V-09: Student Enrollment Policy

North Sanpete School District
Statement of ............. 

Board Policy with Guidelines

Policy Number: V-9
Effective Date: 03/14/1995
Revised Date: 06/20/2023

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Non Resident Application PDF Download

Subject: Student Enrollment Policy

North Sanpete School District supports and promotes student choice for a school or program when that choice does not negatively affect the resident school and/or the receiving school. Procedures and guidelines are established in compliance with the Enrollment Options Program outlined in Utah Code. Students and/or parents requesting attendance at a school other than their home school shall complete the district application form using the guidelines below. Tuition may be charged for out of state students.

General Process

1. The Open Enrollment Request period begins December 1 and continues through the third Friday in February. Applications received prior to or on December 1, by 5:00 p.m. will be dated December 1st.
2. SPECIAL NEED requests may be made at any time for the current school year.
3. If the Board cannot determine whether that school should be designated as available for open enrollment for the coming year, the Board will notify applicants that approval will be delayed until needed information is available.

Resident and Intra-district Student Applicants

A. Procedures ALL applicants

1. Each application shall be submitted on the district form as outlined below.

1. If the application is approved, the student is expected to honor their request for the school year. Failure to do this would disrupt staffing and scheduling plans at the requested school and the resident home school.

2. Once enrolled, the student may remain enrolled, subject to compliance with rules and standards established by the District and/or the school, unless one of the following events require exclusion:

a. The student graduates,

b. The student is no longer a Utah resident, or

c. The student is suspended or expelled.

Continued enrollment is also subject to space availability. Revocation requires returning to the home school or district. If exclusion is necessary for the next school year, parents will be notified by March 15th. An effort will be made to place excluded students in another school where space is available before new applicants are placed. The most recently enrolled will be the first excluded.

3. Other than exclusion for cause, students who choose to return to their home school for the next year shall notify the school they are attending on or before March 15th.

4. A Utah resident student, whose legal residence is outside of Sanpete County, shall provide the district with the Standard Open Enrollment Application, NSSD Application for Admission of a Non-Resident Student, and a durable power of attorney to establish a legal contract with a North Sanpete School District resident.

5. Transportation to and from the requested school, before and after school, is the responsibility of the student’s parent/guardian. When space is available on school buses, exceptions will be considered.

6. Utah High School Activities Association guidelines and policies apply for students who participate in high school athletics and activities.

7. Falsification or misrepresentation of information on the application will result in a cancellation of the application.

8. The application process includes the following dates:

Before Nov. 30th: The Board will announce which schools and/or programs will be closed for open enrollment.

December 1st to 3rd Friday in February: Submit application at the District office for the following year.

By March 15th District shall notify parents in writing if students will be excluded the next school year due to increased enrollment.

By March 31st District will notify in writing of acceptance/rejection

By April 15th Parents notify the District in writing of a student’s desire to return to the school of residence.

By April 30th District will then notify the resident district of the student’s intent to enroll in North Sanpete School District.

2. Acceptance or rejection of an application shall be determined on an individual basis. Standards applied to each application include at least the following:

1. Students will be allowed to voluntarily enroll in schools within the District on a case by case basis, if the District determines that there is capacity for additional students in the grade level / program (25 student max/class K-3, 30 student max/class 4-6), or school building for which the student applied, and there is adequate space, facilities, and teacher availability in the class or school for which the student applied.

2. The District shall maintain heterogeneous student populations as necessary to avoid violation of constitutional or statuary rights of students.

3. The District shall not be required to provide any program that it has not previously provided to its own students.

4. The District shall consider the willingness of prospective students to comply with District and/or school policies.

5. There is no guarantee to enroll siblings, but the District will consider whether an applicant’s brother or sister is attending the requested school.

6. Applications may be denied for students who have committed serious legal violations or school rules, or been guilty of chronic misbehavior. Exceptions may be considered if expectations, including consequences, are agreed by contract, between the parent, student, and school.

7. Students who were expelled in their prior school will not be accepted.

8. Academic standing cannot be used for exclusion.

B. Guidelines for open enrollment– December 1st through the 3rd Friday in February

1. Apply at the district office.

2. Completed applications should be returned to the district office as soon as possible, but not later than the 3rd Friday in February. Parents/students will be notified in writing of acceptance/rejection of application on or before March 31st. If accepted, intent to enroll must be returned to the district office by April 15th.

3. Out of district applicants must attach: documentation providing Utah residency, unofficial transcript (grades 7-12), an official copy of birth certificate, and immunization record, and the documentation outlined in Section A, paragraph 1.4 above.

4. The OPEN ENROLLMENT REQUEST period begins December 1st and continues through the 3rd Friday in February. If there are more requests than can be accommodated at a particular school / program, or if the number adversely affects the resident school, a lottery will be used to determine which applications will be approved. The board reserves the right to use a different selection method if circumstances warrant. North Sanpete School District students will be given first priority for placement in participating schools. Application priority during this period will be given to siblings who have brothers or sisters attending the requested school. All other applications will then be processed on a first come, first served basis.

C. Guidelines for SPECIAL NEED applicants

1. Each applicant shall comply with the provisions of section A above.

2. Changing student enrollment during the current school year requires approval of both the home district and the requested district. To limit credit issues for graduation, high school students are encouraged to transfer at semester breaks.

3. Each applicant must have a documented individual special need that is identifiable beyond personal preference.

4. Applications will be considered and processed as soon as possible after submission. Parent/student will be notified in writing of acceptance or rejection of the application within fifteen (15) days of receipt of application.

D. Due process appeal procedure

1. Parents or students wishing to appeal an enrollment decision may appeal to the superintendent or school board.

Kindergarten Enrollment

A. Entry into North Sanpete School District Schools shall be determined by chronological age. Children who are five (5) years of age before September 2nd of a given school year, will be enrolled in kindergarten.

B. In unusual circumstances where deemed justified by the involved teacher, principal, parents, and NSSD Administration, an advanced placement of a child may be made to exclude further kindergarten involvement. Such action may be taken, however, only after the school has had adequate time (as determined by the principal) to assess the student’s social, emotional and physical well-being and academic performance levels.

C. Children who have not completed an accredited kindergarten program may enroll in first grade provided they have reached the age of six (6) before the 2nd day of September.

D. Students entering kindergarten must show a certified copy of a birth certificate, or other reliable proof of the student’s identity and age together with an affidavit (a statement made under oath and notarized) explaining why the birth certificate cannot be provided. Parents have until thirty days after enrollment to produce the certificate. A copy of the birth certificate will be placed in the student’s cum file.

E. It is highly recommended that prior to entering kindergarten, students have a physical examination to include vision screening. Compliance with immunizations in accordance with the State Department of Health is required. (Utah Code 53A-11-301 to 306)