FILE: JBCC
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
The West Carroll Parish School Board shall have the authority and responsibility for the assignment, placement, transfer, and continued education .of all students enrolled in schools within its jurisdiction. Each student shall be assigned to the appropriate grade-level school located within the school zone in which his/her residence is found unless a transfer is approved as provided below or a different placement is deemed appropriate under an Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan.
Residence Definition and Verification
Each student shall have only one (1) residence, which shall be determined to be the place where he/she predominantly sleeps, takes meals, maintains personal belongings, and otherwise resides with his/her parent or legal guardian/custodian. The student's residence shall be established by the residency documentation verified as provided by School Board policy JBC, School Admission.
When a court order grants legal custody of a student, the student's residence shall be the residence of the parent who was awarded primary/domiciliary custody. If joint legal custody has been granted, the parents/legal guardians may choose the parent/legal guardian whose residence will be used for assignment purposes; however, once chosen, that residence shall continue to be utilized for assignment purposes unless a transfer is approved.
When a student is eighteen (18) years or older or has been emancipated by court order, the student's residence shall be his/her own place of residence.
When a student is homeless, in foster care, or otherwise residing within the district with no permanent address, assignment shall be determined in accordance with applicable law, as provided by School Board policy, and/or as appropriate to the special circumstance of the student.
When a student is not a resident of West Carroll Parish and not a child of a District employee, admission and assignment shall be controlled by School Board policy JBCB, Admission and Assignment of Non-Resident Students.
Residence Verification
Each student shall provide documentation of residency upon initial enrollment in the District in accordance with School Board policy JBC, School Admission. Assignment shall be based on the student's residence as established by the verified documentation.
The Superintendent shall develop and implement an administrative procedure which provides for prompt verification of residence, including but not limited to state-required notice to the student and his/her parent/legal guardian/custodian should, either upon or after initial enrollment, reason exists to believe that further investigation is necessary and/or a student may be attending a school outside the proper attendance zone based on his/her residence without an approved transfer.
Transfers
A student who desires to attend a school outside of his/her zone of residency may apply for a transfer to another grade-appropriate school in another zone, which transfer will be granted with the following conditions:
The student's application is received on or before the deadline set by the Superintendent;
Capacity is available within the grade-level at the receiving school;
The student and/or his/her parent/legal guardian/custodian shall be responsible for transportation to and from the schools within the receiving zone;
The receiving school zone will be the student's home school zone for all purposes;
The transferred student shall continue to be enrolled in the grade appropriate school in the receiving zone until and if a transfer back to the zone of residency is approved;
No transfer from the receiving school back to the zone of residency shall be available except fora subsequent school year, which application must meet the deadline requirement;
A student granted a transfer remains subject to the rules and regulations of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association; and
The transfer must not violate but must be in compliance with any placement or other requirement of a student's Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan.
The Superintendent shall develop an administrative procedure which provides for the efficient, effective, and equitable implementation of this transfer policy.
Children of Employees
A student who is a child of a School Board employee, regardless of parish or zone of residence, may be admitted and attend school at the grade-appropriate school within the feeder-zone of the school in which the employee is assigned but such admission and attendance shall be subject to all of the same conditions as applicable for student transfers in item 3 above.
School Zones
The School Board retains the authority to designate the school zones in the District. The school zones shall be those established as of June 2017 or as subsequently amended by the School Board. The Superintendent shall maintain descriptions and maps of the school zones and provide notice of any amendments to the school zones shall be provided to all parents/legal guardians/custodians for all enrolled students.
Classroom Assignment
Assignment of students to classes and in classrooms shall be done in a nondiscriminatory, equitable manner.
Grades K-8 - Student assignments in kindergarten through 8th grade will be made by the principal of the school with teacher input, who shall consider grades, achievement test scores, participation in and requirements of special services and programs, and compliance with the School Board’s Pupil Progression Plan.
Grades 9-12 - Students in 9th through 12th grades shall select their respective courses of study. Administrators, teachers, and counselors will, as assigned and/or requested, provide assistance in planning the students course of student and selection of individual classes, including but not limited to provision of a schedule of offered classes and requirements for graduation. Parents are encouraged to participate in such planning and selection processes.
Multiple Siblings/Grades K-2 - The parent/legal guardian/custodian of twins, triplets, or other siblings of a single birth event may request same or separate classroom assignments if the students are in the same grade level. The Superintendent will develop an administrative procedure for implementing this policy consistent with state law.
Revised: October, 2008
Revised: February 6, 2017
Revised: July 6, 2017
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§9:951, 9:952, 9:953, 9:954, 17:81, 17:104.1, 17:221.2, 17:221.4, 17:221.5, 17:238, 17:1944
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
United States v. West Carroll Parish School Board, Civil Action No. 14428, March, 1991
Board minutes, 5-1-90, 5-7-91, 10-6-08, 12-6-10, 2-6-17, 7-6-17
West Carroll Parish School Board