (add) Geographic attendance zones may be changed
by the Board of Education as conditions require.
Under certain circumstances, including (add) Title I Public School Choice
(add) and House Bill 251 Public School Choice, a parent/guardian may
(delete) request (add) apply in writing (delete) that (add) for their child(ren)
(add) to attend another school within the district. (delete) Guidelines (add)
Regulations for student transfers(delete) will be(add) shall be developed by the
Superintendent or his/her designee.
(delete) In-District Students `
The school to which the student has been assigned does not have available
permanent classroom space, and the student is assigned to non-permanent
classroom facilities for instruction;
The other school has permanent classroom space available; and
The parent/guardian assumes responsibility for providing transportation for the
student if the request for reassignment is granted by the board of education.
Out-of-Attendance Area Reassignment Requests
A parent/guardian may also request in writing that their child(ren) attend a school
out-of-their attendance area, when:
(delete) Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. 20-2-294) provides for the transfer of students
under the following circumstances.
One or both parents are full-time benefit receiving employees of the Douglas County Board of
Education or a full-time DARE/SRO Officer. This exception shall no longer apply once full-time
involvement in the Douglas County School System as an employee is terminated;
(delete)As provided for under the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act a
Georgia's Accountability system;
Public School Choice Law:
The law includes the following:
A parent/guardian can elect to send a child to another public school in the same district as
long as there is classroom space available at the school after its assigned students have
been enrolled;
If a parent elects to exercise this choice option, the parent assumes all costs associated
with transporting the child to and from the selected school.
A student who transfers to another school pursuant to this law may, at his or her election,
continue to attend such school until the student completes all grades of the school.
Already has permission to attend school out of district until the student completes those
grades assigned to that school;
In cases of extreme hardship or safety issues of the student remains in their current
school.
Any student who is a victim of a violent criminal offense under State Rule
160-4-8-.16 Unsafe School Choice Option (USCO) shall be allowed to transfer to a school
that is making adequate yearly progress and has not been defined under the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 as an unsafe school,(add) if such choice is available.
(delete) All permissive transfer requests are conditional and may be revoked at any time
for excessive tardies and absences, inappropriate or disruptive conduct or the lack of a
cooperative/productive relationship between home and school.
All transfers are granted for one school year only and must be resubmitted for each
additional year. The parent/guardian must provide transportation in all cases except as
outlined by the policies of No Child Left Behind and Georgia's Accountability System. All
transfer requests should be submitted to the Associate Superintendent for General
Administration for approval.
Title One – Part A - Public School Choice
Students enrolled in a Title I school identified for school improvement pursuant to the No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 may transfer to another designated public school within the
Douglas County School System. Transfers will be approved in accordance with the law.
Priority will be given to the lowest-achieving children from low-income families. The
Douglas County School System will provide or reimburse parents for the transportation to
the designated choice school.
The Douglas County School System will identify the schools to which students may transfer
on an annual basis. Students may not transfer to any school that has been identified for
improvement, corrective action, restructuring, or identified as persistently dangerous.
The Douglas County School System adheres to the eligibility policies of the Georgia High
School Association for all middle and high school sports. Under these polices, students
who transfer under school choice are considered a permissive transfer and are ineligible
for interscholastic sports for a period of one year.
(add) Parents/guardians of students requesting permission to transfer to another Douglas
County school other than the school in the zone, in which they reside, for legal issues not
already covered in this policy, (delete) or extreme medical/emotional conditions, (add) or a
severe family hardship must submit an application in writing with supporting
documentation to the office of Student Support and Services. The transfer decision will
be made by the Superintendent or his/her designee and all decisions will be final.
The following provisions apply (add) to such transfer requests:
1. Approved transfers are valid for the current school year in which issued.
2. Students granted permissive transfers must maintain acceptable attendance,
behavior, grades and a cooperative home/school relationship.
3. Transportation must be provided by parents/guardians.
4. Transfers are considered for individual students, not family groups.
5. Transfers under this policy provision are conditional and may be revoked at any
time.