Policy: 3141
Students
Non-Resident Students
Consistent with Chapter 28A.225 RCW, any student who resides outside the district may apply to attend a school in the district.. All applications for nonresident attendance will be considered on an equal basis.
The District will inform parents of the inter-district enrollment options and information will be provided to nonresidents on request. Providing online access to the information satisfies the requirements of this policy unless a parent or guardian specifically requests information to be provided in written form. The district will not charge any transfer fees or tuition costs for enrolling eligible non resident students.
The superintendent will develop an application form that the parent or guardian will complete to apply for the student’s admission. The form will gather information such as the child’s current legal residence, the school district where the student is currently enrolled or receiving home-based instruction, the basis for requesting release from the resident district the specific building desired, and grade level (elementary and secondary) or course offerings (secondary only) in which the student desires to be enrolled if accepted by the District.
As used in this policy, the term ‘student residence’ means the physical location of a student’s principle abode. A non-resident student shall be defined as a student who does not have a student residence within the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District boundaries.
The District uses the OSPI Choice Transfer System to process those requests for student transfer enrollment into the school district.
A student who resides in a district that does not operate a secondary program will be permitted to enroll in secondary schools in this district in accordance with state law and regulation relating to the financial responsibility of the resident district.
Standards for accepting or rejecting an application
The superintendent will accept or reject an application for nonresident admission based upon the following standards:
- Whether acceptance of a nonresident student would result in the district experiencing significant financial hardship (financial hardship does not include routine programmatic costs associated with serving additional disabled or non-disabled students);
- Whether capacity exists for additional students in the grade level, program or class at the building where the student desires to be enrolled;
- Whether appropriate educational programs or services are available to improve the students condition as stated in requesting release from the district of residence
- Whether the students' disciplinary records or other documentation indicate a history of violent or disruptive behavior or gang membership (a gang means a group of three or more persons with identifiable leadership that on an ongoing basis regularly conspires and acts in concert mainly for criminal purposes.)
- Whether the student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days, in which case the student may apply for admission under the district's policy for readmission and reengagement of suspended or expelled students.
This policy shall be implemented by granting authority to the superintendent to sign a mutual agreement with the superintendent of any other cooperating district for the enrollment of a student who resides in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District in a part or full-time program in the other district or for the enrollment of a student who resides in the other cooperating district in a part or full-time program in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, when any of the following criteria are met:
Both superintendents agree that:
1. An instructional program more appropriate to the student’s academic interests, abilities, and needs is available in the non-resident district
2. Parents’ employment and childcare arrangements are such that a more convenient situation for adequate child care can be arranged by enrollment in the non-resident district.
Admission or denial: Notice of decision and appeal of decision
In a timely manner, the superintendent’s designee will provide all applicants with written notification of the approval or denial of a nonresident student’s enrollment application. If the student is to be admitted, the superintendent’s designee will notify the resident district and make necessary arrangements for the transfer of student records.
If the application is denied, the superintendent’s designee will notify the parent or guardian in writing within 45 calendar days from receipt of the parent’s application. The notification will include the reasons(s) for denial and inform the parent or guardian of their right to appeal the district’s denial decision to the Superintendent of Public Instruction or their designee as detailed in RCW 28A.225.230.
The parent or guardian may appeal the denial to the district’s superintendent or designee. Within five business days of receipt of the parent’s appeal submissions, the superintendent or designee will provide the parent with a written notification of the final appeal decision to either grant or deny the student’s admittance into the district.
Children of full time employees
Pursuant to RCW 28A.225.225, a nonresident student who is the child of a full-time certificated or classified employee will be permitted to enroll:
- At the school where the employee is assigned;
- At a school forming the district’s kindergarten through twelfth grade continuum, which includes the school where the employee is assigned;
- The student remains enrolled until he or she completes schooling; or
- At a school in the district that provides early intervention services pursuant to RCW 28A.155.065 and/or preschool services pursuant to RCW 28A.155.070, if the student is eligible for such services.
The District may reject the application of a student who is the child of a full-time employee if:
- Disciplinary records or other evidence supports a conclusion that the student has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or
- The student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days (however, the District's policies for allowing readmission of expelled or suspended students and the required re engagement procedures under the rule must apply uniformly to both resident and nonresident applicants seeking admission, pursuant to RCW 28A.225.225 (2)(b)); or
- The student has repeatedly failed to comply with requirements for participating in an online school program, such as participating in weekly direct contact with the teacher or monthly progress evaluations.
Legal References:
RCW 28A.225.220 Adults, children from other districts, agreements for attending school – Tuition
RCW 28A.225.225 Applications from nonresident students or students receiving home-based instruction to attend district school***School Employees’ children***Acceptance and rejection standards***Notification
RCW 28A.225.240 Apportionment of credit
RCW 28A.225.290 Enrollment options information to parents booklet
RCW 28A.225.300 Enrollment options information to parents
WAC 392-137 Finance – Non-resident attendance
Cross Reference: 3120 Enrollment
Revised 12/2007, 7/2016, 1/2019, 1/2024
Adopted 4/4/2012