FILE: JBCC
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
The Acadia Parish School Board shall have authority and responsibility for the assignment, placement, transfer, and continued education of all students attending schools within its jurisdiction. The School Board shall require a student to attend the appropriate school as determined by the domicile of the parent or legal guardian. Each student shall have only one residence (domicile) which is determined to be the place where he/she predominantly sleeps, takes meals, and maintains personal belongings. When legal custody has been awarded by a court of law, or by provisional custody by mandate, the domicile shall be the principal residence of the parent awarded primary or domiciliary custody, or if he/she is eighteen years old or has been emancipated by a court order, by the student's own domicile, if not specifically contrary to the provisions of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction providing for the assignment of students. However, the Board reserves the authority to assign a student living in one school district to attend school in another district, if circumstances warrant. The parent or legal guardian of a pupil may file in writing to the Board an objection to the assignment of the pupil, in which case the Board shall review the assignment and investigate the circumstances in order to render a decision. However, no decision of the Board in response to an objection to the assignment of the pupil shall conflict with the student assignment provisions of any court-ordered judgment.
Legal custody is defined as the legal status created by a court order which establishes in a custodian the right to have physical custody of the child or minor. Legal custody shall also include cases where provisional custody of a minor student has been granted to a person of legal age by the child's parents, or the natural tutor, in the event of separation or divorce. Provisional custody shall be verified by submitting a properly executed and notarized form attesting to the granting of provisional custody for a period of time not to exceed one year. The school principal or his/her designee shall be responsible for monitoring the school enrollment list and shall immediately refer to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance the determination of proper school assignment.
Any child temporarily residing within the district who has no permanent address, or who has been abandoned by his/her parent, or who is in foster care, shall be enrolled and allowed to attend school in the zone appropriate to the special circumstance of the child.
A student who does not actually reside in the geographical boundaries of the Acadia Parish shall not generally attend a public school in the parish. However, if in the opinion of the principal, the child of an employee can enroll without creating an undue hardship in respect to overcrowding, or materially impacting the racial balance at the school, he/she may attend school in the school system with School Board approval.
ATTENDANCE OUT OF ZONE
Attendance out of zone is allowable whenever a mental or physical impairment, medical condition, or other exceptional condition requires services which are unavailable at the school in the child's regular attendance zone, provided that a student requesting transfer for medical reasons and taking elective courses not offered at his/her regular school satisfies the following criteria:
Transfers requested for medical reasons must be verified by a physician's statement.
The parent or legal guardian must provide transportation.
The transfer must not create an overcrowded condition.
VERIFICATION OF DOMICILE
The principal shall be responsible for monitoring school enrollment and shall have authority to remove or transfer any student attending school out of district or out of zone. When investigating the domicile of a student, the School Board, through the principal, shall attempt to verify the primary place of residence of the legal parent or legal or provisional guardian. Such verification of domicile shall be based on such items as the following:
Affidavit of residence, or
Voter registration card of parent, guardian, or custodian, or
Property tax statement of parent, guardian, or custodian, showing homestead exemption, or
Certified copy of any judicially ordered tutorship, custody or guardianship of any minor child student not domiciled or in the custody of their natural and/or legal parents. Verification of the physical residency of the legal custodian, tutor/tutrix or nonparent shall also be required, or
Any other documentation as may be stipulated by the Board.
ASSIGNMENTS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS
The School Board shall require that disabled students be assigned to programs within attendance zones, if possible. However, if an appropriate program is unavailable within a student's attendance zone, the student may be placed in a school specifically designed to provide for the appropriate needs of the student.
CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENT
Student assignments in K through 8 will be made by the principal of the school with teacher input. The placement of a student shall be based on grades, achievement test scores, and participation in special programs and be made in accordance with the Pupil Progression Plan.
Selection of courses of study in grades 9 through 12 shall be made by individual students. Assistance in planning course of study and selection of classes shall be provided by teachers, counselors, parents, and administrators. Each student shall be furnished a schedule of classes offered and requirements for graduation. Some classes may have prerequisites for enrollment.
In grades kindergarten through second grade, the parent of twins, triplets, etc. (more than one child at a single birth event) may request that their children be placed initially in the same, or separate, classrooms, if the children are in the same grade at the same school. Such a request shall be presented to the Superintendent or his/her designee no later than fourteen (14) days either after the first day of the school year or after the first day of attendance if the child enrolls after the fourteenth day of the school year. Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or School Board policy to the contrary, the request of the parent for initial placement shall be granted subject to further review.
As soon as possible after the end of the student’s first grading period, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the initial placement of the child. If the Superintendent or his/her designee, in consultation with the school principal, the child’s(ren’s) teacher(s), and the parent, determines that the initial placement of the children is disruptive to the school or is not in the best educational interests of the child(ren), the initial placement of the child shall be modified, and the child(ren) shall be placed in accordance with School Board policy otherwise applicable to the child(ren).
Revised: September, 2008
Approved: November 3, 2008
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§9:951, 9:952, 9:953, 9:954, 17:81, 17:104.1, 17:221.2, 17:221.5
La. Civil Code, Art. 38, 39, 41, 43, 44
Board minutes, 6-6-94, 11-3-08
Acadia Parish School Board