6201 R&P 

SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

6201 R&P

 6201.1

Admission Requirement

The parent’s  or legal custodian’s responsibilities when presenting a student, who was previously enrolled in a private or public school in North Carolina or any other state, for enrollment are to:

A.

Follow all rules and procedures with regard to immunizations which are located in the Human Services Handbook.

B.     

Provide birth certificate that will be recorded at the time of registration into kindergarten. This will be a certified copy of the birth record, rather than an informal copy. The principal may accept other verification of date of birth such as a passport or baptismal record for children who were not born in the United States. If the student meets the qualifications of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the school shall be responsible for obtaining this record on behalf of the student.

C.     

Provide a kindergarten health assessment in accordance with the rules and procedures which are located in the Human Services Handbook. 

D.     

Complete and have notarized the Discipline Status Enrollment Form which can be obtained at any Wake County school. 

1.     

The principal of the school where the child is attempting to register will review the form and approve or deny enrollment based upon the information provided.  If approved for enrollment, the form will be placed in the student’s cumulative folder.

2.     

Should the enrollment be denied, the principal or designee will sign the form and fax a copy directly to the Office of Student Due Process.

3.                 

The Student Due Process Officer will investigate all cases presented by the school as denied admissions.  This information will be presented to the Discipline Review Committee to determine if the school decision to deny enrollment should be upheld or overturned.

4.           

If the Discipline Review Committee decides to allow enrollment of the student, they may assign that student to his/her base school or another school, including an alternative school.

5.           

The Superintendent or designee will notify the parents, or legal custodian of the decision of the Discipline Review Committee within five (5) days of the meeting. 

6.       

If the parent or legal custodian wants to appeal the decision of the Discipline Review Committee, they may appeal to the Board of Education.

Kindergarten

E. 

Admission to kindergarten follows guidelines set forth in Wake County Public School Policy 6011 and R&P 6001.

F.

Children who have reached their fourth birthday by April 16 may enter kindergarten if he or she demonstrates extraordinary level of academic ability or maturity.  To determine if a child shall be approved for this early admission, the principal shall engage the following procedures:

1. 

Convene a committee of educational professionals to assist him or her to make decisions about each individual child, taking into account aptitude, achievement, performance, observable student behavior, motivation to learn, and student interest.

2.

The child must attain a 98^th percentile on both the achievement and aptitude test.

3.     

The achievement test must be administered by an impartial professional educator who is trained in the use of the instrument as long as there is no potential conflict of interest in the outcome.

4. 

The testing (aptitude and achievement) must be administered after April 16^th of the year in which the child will enter school.

5.

Before a child may be exited from school during the first ninety (90) calendar days, the parent must be invited to assist in the development of intervention strategies.

6.

If a decision is made to remove a child within the first ninety (90) days, parents must be given at least ten (10) days notice.

7.

Before the end of the first ninety (90) calendar days of enrollment, the enrolled child shall be reviewed by the gifted identification team. 

6201.2

Entitlement to Admission

A.                 

Any student entitled in policy 6201 to enroll in the Wake County Public Schools is to be presented for enrollment by the adult with whom the student is living at the school to which the student is assigned, unless the student meets the qualifications of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

B.            

To be identified as a student requiring special education, the adult with whom the child is living must present an IEP or other information indicating current special education services to the school in which they are seeking enrollment.

C.                 

If the school determines that the student is not entitled to enroll in the Wake County Public Schools, as outlined in Policy 6201, the adult with whom the prospective student is living may apply to the Wake County Public School Growth Management Office for consideration as a non-tuition student.

6201.3

Homeless Students Appeal Process

A.

Definitions

1.

The terms "homeless," "homeless child," and "homeless student" shall mean the same as the term "homeless children and youth" as defined by 42 U.S.C. § 11434a (2).These terms shall also be deemed to include the term "unaccompanied youth”. The term "unaccompanied youth" shall mean the same as defined by 42 U.S.C. § 11434a (6).

2.

Enrollment shall be deemed to include attending classes and participating fully in school activities.

B.

Liaison for Homeless Students

1.

The Superintendent shall appoint a Liaison for Homeless Students. The liaison shall be trained to carry out and mediate the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible and to ensure that each school meets the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001. The liaison shall also ensure that each unaccompanied youth and any student who meets the definition of "homeless children and youth" as defined by 42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2) is enrolled immediately in the school pending resolution of the dispute.

2.

The Liaison for Homeless Students shall expeditiously carry out the dispute resolution process.

C.

Responsibilities of the School

1.

The burden shall be on the school to show that the student is not a homeless student or unaccompanied youth.

2.

Faculty and staff of the school who know about the complaint must refer the child, youth, parent, or guardian to the Liaison for Homeless Students.

3.

Pending resolution of any complaint between the school and the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth over school enrollment, the school shall enroll the child or youth immediately in the school in which the child or youth seeks enrollment.

4.

The school shall provide the student with all the services for which the student is eligible and shall permit the student to participate fully in school activities while the dispute is being resolved.

5.

The school shall provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth who makes a complaint to the Liaison for Homeless Students with a written statement of the rights and procedures, in language the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth can understand, that informs them of:

a.

contact information including telephone number and address of the Liaison for Homeless Students and of the State coordinator for homeless education, with a brief description of their roles;

b.

the right to initiate the dispute resolution process either orally or in writing;

c.

a simple form that parents, guardians, or unaccompanied youth can complete and submit to the Liaison for Homeless Students to initiate the dispute resolution process;

d.

a step-by-step description of how to dispute the school's decision;

e.

notice of the right to enroll immediately in the school of choice or remain in the school of origin with transportation provided pending resolution of the dispute;

f.

notice that immediate enrollment includes full participation in all school activities; and

g.

notice of the right to obtain assistance of advocates or attorneys.

6.

The school shall provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with the name and contact information of the State coordinator for homeless education; and

7.

The school shall inform the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth about the right to appeal any decision regarding the student's enrollment to the State coordinator.

D.

Dispute Resolution Process Components

1.

The Board shall allow the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth to initiate the dispute resolution process at the school at which enrollment is sought or at the Liaison for Homeless Students’ office.

2.

The school shall inform the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth of the right to provide supporting written or oral documentation.

3.

The school shall inform the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth of the right to seek the assistance of advocates or attorneys.

4.

After reviewing the documentation provided by the school and the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, the Liaison for Homeless Students shall make a final decision regarding the student’s status as a homeless student and provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written statement of that decision.

5.

The Liaison for Homeless Students shall inform the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth of the right to appeal the final decision to the State coordinator.

E.

Appeal to State Coordinator of Homeless Education

1.

Responsibilities of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth

Any parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth who is not satisfied with the school system’s final decision regarding enrollment may appeal the decision to the State coordinator. In addition, any interested person who believes that grounds for an appeal exist may present an oral or written appeal to the State coordinator, including:

a.

the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing the appeal;

b.

the relationship or connection of the person to the child in question;

c.

the name of the school system and the specific school in question;

d.

the federal requirement alleged to have been violated;

e.

how the requirement has been violated;

f.

and the relief the person is seeking.

If the State coordinator receives an appeal that is not complete, the coordinator shall contact the person making the appeal, explain the deficiency, and offer the person the opportunity to complete the appeal.

2.

Responsibilities of the Liaison for Homeless Students

a.

Upon request of the State coordinator, the Liaison for Homeless Students shall provide the State coordinator with the record of the complaint and the school system's actions. If the matter involves more than one school system, then the Liaison for Homeless Students from each of the respective school systems shall cooperate to provide the State coordinator with a complete record. In either event, the Liaison for Homeless Students or liaisons shall provide the complete record within five school days following the State coordinator's request.

b.

The Liaison for Homeless Students shall provide the State coordinator with any information that the State coordinator requests regarding the issues presented in the appeal.

6201.4

Discretionary Admission/Foreign Exchange Students

A.

Discretionary Admission/Tuition Students

Parents of students seeking admission to Wake County Public Schools as a tuition student must apply to the Wake County Public School Growth Management Office for consideration as a tuition student.

B.

Program Approval for Foreign Exchange Students

All organizations operating foreign student exchange programs must receive approval of the program from the Second Language Office prior to placing a student in the Wake County Public School System.  Approval will be based on criteria established by the Second Language Office and will include:

1.

Documentation that the organization has met the standards established by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and appears in the current Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs.

2.

Documentation that the organization has a representative based in Wake County.

3.

Documentation that the program:

a.

Has well-defined and executed administrative practices.

b.

Has stated educational goals compatible with the generally recognized goals of secondary education in the Wake County Public School System.

c.

Has demonstrated successful placement of foreign exchange students.

d.

Is a nonprofit organization.

e.

Is incorporated.

f.

Makes a complete financial report available to the public.

The Wake County Public School System will only accept foreign exchange students through approved programs.  The number of slots for Foreign Exchange Students is five (5) to nine (9) per school annually as determined by the Second Language Office in consultation with the school, based on projected student enrollment and adequate facilities.

C.

 Program Responsibilities for Foreign Exchange Students

The foreign exchange program shall be responsible for assuring that all matters associated with the exchange are facilitated.  This includes but is not limited to:

1.

Filing a current copy of program guidelines with the Second Language Office.

2.

Working with the appropriate governmental agencies to ensure that the prospective foreign exchange student has fulfilled all requirements for entry into the United States on a J-1 visa.

3.

Assuming all financial and legal responsibility for the foreign exchange student.

4.

Providing the Second Language Office with a copy of the student application packet, which the foreign exchange student agency used to accept the student, by July 31 of the current school year.

5.

Assuming responsibility for all matters associated with living arrangements for the foreign exchange student, such as selecting and orienting the host family involved in the foreign exchange program. (Host families shall not be recruited through the Wake County Public School System.)

6.

Orienting the foreign exchange student to Wake County and to the Wake County Public School System.  As with all students, foreign exchange students are subject to countywide and school standards of behavior and discipline.

7.

Meeting with an administrator of the school to which the student is assigned to establish a liaison for the program, the host family, and the school.

8.

Notifying, in writing, the principal of the assigned school of the need to award and transfer any academic credit back to the student’s home country after completion of the foreign exchange year in the Wake County Public School System, and informing the principal of any unique features involved in the process.  (Foreign exchange students will not be granted a diploma by the Wake County Public School System but may be recognized during graduation exercises.)

9.

Informing the foreign exchange student of the policies of the Wake County Public School System at the time of the student’s acceptance by the foreign exchange student agency.

D.

Acceptance of Foreign Exchange Students

Foreign exchange students who are accepted in the Wake County Public School System must meet criteria established by the Second