FILE:  JBCD

STUDENT TRANSFER AND WITHDRAWAL

TRANSFER

Bona fide students in Washington Parish schools may transfer from the attendance zone in which their parents or official guardian reside for the following reasons and subject to the following conditions:

1. Transfers shall not be approved or denied on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, religion or sex of student requesting transfer.
    

2. All written requests for transfer must include the following:  name of parents or guardian; name and age of child; school child is presently attending; and school which child desires to attend; and grade level.  All requests must be made on the transfer form provided by the School Board. All transfer requests must be submitted to the School Board Office by May 31st each year.  Medical emergency requests will be reviewed and acted upon as needed.
    

3. The Washington Parish School Board will not furnish transportation to any child attending school out of his/her home district except for special education students who have been properly evaluated.
    

4. A student will only be allowed to transfer to the school nearest his/her legal domicile that meets the need indicated in the transfer request.
    

5. Medical Transfers
   
   Students having medical problems, and transferring to another school would help facilitate their problems, may be granted a transfer providing written request is made by the parent or guardian.  The written request must reveal the nature or condition of illness and must be accompanied by certification in writing by two (2) licensed practicing doctors, not from the same office, attesting to the nature of the illness and the need for the transfer.  The Board may seek a review of any medical statements by a physician of its choice.  A medical transfer will be granted for only one (1) school year or part thereof.  Reapplication is required on an annual basis. All transfer requests must be made on the form provided by the School Board.
    

6. Athletic Transfers
   
   Students may transfer from the school district in which they have legal domicile to a school in another district provided the school which they are presently attending does not have a regularly established program of football, baseball, or any other athletic program sanctioned by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, and, further, provided that the transferee would be accepted in the program of the school to which transfer is requested.  If transferee fails to participate on a full-time basis in a satisfactory manner, or drops out of the program, he/she then shall immediately transfer back to the school in the district of his/her legal domicile -- major injuries notwithstanding.  Transfers for athletic reasons will not be granted for 8th grade and below. The school to which the transfer is requested must be participating in a scheduled inter-school competition.  The student requesting the transfer must have a statement from the principal of the school to which transfer is requested that the athletic program will be offered in the next school year.  A student having been granted an athletic transfer will not be eligible to return to the school in his/her home district and participate in varsity athletics for the remainder of that school year.  All transfer requests must be made on the form provided by the School Board.

7. Academic Transfers
   
   Students may be granted permission to transfer from the school within the district of their legal domicile to a school within another district for academic reasons provided the school in their home district does not offer the course the student desires to enroll in and provided the recipient school has the facilities and capacity to accept said student.  A statement from the recipient school principal verifying that the course will be offered must be provided with the transfer request.  Any student transferring under the above provisions would not be permitted to participate in interschool or varsity athletic programs.  If a student should be dismissed or drop out of the course or courses that necessitated the transfer, he/she would immediately enroll in the school of his/her legal domicile.  It is further provided that if a student does not pass any two (2) consecutive grading periods in the course(s) that necessitated the transfer, the transfer would become null and void, and the student would be transferred back to the school within the district of legal domicile.  Quality or content of any course or program shall not be deemed as a justifiable reason to approve a transfer.  Academic transfers will be made only when necessary arrangements cannot be made in the home school.  It will be the responsibility of all high school principals to notify the Superintendent of any student(s) who have failed to meet the above requirements.  All transfer requests must be made on the form provided by the School Board.

8. Hardship Transfers
   
   Transfers will be approved for reasons classified to be hardships when the Board determines it to be in the best interest of the student under the following conditions.  All requests must be made on the form provided by the School Board.

1. 1. Child Care
      
      The Board will consider requests for child care hardship for students who will be in the 6th grade or below in any school.  Both parents must work outside the school district where the child would normally be assigned.  Parents must verify that there is no relative or day care center in the immediate vicinity to supervise the child before and/or after school hours.  Where medical reasons render a parent unable to care for his child/children and it becomes necessary for the child/children to temporarily move out of district to be cared for by another party, consideration will be given for transfer requests outside the home district.  Verification of this situation by the attending physician will be required.
      

1. 2. Court Orders
      
      Students who are under court order to attend school outside their home districts will be transferred according to the court order. In cases of change of custody, the proper authorities will advise the School Board of the custody proceedings and recommend a proper school placement for the student(s).

1. 3. System Administrated Transfer
      
      The school system may transfer a student from the home district to another district when evaluation and/or examination by an independent authority deems it is the proper educational climate for this particular student. This transfer would be made with parental approval.  An evaluation by the appropriate medical and/or educational authority must accompany any transfer request initiated by a parent under this category.
       

   4. Employees
      
      All school system employees have an option of placing their children in schools in their home districts or enrolling them in the school of their employment.  This does not apply to a school attendance zone but to a specific school in that zone.

9. In no case shall a principal allow an out-of-zone student to register at his/her school without written approval from the School Board bus operators shall not transport any student(s) who have not been assigned to their buses by the principal.
    

10. All approved transfers are for a period of one (1) academic year. In order for a student to remain in a school out of their attendance zone, they must re-apply each year.
     

11. The School Board Staff will review all applications for out-of-zone transfers according to the Board approved guidelines and recommend approval for those requests that meet the criteria for transfers. The School Board will review the recommendations of the Staff and then make the final determination of the transfer requests. In the event that a parent's request is denied by the School Board Staff, upon the parent's request, the Board will sit as an appeal board to review that particular case and render a final judgment.
     

12. Students may be permitted to transfer when a change of address occurs, provided the request for transfer submitted by the parents is accompanied by a notarized statement plus a copy of the electricity or phone bill showing that they are paying the utilities In addition, if the parents are renting and paying utilities themselves, a notarized statement of this fact is also required.

WITHDRAWAL

Students shall be required to attend school in accordance with statutory provisions.  Students may be permitted to withdraw from school however, if approved by the Superintendent and Board.  Such withdrawal must be in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Board.

Ref:     La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:104.1, 17:105, 17:106, 17:108, 17:109, 17:111, 17:221, 17:226, 17:227

Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 8-27-87, 6-14-07, 2-12-09, 10-7-10

Washington Parish School Board