Procedure: 3141P
Students
Non-Resident Students
Non-Resident Students
1. This procedure identifies conditions by which non-resident students may apply to attend a school in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District. A non-resident student is one who resides in another public school district. This procedure is to be administered by fair and equitable standards towards all students.
a. The order in which applications will be reviewed and processed are as follows:
i. Homeless youth
ii. Students of full time certificated and classified staff applications
iii. Currently enrolled in-district student applications
iv. Siblings of in-district student applications
v. Currently enrolled out-of-district student applications
vi. New in-district applications
vii. Siblings of currently enrolled out-of district student applications
viii. New out-of-district applications
2. The parent/guardian (or adult student, 18 years or older) of a non-resident student requesting a Choice Transfer must submit the following:
a. A Choice Transfer Request must be made using OSPI’s Washington State Choice Transfer Request Portal.
b. A Choice Transfer Request must be approved by a school official from the student’s resident district authorizing the release of the student.
c. A Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Inter-district Waiver application.
3. Homeless students, in accordance with RCW 28A.225.215, will be allowed to attend school in this district. Consistent with federal and state law, homeless students who are eligible by reason of age for the services of the school district are not required to show proof of residency or any other information regarding an address in order to enroll in the district if the child does not have a legal residence.
a. Enrollment of homeless students will include the following considerations:
i. School of origin
ii. School in attendance area where the student is residing
iii. The best interest of the child or youth
iv. School capacity (overflow procedures will be followed in the event a school does not have space)
4. A student who resides in a district that does not operate a secondary program shall be permitted to enroll in a secondary school in this district in accordance with state law and regulation on financial responsibility of the resident district. Enrollment in the school of choice will be subject to school capacity.
5. The superintendent or designee shall provide all applicants with written notification of the approval or denial of the application in a timely manner. If the application is denied, the superintendent or 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.
6. Students with a Sumner-Bonney Lake School District approved Choice Transfer Request and waiver must attend school full time and in person.
Choice Transfer Request for Children of Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Staff
1. Pursuant to RCW 28A.225.225, a non-resident student who is the child of a full-time certificated or classified Sumner-Bonney Lake School District school employee shall be permitted to enroll subject to the following conditions:
a. Employees assigned to a school may enroll their non-resident student(s) in the school where the employee works or in another Sumner-Bonney Lake School District school forming the district’s kindergarten through twelfth grade continuum.
b. Itinerant school-based employees may seek to enroll their non-resident student(s) in any Sumner-Bonney Lake School District school forming the district’s kindergarten through twelfth grade continuum.
c. Other non-school based employees may seek to enroll their non-resident student(s) in any Sumner-Bonney Lake School District school forming the district’s kindergarten through twelfth grade continuum.
d. The student remains enrolled until he or she completes schooling; or
e. 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.
f. The employee will provide transportation to and from school for their child.
2. The District may reject the application of a student who is the child of a full-time employee if:
a. Enrolling the student in the school, program and grade/courses would displace a resident student.
b. Disciplinary records or other evidence shows the student has a history of convictions for offenses or crimes, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership.
c. The student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days. Any policy allowing for readmission for expelled or suspended students under this procedure must apply uniformly to both resident and non-resident applicants.
d. Enrolling the student would create a financial hardship on the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District;
e. The parent/guardian cannot provide transportation;
Applications
1. Annually, all students residing outside the district must apply for a Choice Transfer Request and an inter-district waiver application.
2. Currently enrolled students residing outside the District must reapply annually for a Choice Transfer Request and submit an inter-district waiver application.
3. Application Window: The period during which applications for inter and intra district transfers for the next school year will be accepted will be communicated on the District website at least one month before the application window.
4. Non-resident high school student athletes must meet eligibility requirements of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) in order to participate in varsity sports. Non-resident students are responsible for ensuring their eligibility following WIAA regulations and are prohibited from participating in varsity athletic competitions during their initial year of transfer unless eligibility is granted by the WIAA.
5. Applications for the next school year will not be accepted prior to the application window.
6. Any request for transfer received after August 1st will not be considered prior to the first 10 days of school.
7. The District will review all requests for transfer in a timely manner. The parent/guardian will be notified of next year’s Choice Transfer status through the Choice Transfer Database.
Determination of when a Grade Level, Classes, or Program is Full
If the anticipated needs of resident students, homeless students, current non-resident students and non-resident students of full time school employees are met, and if the specific school does not exceed its student enrollment capacity, new non-resident students may be allowed to attend a school in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District.
The determination of enrollment capacity will be made each spring by District officials. Enrollment capacity will be based on enrollment and staffing projections. New non-resident students will not be permitted to displace resident students in a school. The designated District Administrator reviews applications for space availability, class size, caseload, and current enrollment at the requested school before processing the transfer request.
1. Non-resident students will be considered for enrollment at a school or in a program based on the following standards:
a. Whether the availability of existing services, based on caseload, class size, current grade level/school enrollment and other considerations can properly address the educational needs of the non-resident student as determined by the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District administrator in charge of the services the student may require.
b. Whether the parent/guardian can provide transportation.
c. Whether the Choice Transfer application and District waiver application for non-resident students has been completed.
d. Whether the student’s financial, educational, safety, or health condition would be reasonably improved by attending a Sumner-Bonney Lake School District.
e. Whether a Sumner-Bonney Lake School District school would be more accessible for child care for the parent’s place of work.
f. Whether the student or family has a special hardship or detrimental condition.
Choice Transfer Denials
A Choice Transfer application may be denied if:
a. Capacity does not exist in the class, grade, program or building requested
b. The student’s disciplinary records indicate and other evidence shows the student has a history of convictions for offenses or crimes, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership
c. The student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten (10) consecutive days. Any policy allowing readmission of the expelled or suspended student under this procedure must apply uniformly to both resident and non-resident applicants.
d. The student has not maintained a record of satisfactory academic progress, including appropriate grade level placement for age and a minimum 2.5 GPA or equivalent.
e. Approval of the Choice Transfer will create a financial hardship for the school district.
Student Records and State Testing
1. Records from the Choice Transfer student’s previous school(s), with the exception of homeless students, may be requested and reviewed prior to accepting the non-resident student. Such records may include:
a. current attendance records
b. discipline records
c. current transcript/report cards, and
d. current IEP if applicable.
2. Non-resident students must participate in all state testing administered by the Sumner Bonney Lake School District.
Future Residents
A parent/guardian of a non-resident student, who presents valid written evidence (ex: purchase and sale agreement or rental contract) that the family will become resident of the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District within five (5) months, can enroll a student in the school serving the Sumner-Bonney Lake residence, following the Choice Transfer and Waiver Application process.
WIAA Eligibility
Non-resident high school student athletes must meet the eligibility requirements of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) in order to participate in varsity sports.
Moving Out of District
A student may continue to attend a Sumner-Bonney Lake School District under the following conditions:
1. A student who moves out of the district during the school year will be permitted to apply to stay in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District following the Choice Transfer Waiver Application process.
2. High school students who have moved out of the district after the beginning of their junior or senior year will be allowed to apply to graduate with their class following the Choice Transfer Waiver Application process.
3. In the event that overcrowding occurs in the student’s classroom, program or grade level, the District reserves the right to rescind the transfer.
Consideration of Residency
A student’s residence means the physical location of the student’s principal abode: i.e., the home, house, apartment, facility, structure, or location, etc., where the student lives the majority of the time. The following shall be considered in determining residency:
1. The mailing address of the student, e.g., parents’ address or post office box, may be different from the student’s principal abode.
2. The student’s principal abode may be different from the principal abode of the student’s parent(s).
3. The lack of a mailing (street) address for a student does not preclude an assertion of residency. The burden is on the student to prove residency.
4. The District will generally require that if the student’s residence is different than that of the parent(s) as result of a judicial order or decree, Washington Superior Court order designating foster care placement, a parenting plan issued in the course of marital dissolution or a court authorized transfer of guardianship; a copy of the aforementioned document be provided.
Annual Renewal
Enrollment of a non-resident student is approved for one (1) school year at a time. A new application must be completed and approved annually. Approval will be based on the original conditions for acceptance and a review of the student’s history in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District during the past school year.
Matriculating Choice Transfer Students
Non-resident students matriculating from an elementary school to middle school or a middle school to a high school are expected to attend the feeder middle school or high school servicing the student’s current assigned school.
Non-resident students who are allowed to continue enrollment, and who are students classified within the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Sec. 504), will be placed in the next higher level school which staff determines will provide that student with meaningful educational benefit, to best accommodate the student’s needs.
Termination of a Choice Transfer
Enrollment of a non-resident student can be terminated under any of the following conditions, which would have led to a denial of acceptance of the original application:
1. If, after the Choice Transfer application was approved, the information provided in the application is found to be incomplete or has changed, and /or the information was materially misrepresented on the application.
2. If the student is expelled or suspended for more than ten (10) consecutive days from the district or any district school program under the usual disciplinary process.
3. If the student is excessively tardy or truant or has excessive absences.
4. The student’s disciplinary records indicate and other evidence shows the student has a history of convictions for offenses or crimes, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership.
5. If the student engages in frequent misconduct and/or disruptive behavior in violation of school rules (that indicates that the student is not being successful in the school or program).
6. If the student does not maintain a record of satisfactory academic progress, including appropriate grade level placement for age and a minimum 2.5 GPA or equivalent.
7. In the event that overcrowding occurs in the student’s classroom, program or grade level, the District reserves the right to rescind the transfer.
Before the Choice Transfer of such a student is terminated under this provision, the student and parent/guardian will be notified in writing that the student’s continued attendance in the district is in jeopardy. Should the District choose to discontinue serving a student at any time, the parent(s) will be notified in writing of the reason for the waiver being rescinded and their rights to appeal. During any appeal procedure, the student may remain in their previously approved placement until the appeal is resolved at the superintendent’s level unless termination is a result of an expulsion or suspension. The student may return to his/her previously approved placement at the conclusion of the expulsion or suspension under the disciplinary process if the appeal has not yet been resolved.
Appealing a Choice Transfer Decision
The following due process procedures are intended to resolve disputes, which remain after application of this procedure. These due process procedures may be implemented by the student’s parent/guardian as an appeal from a denial of admission to a particular school. All students ages 8 to 18 must attend school. Therefore, the student will be enrolled in the school in which he/she is a resident pending exhaustion of the District appeal procedures.
1. If a student and/or the parent/guardians wish to appeal a denial of admission to the District, a written request within five (5) school business days of the denials of the Choice Transfer request must be submitted to the designated District Administrator. When a request is received, district staff will generally have the burden of proving the propriety of denial of a parent request for admission. However, when the issue deals with circumvention, the student/parent/guardian will have the burden of proof and the burden of proving that the student is, in fact, enrolled in the proper school.
2. The designated district administrator will issue a written decision within five (5) school business days after receipt of written request. When that decision is adverse to the position put forward by the student/parent/guardian, the district administrator’s decision will be automatically forwarded to the Superintendent for his/her review.
3. The superintendent or his/her designee will review the decision and such other documents with a small appeals committee and will, within seven (7) school business days following receipt, issue a written decision. The superintendent’s or his/her designee’s decision will be final.
4. OSPI Appeal Available: For Choice Transfer appeals, an aggrieved student/parent/guardian may appeal to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Appeals from a denial of admission and can only be brought based on the District’s failure to comply with statutory standards and procedures adopted under RCW 28A.225.225.
Revised 12/2007, 6/2016, 12/2018, 1/2024, 3/2024