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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP 077 PLG - Designated Schools Student TransfersPOLICY P.077.PLG TITLE:DESIGNATED SCHOOLS/STUDENT TRANSFERS Date Authorized:February 1999 Last Revised:25 April 2024 Last Reviewed:25 April 2024 COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS,HUMAN RIGHTS,AND EQUITY The Board recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this policy and associated procedures promote and protect Indigenous rights,human rights,and equity.The Board will strive to address and eliminate racism and structural and systemic barriers for students,staff,and the community. 1.0 RATIONALE To establish that students are designated to attend only certain schools as determined by geographic and programming considerations,and to define circumstances under which a student may attend a school other than the Designated School. 2.0 DEFINITIONS Please refer to Appendix A for a list of definition of terms used In this policy, 3.0 POLICY Designated Schools 3.1 In accordance with Section 171(1),par.7 of the Education Act,the Board shall establish geographic attendance boundaries for each elementary and secondary school,thereby creating Designated Schools with reference to grade and program. 3.2 Except as provided elsewhere in this policy,a student shall attend the school within the boundary of which they reside which offers the program selected by that student and their parents/guardians,with transportation provided in accordance with OSTA Transportation Eligibility Policy. Attendance at a School other than the Designated School 3.3 A student may be directed to a school other than the Designated School,in which case it is not considered a Student Transfer and transportation shall be provided in accordance with OSTA Transportation Eligibility Policy.This includes: a)placement in a specialized special education program; -1-P.077.PLG b)placement in an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL/ELD)program; c)expulsion; d)for safety reasons,in accordance with the PR.521.SCO Safe Schools;and e)subject to successful application,a secondary student attending a system program such as,the Adaptive,Arts,International Baccalaureate,High Performance Athlete and Secondary Alternate program,Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM). 3.4 Where Early French Immersion is the program selected for a student,they may attend Kindergarten at either the Designated School for the Regular English program or the Designated School for the Early French Immersion program.In either case, transportation shall be provided. 3.5 A student shall be permitted to remain at the school they are currently attending for the remainder of the school year if,during the course of the school year: a)the student moves out of the attendance area of the current school,in which case transportation shall not be provided;or b)the student wishes to change programs at the current school,where a different school is their designated for the newly chosen program. 3.6 Where a student plans to move out of the attendance area of a particular school after a school year has begun and the parent/guardian wishes the student to attend the Designated School serving the new residence before the move takes place,the student may attend the Designated School serving the new residence on presentation of proof of purchase or rental agreement for the new residence.Transportation shall not be provided until the student move to the new residence,subject to eligibility under OSTA Transportation Eligibility Policy. 3.7 In all other circumstances,application must be made for a Student Transfer to a non-Designated School through the Student Transfer process. Student Transfer 3.8 A parent/guardian or an Adult Student may apply for a Student Transfer for a student to attend a school other than the Designated School. 3.9 The regular Student Transfer application period for each school year shall be determined and published annually by 1 December of the preceding school year. 3.10 Student Transfer Caps shall be established each year prior to the regular Student Transfer application period to identify the maximum number of Student Transfer requests that could be approved for the Receiving School. 3.11 Student Transfer requests received during the regular application period shall be approved by the receiving principal,in consultation with the sending principal(s)within the limitations of the Student Transfer Cap and subject to the following criteria: a)Elementary Student Transfer -2 -P.077.PLG (i)particular learning needs of/or requirements placed on the student,which cannot reasonably be met by the home school;and/or (ii)exceptional personal circumstances. b)Secondary Student Transfer (i)particular learning needs of/or requirements placed on the student ,which cannot reasonably be met by the home school; (ii)access to a Course Package that is not available at the student’s Designated School and is a prerequisite for pursuing a post secondary pathway,including a transfer at the Grade 9 level to access a Course Package at the Receiving School that does not commence until Grade 10; and/or (iii)exceptional personal circumstances. 3.12 To aid in the evaluation of an application,the receiving principal may request evidence and reasoning in support of the transfer application. 3.13 The Board reserves the right to restrict Student Transfers in certain special circumstances,for example,where restricting Student Transfers offers a reasonable and necessary short-term solution to a program viability issue or other such issue at a sending school. 3.14 The Board reserves the right to restrict Student Transfers,where necessary,during the first year in which a new school attendance boundary is in effect. 3.15 Transportation is the responsibility of the applicant when a Student Transfer is granted. On the recommendation of the receiving principal and at the discretion of the Superintendent of Instruction responsible for the Receiving School,however, transportation may be provided where possible in response to the exceptional circumstances of a student. 3.16 A student who has transferred into a non-Designated School may remain at that school until the most senior grade offered in the school has been completed,except in circumstances defined under the associated procedures. 4.0 SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES Student Transfer Caps 4.1 Student Transfer Caps shall be established each year prior to the regular Student Transfer application period by the Superintendent responsible for Planning,to identify the maximum number of Student Transfer requests that could be approved for the Receiving School during the regular application period. 4.2 The Board shall be informed of modifications to Student Transfer Caps. Review of Late or Refused Transfer Requests 4.3 Any late transfer requests received after the regular Student Transfer application period which continue to meet the criteria may be reviewed in accordance with the related procedures. -3 -P.077.PLG Appeals 4.4 Where a request for a Student Transfer has not been granted,an appeal may be made by the parent/guardian,or by the Adult Student,by writing to the principal of the Receiving School. 4.5 Where a request for a Student Transfer is not granted following an appeal to the principal of the Receiving School,the parent/guardian or the Adult Student may make a final appeal to the Superintendent of Instruction responsible for the Receiving School who has the discretion to approve a Student Transfer in response to student need in light of Exceptional Personal Circumstances. Implementation 4.6 The Director of Education is authorized to issue such procedures as may be necessary to implement this policy. 5.0 APPENDICES Appendix A:Policy Definitions 6.0 REFERENCES Education Act Ontarians with Disabilities Act,2001 OCDSB Policy P.026.SCO:Student Suspension and Expulsion OCDSB Policy P.076.PLG:Pupil Accommodation OCDSB Policy P.127.TRA:Ottawa Student Transportation Authority OCDSB Policy P.088.FIN:Admission of Students to Schools OCDSB Procedure PR.515.SCO:Student Suspension and Expulsion OCDSB Procedure PR.528.SCO:Critical Incident Review Process OCDSB Procedure PR.521.SCO:Safe Schools OCDSB Procedure PR.567.PLG:Pupil Accommodation OCDSB Procedure PR.568.PLG:Designated Schools/Student Transfers -Elementary OCDSB Procedure PR.569.PLG:Designated Schools/Student Transfers -Secondary OCDSB Procedure PR.601.FIN:Admission of Students to Schools OSTA Transportation Eligibility Policy -4 -P.077.PLG APPENDIX A:POLICY DEFINITIONS In this policy, Adult Student means a student who is 18 years or older or 16 or 17 and has removed him/herself from parental control. Board means the Board of Trustees. Course Package is a sequential series of three courses at different grade levels,originating from the same Ministry of Education guidelines,and commencing at Grade 9 or Grade 10. The student's Designated School is a school which the student would be eligible to attend by reason of: a)the place of residence of the student’s parents/guardians or,in the case of an Adult Student, the student's residence;and b)the location of educational programs mandated under the Education Act and the associated Board-mandated delivery options. District means the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Exceptional Personal Circumstances means unforeseeable or unpreventable events or circumstances beyond a student’s control. The Receiving School is the school to which the student has requested a transfer. The Receiving School Principal is the principal of the Receiving School. The Sending Schoolis the school the student would be expected to attend if the requested transfer is denied. The Sending School Principal(s)is the principal of the Designated School and the principal of the Sending Schoolif different from the Designated School. A Student Transfer is required when a student wishes to attend a school other than their Designated School,except as provided in the Student Transfer section of this policy. The Student Transfer Cap is the maximum number of Student Transfers a school is authorized to accept. Transfer Capacity represents the amount of space available at a particular school for instructional purposes,and includes the loading of space associated with Relocatable Classroom Modules (RCMs),leased facilities and space,new schools,additions and renovations.Portable classrooms are not loaded and are not included in transfer capacity and shall not be included in the annual calculation of transfer caps. -5 -P.077.PLG