SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Administrative Procedures F - Students No. 5 Page 1 of 6 Attachment(s): 4 Revised July 24. 2013 F5 STUDENT TRANSFERS (K-12) Overview This procedure covers within-district transfers by SAISD students in grades Kindergarten through 12th. In general, a student must be enrolled in the school serving the student's attendance zone. However, transfers may be allowed in limited circumstances as described in this procedure. The following situations are not covered by this procedure: Transfers into the District from another school district [See F36 Nonresident Transfers]; Pre-K or Head Start students [See F27 Pre-K and Head Start Application Process] Magnet or charter school enrollment or transfers [See E4 Magnet Schools or F51 Charter School Enrollment]; Elementary enrollment cap placements [See F22 Elementary Enrollment Caps]. Changes within a campus between classrooms or teachers [See F3 Assignment or Reassignment of a Student]. Student placements related to specific educational programs, such as students in Bilingual/ESL programs who are placed in a school providing the service [Contact the relevant department]; I. TRANSFER REQUEST PROCESS A. Parent Request. In order to request a transfer, the parent or guardian must first complete Sections A and B of the Transfer Application [FORM F5-A], including documentation to substantiate the request when possible, and submit the application to the home school principal. B. Resolution of Complaint. If the reason for the request is based on a parent complaint against the campus pertaining to how the student has been handled or other issues, the principal shall not forward the application as a transfer request until the principal attempts to resolve the complaint at the campus level. Attempting to resolve the complaint includes, at a minimum, meeting with the student and parent and working with the Community and Parent Partners Department to attempt to achieve a satisfactory resolution to the issue. This process may take several days or more, depending on the situation. C. Home Principal Signature. If the transfer is not based on a parent complaint, or if the principal has already made a strong effort to resolve the complaint, the home principal must sign Section C of the Transfer Application to acknowledge awareness of the request, certify that any complaint has been addressed at the campus level, and verify that the application is complete. School personnel will then send the form via pony or hand-delivery (no fax) to the principal at the transfer school in which the student is applying for admission (the transfer principal ). The home school principal does not have the authority to approve a transfer, but the parent must obtain the principal's signature in Section C. D. Request for Conference. Either the parent or the principal may request a conference to discuss the transfer request. If the parent so desires, the home school principal may discuss designation of choices for a different school.
STUDENT TRANSFERS Page 2 of 6 E. Transfer Principal Approval or Denial. The transfer principal must review the completed application and contact the home principal to discuss the transfer request. Except for transfers in the special circumstances described in Section III below (including siblings, victims of violent crimes, bullying, School Safety Choice Schools, and PEG Schools), all transfers will generally be denied so that children remain in the neighborhood school within their attendance boundary. Transfers may be approved, at the transfer principal s discretion, if the parent can substantiate with supporting documentation that the transfer will alleviate an extremely serious or crisis situation. Examples of an extremely serious or crisis situation may include serious threats against a student, bullying, or harassment. The following would not typically constitute an extremely serious or crisis situation: minor fighting or disagreements between students, dislike of a teacher or principal, transportation difficulties, or a desire to attend a different school for academic reasons. However, even if a transfer would alleviate an extremely serious or crisis situation, the transfer principal may deny the transfer on any reasonable basis. A reasonable basis may include, but is not limited to, the following: (i) a predicted negative effect on the home campus, receiving campus, a class, or another student; (ii) the need to maintain staffing levels or class size; (iii) an adverse impact on attendance zones; or (iv) staff limitations or changes. Once the transfer principal makes a determination, the principal must sign Section D of the Transfer Application and send a copy to the data clerk and the home principal. Finally, the principal must send the Notification of Transfer Request [FORM F-5B] to the parent and home principal. F. Verification of Information. The transfer school principal has the authority to verify all of the information submitted regarding a transfer request. The District reserves the right to invalidate or revoke an approved transfer which has been based upon false information knowingly submitted by the parent/guardian in the application process. G. Data Documentation. Once a transfer has been approved and the student has enrolled in the receiving school, the receiving principal shall ensure that the data/attendance clerk has entered the transfer factor code for an approved transfer into the student database. In addition, the data clerk will enter the transfer reason code as provided by the campus principal. The transfer reason codes are also listed in Exhibit F5. The principal shall maintain a current listing of all transfers into the school in order to monitor the students' compliance with the terms and conditions of the transfer. H. Appeal of Transfer Denial. If a transfer request is denied, the parent may petition the Administrative Officer in the Hearing Office in writing. If the hearing office denies the transfer, the parent may petition the Superintendent in writing. If the Superintendent denies the transfer, the parent may petition the Board of Trustees in writing. The following rules apply to a petition to the Board: 1. If a hearing is requested, the Board shall designate a hearing date, time and place not later than the 30th day after the date the petition was submitted to the Board. At the hearing, the parent shall be permitted to present evidence relevant to an individual student. The Board may conduct investigations as to the objection or request, in accordance with 25.034 of the Texas Education Code. 2. If no hearing is requested, upon receiving a petition the Board of Trustees shall act on it and notify petitioner of its decision no later than the 30th day after the date the petition was submitted.
STUDENT TRANSFERS Page 3 of 6 II. GENERAL TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS A. Transfer Renewal. A transfer is considered valid as long as the student and parent comply with all of the Terms and Conditions of Transfer and the transfer is not revoked for any reason by the transfer principal. The transfer does not need to be renewed each year (i.e., a new application is not needed) as long as the student remains enrolled in the receiving school. B. Where to Enroll. Requests for transfers that are approved for the next school year shall not require enrollment in the home school if the parent/guardian has submitted the completed application by August 1 st prior to the start of the school year. For all transfer applications received before August 1, a decision to approve or deny the transfer must be made by the Friday prior to the start of the school year. If a transfer is requested after August 1, the student must be enrolled in the home school first, and then the parent must follow the process described above to request a transfer. The August 1st deadline does not change the standard for approving a transfer (i.e., the parent must still prove a serious or crisis situation). This deadline only affects where the student must enroll. C. Promotion to Middle/High School. A student who is being promoted to middle school or high school will be enrolled in the middle/high school based only on the address (the "home school"). Students who have a transfer in effect at a feeder school (5 th or 8 th ) shall have no assumed privilege of attending the middle/high school for those students at the transfer school. The parent must request a transfer to any middle or high school that is not the home school. D. Transportation. Transportation for students receiving special education or Section 504 services will continue to be provided if the student's ARD/ 504 Committee has previously determined that transportation is required as a related service for the student. The District will not provide transportation for other approved transfers. E. UIL Eligibility. In order to participate in UIL activities, the student must meet University Interscholastic League eligibility requirements. A transfer to another campus may adversely affect the student's ability to participate in UIL sanctioned extra-curricular activities. Please contact the Athletics Office if you have questions regarding UIL eligibility. F. Pre-K thru 8 Schools. Students currently in a District middle school will not be granted a transfer into a PK-8 campus. Students transferring from another district into SAISD will be provided a choice of attending a PK-8 campus or a middle school campus depending on space and student enrollment figures at both campuses. G. Special Education or 504 Students. Students receiving special education or 504 services shall be considered for a transfer in the same manner as students without disabilities. The transfer principal shall be responsible for determining that a transfer will enable the student to continue to be provided the appropriate educational placement and services. An ARD/ 504 Committee shall be convened when a request is granted and the student has enrolled at the receiving school. H. No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Parents have the right to transfer their child from a specific campus as identified by the Texas Education Agency under NCLB. The District will provide at least two choices of schools not under the Adequate Yearly Progress sanctions. A 30 day window is provided to parents to make their decision and selection. Students who enter the identified campus boundaries for enrollment after the 30 day window will be offered the transfer option upon enrollment. These students do not have to complete a Form F5-A Transfer Application. I. Record Retention. A copy of all transfer applications, whether approved or denied, must be retained in case of an appeal. In the case of an appeal, a copy of the application with the principal determination and rationale must be sent to the Admissions Officer in the Admissions and Hearings Office.
STUDENT TRANSFERS Page 4 of 6 J. Multiple Transfer Requests. A student will be allowed only one transfer by parent request during the school year. When a transfer has been revoked and the student returns to the home school because the student did not remain in good standing, a future transfer request will not be considered until the student has remained in good standing at the home school for at least one year. K. Parents Access to Principal. Parents must allowed reasonable access to the principal to request a transfer. A parent or person standing in parental relation to any student is not limited with respect to his/her right to request a student transfer, and the District considers all requests submitted. L. Student Placement. The transfer principal determines the campus placement for all approved transfers. M. Burden of Proof. It shall be the burden of the parent/guardian requesting the transfer to provide sufficient information and documentation to support the request for a transfer. N. Board and Superintendent Authority. The Board of Trustees or its designee may transfer any student from one school facility or classroom to another. The Superintendent or designee may also transfer any student from one school facility to another. The decision concerning a transfer shall be made on an individual basis and neither a student's national origin nor ancestral language shall be considered. III. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE TRANSFERS The following special circumstances do not require the parent to prove an extremely serious or crisis situation, however the parent must still complete the Transfer Application [FORM F5-A]. A. Siblings. Schools will generally honor requests that siblings be placed at the same school. Parents do not have to prove a crisis or emergency situation, but the principal may still deny the transfer on any reasonable basis, as discussed in Section I.E. above. B. SAISD Employees. SAISD employees may request a transfer for their children and those requests will generally be granted. Employees do not have to prove a crisis or emergency situation, but the principal may still deny the transfer on any reasonable basis, as discussed in Section I.E. above. C. Students Who Move During the School Year or Summer. The following rules apply for students whose family moves during the school year or during the summer if the student has already been included in next year's student projections for that school. These students may be considered for a transfer that will allow the student to remain in that school without first enrolling in the new home school. 1. The parent must complete the Transfer Application [FORM F5-A] and submit to the principal of the school at which the parent wants the student to remain. The principal will review the student's records with the parent and gain commitment from the parent that the student will maintain good attendance and remain in good academic standing. The principal will determine whether to approve the transfer depending on several factors, including the length of time the student has been at the requested school, the student's conduct and attendance, and the impact on class size. 2. If the principal approves the request after considering all factors, the student will be permitted to remain at that school without requiring the student to first enroll in the new school. The Terms & Conditions of Transfer will apply as with all transfers. The principal must send the completed Transfer Application to the new home school principal for the home school principal s signature only.
STUDENT TRANSFERS Page 5 of 6 D. Grandfathering. Principals may allow students to remain at a campus following a change in attendance boundary or removal or change of an academic program. Parents do not have to prove a crisis or emergency situation, but the principal may still deny the transfer on any reasonable basis, as discussed in Section I.E. above. E. Bullying Transfers. 1. Victim of Bullying. The parent of a student who has been documented to be a victim of bullying, as it is defined in FFH(LOCAL), may request a transfer for that student. The transfer principal must grant the request unless the transfer would have a predicted negative effect on the receiving campus in regards to staffing, class sizes, school climate, or other reasonable cause. Prior to any principal denying such a transfer, the principal must notify the Leadership Executive Director so that an alternative school may be proposed for the student. Please note that FDB(LEGAL) requires that a transfer be permitted for a victim of bullying, but it does not require that the parent s first choice school be granted. 2. Student Engaged in Bullying. In consultation with the parent, the Board of Trustees may transfer a student who has engaged in bullying, as it is defined in FFH(LOCAL). A principal who is requesting to transfer a student engaged in bullying must contact the Polices & Procedures Officer for guidance. F. Victims of Violent Crimes A student who becomes a victim of one of the violent criminal acts listed below while in or on the grounds of the public school that the child attends is entitled to transfer to another grade appropriate campus: (i) Attempted murder under Texas Penal Code Sections 19.02, 19.03, and 15.01; (ii) Indecency with a child under Texas Penal Code Section 21.11; (iii) Aggravated kidnapping under Texas Penal Code Section 20.04; (iv) Assault on student under Texas Penal Code Section 22.01(a)(1); (iv) Aggravated assault on student under Texas Penal Code Section 22.02; (v) Sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault against a student under Texas Penal Code Sections 22.011, and 22.021. G. Campus Identification Campuses identified by the State as having persistent patterns in student behavior warrant a transfer option for students attending that campus. This transfer option is designated as the School Safety Choice Option. Once campuses receive notification, they are required to implement School Safety Choice annually, until they are no longer identified by the State. 1. Each campus that is designated as a School Safety Choice Option campus will notify parents of each student attending the school within 15 days of state notification. Each of the attending students will be offered the opportunity to transfer to a safe public school, which is defined as a school making adequate yearly progress and that has not been identified as being under school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. 2. Each parent/guardian will be notified of the student s status within 10 days of completing the Transfer Application [FORM F5-A]. The transfer must be in effect as long as the student s original home school is required to implement the School Safety Choice Option. H. Public Education Grant Program (PEG). State law gives parents the right to request that their children be transferred from specific campuses (as identified by the Texas Education Agency) to another campus not identified as a PEG campus. The identified schools change each year. I. Court Order. Students may remain at a campus or receive a transfer to a different campus when the parent can provide a valid court order requiring such action.
STUDENT TRANSFERS Page 6 of 6 VI. TRANSFER REVOCATION A. Terms of Transfer. A transfer may be revoked if the student and parent do not comply with all of the Terms and Conditions described in the Transfer Application [FORM F-5A]. These terms, more fully described in Form F5-A, include remaining in good academic standing, maintaining good attendance, and complying with the Student Code of Conduct. B. Other Reasons to Revoke. A transfer may also be revoked because of other factors that may include, but not be limited to a projection of adverse impact on the home campus, receiving campus, or class; the need to maintain staffing level, class size, or student-teacher ratios; the impact on or displacement of another student; an adverse impact on attendance zones; facility limitations or changes; or any other reasonable cause. The principal may also recommend revocation when evidence is gathered that an approved transfer was based upon false information knowingly submitted by the parent. C. Documentation. The principal shall complete the Transfer Revocation Recommendation [FORM F5-C] and attach the supporting documentation. The principal must include evidence that all appropriate actions have been taken in response to student offenses or absences. Principals generally should not revoke a transfer as the consequence for student misconduct or absences if the school has not taken other appropriate action first. Principals may not withdraw a student until the transfer has been formally revoked. D. Notices. Once a transfer is revoked, the transfer principal shall notify the home school principal. The principal recommending the revocation shall then notify the parent/guardian regarding the withdrawal and required enrollment of the student in the home school. There is no appeal process for a transfer revocation. E. Timing of Revocation. If the student violates the Terms and Conditions of the transfer, the receiving principal may recommend that the transfer be revoked and that the student be returned to the home school at the end of the first, second, or fourth grading periods only. Attachments: FORM F5-A: Transfer Application (FORM F5-A/SP Spanish) FORM F5-B: Notification of Transfer Request (FORM F5-B/SP Spanish) FORM F5-C: Transfer Revocation Recommendation EXHIBIT F5-A: Defined Transfer Options Codes References: Board Policy FDA (LOCAL); FDAA (LEGAL); FDB (LEGAL); FDB (LOCAL); FDD (LEGAL); FDD(LOCAL); SAISD Student Code of Conduct; Texas Education Code Chapter 25. Questions regarding this procedure should be addressed to the Policies & Procedures Officer, Human Resources Department, (210) 554-8480, 141 Lavaca St, San Antonio, TX 78210