CLEAN VERSION Board Policy JBCC Student Assignment - May 11, 2026 - DCSD Board Meeting Archive

Board Policy Manual
DeKalb County School District

Board Policy JBCC: Student Assignment Status: DRAFT

Original Adopted Date: 04/18/2011 | Last Revised Date: Pending | Last Reviewed Date:
03/19/2026

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 and attendance
areas are discussed in Policy AD: School Attendance Zone. Both policies can be found on the
district website.

Instances in which students may attend 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 the 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 will be
entered into the lottery and processed or wait listed 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. Payment of tuition will not be required even if the employee and child reside
in another school district.

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 in or
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 a 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. A current or rising senior at a district school who moves out of a 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.

Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority
for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in
the subject matter of the policy.

Note: To access the policy references, CLICK HERE: State of Georgia Terms and Conditions and close the
LexisNexis tab, which will return you to the policy. Click on the links below to be taken to each specific
code. You should only have to do this one time per session.

State Description
O.C.G.A. 20-02-0059 [Effective until June 30, 2027. See note.] Rules;
regulation of face masks

O.C.G.A. 20-02-0071 Placement of twins or higher order multiples in the same
classroom

O.C.G.A. 20-02-0290 Organization of schools; employment of school
administrative managers

O.C.G.A. 20-02-1073 Transportation forbidden if certified detrimental to
student health

O.C.G.A. 20-02-2131 Intradistrict Transfers. Enrollment of students in school
to which not originally assigned; procedure; annual
notification; exception

Rule 160-5-1-.28 Student Enrollment and Withdrawal

Rule 160-4-7-.19 Services for Agency-Placed Students

Rule 160-4-2-.39 Dyslexia Identification and Support

Cross References

Code Description
JBC School Admissions

Agenda Item