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Madison Metropolitan School District
Board of Education Policies and Procedures

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POLICYATTENDANCE 4023
Pupils

Transfer to Another School

It is the BOARD's responsibility to establish attendance area boundaries for all schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD). It is the POLICY of the BOARD of the Madison Metropolitan School District to permit a student transfer from the school of residence (refer to BOARD POLICY 4021) to another school providing that:

  1. Appropriate pupil-teacher ratios and/or school/program capacity can be maintained in the schools/programs as defined and approved by the BOARD for external transfer.
  2. Special education options can be maintained in both schools.

Subject to the procedure that is set forth below, any student on an approved internal transfer may continue to attend MMSD schools in the normal progression.

PROCEDUREATTENDANCE 4023
Pupils

Transfer to Another School

  1. Definitions
    1. School of residence is the school in the attendance area in which a pupil resides. (Reference BOARD POLICY 4021).
      1. Internal transfer means to change schools from the school of residence to another school in the Madison Metropolitan School District.
      2. External transfer means either to change schools from a school in the MMSD to a school in a school district other than the MMSD or to change schools from a school in a school district other than the MMSD to a school in the MMSD.
    3. Resident PRINCIPAL means PRINCIPAL of the school of residence.
    4. New school means the school to which a transfer is made or proposed.
    5. New school PRINCIPAL means the PRINCIPAL of the school to which a pupil is transferred or proposed to be transferred.
    6. Parent means parent, legal guardian or legal foster parent.
    7. Normal progression means a student can progress from elementary school to the assigned middle school for such elementary school students or from middle school to the assigned high school for such middle school students.
  2. Internal transfer by change of residence.
    1. Upon a change of residence from one attendance area to another attendance area within the MMSD, including homeless families who establish a permanent residence during the school year, a pupil may enroll in his/her new school of residence immediately, or
    2. The parent may complete an Application For Student Internal Transfer Form requesting that the pupil remain at the school in which the pupil has been enrolled. Such requests shall automatically be granted.
      1. The student may continue to attend the school/program, as well as other schools in the normal progression, provided that the transfer is not revoked.
    3. The most recent report card presented to the PRINCIPAL of the new school is all that is required if a pupil moves from one attendance area to another during summer vacation. Responsibility for transfer of records to the new school is that of the PRINCIPAL of the new school.
  3. Except as modified by the Board relative to the internal transfer into the Nuestro Mundo Charter School Program, as long as it is embedded into Frank Allis Elementary School, the procedure for processing an internal transfer request by parents for the current school year shall be as follows:
    1. Each request will be considered on an individual basis.
    2. The following steps are necessary to effect a transfer request:
      1. The parent shall complete an Application for Student Internal Transfer Form and file the application with the MMSD Enrollment Office.
      2. Upon receipt of the request, the Enrollment Office staff verify if space is available. When space is available the Enrollment Office staff contacts the PRINCIPALS for confirmation that the transfer can be allowed. The PRINCIPALS may provide input into the transfer application decision. In judging an internal transfer request, the Enrollment Office staff use the following major criteria:
        1. Whether granting the internal transfer will exceed the pupil- teacher ratio and/or school/program capacity as defined and approved by the BOARD for external transfers by using actual enrollment numbers and actual staffing positions.
        2. Options for special education students.
      3. The following criteria shall be used for granting a Transfer Request on a priority basis, providing the major criteria have been met:
        1. The student is currently enrolled in the school and wishes to continue.
        2. The student already has a sibling enrolled at the school.
        3. The student has a parent that is a staff member at the school.
        4. The need for the child to be under the care of a baby sitter, due to unique family circumstances which would prevent the child from attending the school of residence. Both parents working outside the home does not, in and of itself, provide a reason to grant a transfer.
      4. An Assistant Superintendent may grant an internal transfer request if the major criteria have not been met based upon the following circumstances
        1. Medical conditions, both physical and emotional, which would significantly improve were the child to be transferred. A decision would be based on an analysis and recommendation of a professional staff person in the Madison Metropolitan School District. A medical doctor's recommendation will be considered as part of the analysis conducted by the professional staff.
        2. Absence of alternatives other than transferring to another school, i.e., change of teachers within a school.
        3. Other considerations which are in the best overall interest of the student and the educational program.
          1. A school has been designated as persistently dangerous, a student becomes the victim of a violent offense as defined in Wisconsin Statute 301.048(2)(bm) or a school has not met state and federal proficiency standards.
          2. The District may provide transportation for students who transfer under the circumstances described in paragraph d)i., above.
      5. The Enrollment Office staff then contact the appropriate Assistant Superintendent for final approval/disapproval.
      6. Appeals of the decision of the Enrollment Office/Assistant Superintendent must be filed with the appropriate Assistant Superintendent. The appeal must be in writing and be filed within ten days of the denial.
      7. A final determination of an appeal shall be made by the SUPERINTENDENT within ten days of the receipt of the appeal.
      8. If a transfer is approved, the student shall be allowed to continue to attend school in the MMSD in the normal progression as long as either the parent and the student reside within the MMSD or the transfer is not revoked.
      9. Notification of the approval will be mailed to the parent from the Enrollment Office. If approved the parent will be notified that they are responsible for transportation. The parent of High School students will also be notified of WIAA transfer rules.
    3. Responsibility for the pupil's regular attendance and acceptable school conduct rests with the pupil and the parent. The responsibility for transportation also rests with the parent, except indigent middle and high school students who, pursuant to Board Policy 5111, are eligible to receive bus passes/tickets from the District if they live 1 &#\189; miles from their home school may use such bus passes/tickets to attend middle or high school on an internal transfer.
    4. The educational welfare of the pupil demands close communication between school staff and parent(s) who request a transfer. Student(s) and parent(s) shall be informed of school policies and procedures regarding discipline, attendance, and general school performance so that the conditions under which the internal transfer request is granted are understood by all.
  4. Except as modified by the Board relative to an internal transfer into the Nuestro Mundo Charter School Program, as long as it is embedded into Frank Allis Elementary School, the procedure for processing an internal transfer by request of parents for the next school year shall be as follows:
    1. Each request will be considered on an individual basis.
    2. The following steps are necessary to effect a transfer request:
      1. The parent shall complete an Application for Student Internal Transfer Form and file the application with the MMSD Enrollment Office.
      2. Annual applications for an Internal Transfer will be accepted for the next year beginning on the 1st Monday in February. Internal applications that are filed on or after the 1st Monday in February and before 4:00 p.m. on the 3rd Friday in March shall be given preference over applications filed under the External Transfer Open Enrollment Policy.
      3. After all requests have been received the Enrollment Office communicates with both resident and receiving school PRINCIPALS. The PRINCIPALS may provide input into the transfer application decision.
      4. In judging an internal transfer request, the Enrollment Office use the following major criteria:
        1. Whether granting the internal transfer will exceed the pupil-teacher ratio and/or school/program capacity as defined and approved by the BOARD for external transfers by using projected enrollment numbers and projected staffing allocations.
        2. Options for special education students.
      5. The following criteria shall be used for granting a Transfer Request on a priority basis:
        1. The student is currently enrolled in the school and wishes to continue.
        2. The student already has a sibling enrolled at the school.
        3. The student has a parent that is a staff member at the school.
        4. The need for the child to be under the care of a baby sitter, due to unique family circumstances which would prevent the child from attending the school of residence. Both parents working outside the home does not, in and of itself, provide a reason to grant a transfer.
      6. If, after giving the priorities as set forth above, there are more Internal Transfer Requests than the new (receiving) school has space available, then a lottery will be held to determine who gets selected. Those Internal Transfer Requests not selected in the lottery or if no space was available at the requesting school the Enrollment Office holds the applications and establishes a waiting list. If on July 1 the enrollment numbers at the receiving school are below projected enrollment and space is available with the approval of the appropriate ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT the transfer may be approved. When no space is available on July 1 the Enrollment Office holds the application on the waiting list until the first Friday following Labor Day at which time transfer requests are again evaluated against space available.
      7. The Enrollment Office continues to accept transfer requests and follows the same procedure used in approving transfer as stated above for students who apply after the March deadline. Those transfers are held until all requests have been completed that were filed within the dates specified above. This includes internal and external transfers. If no waiting list has been established and space continues to be available, requests for transfers to take effect in the next school year continue to be approved through the last day of school of the current school year.
  5. Effect of granting an Internal Transfer application

    If an application for an Internal Transfer is granted, unless the transfer is revoked, the student may continue to attend the school to which the transfer was granted and other MMSD schools in the normal progression without filing another Internal Transfer Application Form.

  6. Interscholastic athletic eligibility
    1. Students are eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the high school of the attendance area determined by the legal residence of the parent (reference BOARD POLICY 4021) and as set forth below:
      1. A student placed at a high school by the Madison School District for special education program reasons is eligible to compete in athletics at that high school.
      2. Optional area. A student whose parents' legal residence is in the "Optional High School Attendance Area" and is thereby permitted to exercise a choice among the high schools shall have his/her athletic eligibility established based on the school the parents declared as the child's "Home School" on the "Declaration Of Home School For Students Residing In The Optional High School Attendance Area" Form.
      3. A student enrolled at Malcolm Shabazz City High School shall have his/her eligibility established at the high school of the attendance area determined by the legal residence of the student's parent.
        1. A student (1) whose parent moves into a different attendance area within the Madison Metropolitan School District any time after he/she has completed Grade 9; or (2) whose parent moves into another school district any time after he/she has completed Grade 9 may continue to be eligible in the same school, provided enrollment is continuous in the same school.
        2. Any student who internally transfers within the Madison Metropolitan School District or under the external transfer open enrollment policy without an appropriate change of residence is eligible to participate in practice and competition at all levels if all eligibility requirements specified by the WIAA or the transferring school's athletic code have been satisfied. Any student who attains athletic eligibility through either an internal transfer or pursuant to the external transfer open enrollment policy and subsequently transfers to any other MMSD school after August 1st of the same school year (including a transfer back to his/her home school) is ineligible for athletic competition for the remainder of the school year.
        3. The student/parent, when notified of the approval of an internal transfer request, shall also be informed that should the student return to his/her home school after transferring that he/she will be ineligible for athletic competition until the beginning of the next school year.
  7. Revocation of an Internal Transfer.
    1. Except for 8th grade students who are in their second semester of 8th grade, a principal may revoke an internal transfer for reasons related to the discipline, absenteeism, tardiness, and/or academic performance of the student. If a transfer is revoked, the student shall automatically be enrolled in his/her school of residence.
      1. When the transfer is revoked at the elementary school level, the revocation shall be effective immediately.
      2. When the transfer is revoked at the middle or high school level, the revocation shall be effective at the end of the quarter.
    2. A student who is granted a transfer under paragraph 3.b.5)d) herein may have his/her transfer revoked at the discretion and direction of the APPROPRIATE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.

3/10/08

 

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