Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
February 21, 2008 issue
School Board Revises Student Reassignment Policy
Story by Kathleen McFadden
The members of the Watauga County Board of Education passed a revised student assignment policy at their February meeting, clarifying the procedures for obtaining reassignments and adding provisions for rescinding them. The adopted policy applies principally to students who live in Watauga County but want to attend a school in Watauga County other than their assigned school.
Reassignment Procedures
The revised policy requires that parents/guardians requesting reassignment provide documentation of legal residence of domicile and that students meet a list of criteria to be considered. Students must be in good academic standing, must have passed all state-mandated tests, must have clean disciplinary records and must have no more than 10 excused/unexcused absences and no more than 10 excused/unexcused tardies.
The revised policy includes a fresh-start clause that permits waiving these criteria, however, if the principal, superintendent and reassignment review officer unanimously agree on the reassignment. The purpose of the fresh-start clause is to give students who are having a hard time at one school the opportunity to start again at another.
However, the revised policy also includes a principal-initiated process for revoking fresh-start reassignments. Students who do not take advantage of the opportunity to perform better at the new school risk being sent back to their former school.
Exceptions to the reassignment policy are children of Watauga County Board of Education employees, students who are the victim of a violent offense on school grounds, students with Individualized Education Plans that require placement in a school with the necessary programs, siblings of special placement students, students in foster homes and students whose parents move after school has been in session for three months. These students can be considered for reassignment without meeting the criteria.
Timing of Requests
Parents/guardians are to submit written requests for reassignment between April 1 and May 15.
During the academic school year, parents/guardians can make requests for reassignment only if their children meet one of the exceptions to the reassignment policy detailed above.
Appeals
The policy adds an appeals procedure for parents/guardians whose reassignment requests are denied. At the appeal, principals of both schools—the student’s assigned school and the student’s requested reassignment school—will have the opportunity to address the Board of Education.
Preschool Assignments
The revised policy adds conditions for preschool assignments.
Only children domiciled in Watauga County can attend the Watauga County Schools preschool program, and they will attend at their assigned school unless no space is available.
If space at the assigned school is not available, children can be assigned to the preschool program at another school, but preschool assignments will not be considered as a basis for a reassignment.
Space Considerations
The revised policy clearly states that reassignments to a school or grade level may be closed to maintain proper enrollment ratios. Any grade level that is projected to be at or above the state-recommended average class size will be closed to reassignment requests.
Out-of-County Reassignments
Students who do not live in Watauga County but wish to attend school in Watauga County must be in good standing in his/her previous school system and must meet all the standards outlined in the policy.
Exceptions do not apply to out-of-county students.
The policy requires that out-of-county students pay tuition. However, the tuition policy is a separate policy that the board will discuss in an upcoming work session, according to Board of Education Chair Lowell Younce. The board has not yet determined the amount of tuition that will be charged.