The school district will participate in open enrollment as a sending district. As a sending district, the board will allow resident students who meet the requirements to open enroll out to another public school district.
Parents requesting open enrollment out of the district for their student will notify the sending and receiving school districts no later than March 1st in the school year preceding the first year desired for open enrollment. This notice is made on forms provided by the Iowa Department of Education. The forms are available at the Linn-Mar district office or via the district website (www.Linnmar.k12.ia.us).
Parents of children who will begin kindergarten in the school district are exempt from the open enrollment March 1st deadline. Parents of children who will begin kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students enrolled in special education programs and included in the district’s basic enrollment will file for open enrollment in the same manner set forth above by September 1st. Parents who have good cause as defined by law for failing to meet the March 1st deadline may make an open enrollment request by September 1st unless another deadline applies.
The receiving district will approve or deny open enrollment requests according to the timelines established by law. The parents may withdraw the open enrollment requests prior to the start of the school year. The receiving district's superintendent [or designee] will notify the parents and sending district by mail within five days of the school district’s action to approve or deny their open enrollment request.
Subject to applicable laws, the board may approve a student's request to allow the receiving district to enter the district for the purposes of transportation.
An open enrollment request out of the school district from parents of a student receiving special education services is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The determining factor for approval of such an open enrollment request will be whether the special education program available in the receiving school district is appropriate for the student's special education needs. The area education agency director of special education serving the receiving district will determine whether the program is appropriate. The student receiving special education services will remain in the school district until the final determination is made.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent [or designee] to maintain open enrollment request applications and notice forms. It will also the responsibility of the superintendent [or designee] to develop appropriate office procedures and administrative regulations necessary for open enrollment requests.
Adopted: 3/99
Reviewed: 6/12; 10/13; 4/15; 1/18; 2/21
Revised: 6/11; 9/21; 10/22; 2/24; 8/24
Related Policy: 501.9-10; 602.2-3; 602.7; 602.23; 602.25-26
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 139A.8; 274.1; 279.11; 282.1, .3, .8, .18; 299.1; 281 IAC 17
Iowa House File 2278; Iowa Senate File 2435
IASB Reference: 501.14
Mandatory Policy