JBCC Policy draft Clean

                                                                                      Board Policy Manual
                                                                              DeKalb County School District

Board Policy JBCC: Student Assignment                                                   Status: DRAFT -
                                                                                        1st Reading

Original Adopted Date: 04/18/2011 | Last Revised Date: Pending | Last Reviewed Date:
09/15/2025




CLEAN VERSION


DeKalb County Board of Education desires to enhance the educational opportunities available to
district students. Listed below are several options where students may be eligible to attend a school
outside their attendance area. The district will publish written and/or electronic materials
explaining each of these options annually.

Typically, a student is assigned to the school serving the geographic attendance area in which the
student resides. A student's residence is defined in Policy JBC: School Admissions, which is
available on the district website at https://tinyurl.com/bdf6xcu2, and attendance areas are
discussed in Policy AD: School Attendance Zone, which also can be found on the district website at
https://tinyurl.com/2c9dkupd.


Instances in which students may attend a school outside their attendance area are outlined below.
Students who do not reside in the district are not eligible for enrollment in a district school, except
as required by state law or as provided below.



    A. Students Receiving Exceptional Education Services

        In certain circumstances, students requiring exceptional education student services will be
        placed in a school other than the school serving their attendance area, in accordance with
        special education procedures.

    B. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program

        Qualifying students with an existing Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan
        may attend another school within the district, as long as there is available space and a
        program that can provide the services agreed to in the student's IEP or 504 plan.

    C. Limited School Choice

         Students may enroll in schools outside of their attendance area where there is space
        available, based on the student’s assigned grade level. Administrative transfers may also be
        offered when a neighborhood school reaches or exceeds its capacity, as outlined in Board
        Policy AD. A list of schools to which a student may transfer is publicized each year after the
        district determines seat availability. Siblings will only be approved if there is space available
        in the requested grade level.

    D. Other School Choice Programs
   The district offers several academic options, including, charter schools, magnet programs,
   and theme schools. These options are referred to as school choice programs. Available
   school choice programs and relevant admissions criteria are published yearly. Every eligible
   student must follow the published criteria and process.

   The board, upon recommendation by the superintendent, may move a school choice to a
   different facility or cease the operation of a school choice program.



E. Sibling preference

   1. Siblings are defined as two or more children having one or more birth parents or legal
      guardians in common.
   2. Siblings of students accepted into a school choice program can only attend the same
      school if grade-level capacity is available.
   3. Siblings are not required to participate in the same program; however, they must attend
      the same school.
   4. Current siblings must be enrolled and continue attendance at the same school during
      the upcoming academic year.
   5. Upon completion of the program, all students are required to return to their designated
      home school or apply for admission into another approved program.
   6. All siblings must meet the established criteria for the specific program to which they are
      applying.
   7. Multiple birth siblings applying concurrently to the same school shall be entered into the
      lottery and processed or waitlisted simultaneously, contingent upon seat availability.

   During the initial lottery, twenty-five percent (25%) of the total available seats shall be
   allocated to eligible siblings, based on program and grade-level criteria.




F. Enrollment Options for Children of Full Time Employees

   The following provisions apply only to a child whose custodial parent or legal guardian is a
   full-time employee of the district. A child whose custodial parent or legal guardian is a full-
   time employee of the district is allowed to attend the school where the parent or legal
   guardian is employed or within the vertical feeder pattern of the school where the parent or
   legal guardian is employed. Central office employees’ children may attend a school located
   in the vertical feeder pattern of the employee’s work site.

G. Hardship Transfers

   In exceptional circumstances, and on a case-by-case basis, hardship transfer requests will be
   considered. Upon receiving documentation of an extenuating situation, the superintendent
   or the superintendent's designee may approve a recommendation by the Office of Student
   Assignment to allow a student to attend a school other than the school serving the
   student's attendance area. State law allows for transfer requests in certain circumstances
   based on placement in a non-permanent classroom or excessive travel time or
   distance. Available capacity in the requested school and grade level at the time of the
   request will be considered for all hardship transfer requests. If capacity is not available, the
   superintendent may approve a transfer to another school in the district. Siblings may be
   approved only if grade-level capacity is available. Hardship transfers are limited to district
        residents.

   H. Unsafe School Choice Option

        A student who is the victim of a violent criminal offense, as defined by state law, while on
        the grounds of the school that the student attends, may transfer to another school within
        ten days of the offense.


        Federal law also allows transfers out of schools that are designated by Georgia as unsafe.
        Information regarding unsafe schools can be found on the Georgia Department of
        Education website.



   I.   Seniors Moving out of the District or into another District school

         A current or rising senior at a district school who moves out of the district may complete
        their senior year at the district school most recently attended if the student furnishes
        transportation, abides by district-approved standards of behavior, maintains regular
        attendance, arrives and departs on time, and pays tuition as outlined in Policy JBCBA:
        Tuition, which is available on the district website at https://tinyurl.com/4fjh6fpv. A current
        or rising senior at a district school who moves out of the school's attendance area may
        complete their senior year at the student’s most recently attended district school if the
        student furnishes transportation, abides by district-approved standards of behavior,
        maintains regular attendance, and arrives and departs on time.




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