509 Policy: Student Enrollment Options

500: Students

Adopted	Review Frequency
Adopted: 02-10-2011 Renumbered: 3-11-21

Enrollment Options

1.1. Alternate School Attendance

1.1.1. Resident students of District 834 (or approved open enrollment students, as defined in Section 1.2)attending District 834 school other than their assigned school.

1.2. State Enrollment Options Program (Open Enrollment)

1.2.1. Students who are not residents of District 834 attending a District 834 school or program

1.2.1.1. In accordance with Minnesota Statute 124D.03, Subd. 2, District 834, by Board resolution, may limit the number of non-resident students who enroll in the district under the State Enrollment Options Program to a number not less than the lesser of:

1.2.1.1.1. One percent of the total enrollment at each grade level in the district; or

1.2.1.1.2. The number of district residents at that grade level enrolled in a non-resident district under the Enrollment Options Program.

1.2.1.2. If the School Board limits enrollment in this manner, they must take action on an annual basis, before January 1 of each year.

1.3. State Graduation Incentives Program

1.3.1. Students who have experienced or are experiencing difficulty in the traditional education system, and who meet the eligibility criteria as defined in Minnesota Statute 124D.68, Subd. 2.

1.4. Continued Enrollment of an Eleventh or Twelfth Grade Student

1.4.1. An eleventh or twelfth grade student who has been enrolled in a District 834 school, whose parent/guardian has moved to another school district.

1.4.1.1. In accordance with Minnesota Statute 124D.08, Subd. 3, such student may apply to continue to be enrolled in the District 834 school he or she has been attending.

1.5. Intent to Establish Residency

1.5.1. A student whose parent/guardian intends to move to an attendance area other than the one in which they currently reside.

1.5.1.1. Applications for enrollment shall be considered based on residency plans of the student’s parent/guardian.

1.6. Tuition Agreements for Non-Minnesota Residents

1.6.1. Students who are non-Minnesota residents attending a District 834 school

1.6.1.1. Payment of full tuition, as annually determined by the district, must be paid in full prior to enrollment.

Application Process

2.1. District 834 Residents (or approved open enrollment students) requesting alternate attendance

2.1.1. Complete an Alternate Attendance Application, available on District 834 website, and submit to the District 834 Enrollment Office.

2.1.1.1. Applications for alternate attendance will be accepted beginning October 1 for the following school year.

2.1.1.2. Applications should be submitted by January 15 for the following school year.

2.1.1.3. Applications received by the application deadline will be rank ordered using a random selection process.

2.1.1.3.1. Applications are approved as space becomes available.

2.1.1.3.2. Applications that arrive after the deadline will be considered in the order received on a case-by-case basis.

2.1.1.3.3. Applications not approved will remain rank ordered from one school year to the next for the same level (i.e. elementary or junior high) unless otherwise declined by parent/guardian.

2.1.2. District transportation may be utilized as identified within the Transportation Policy R 4.5.

2.2. Non District 834 Residents requesting open enrollment

2.2.1. Complete a School District Enrollment Options Program Form, found on the District 834 website, and submit to the District 834 Enrollment Office.

2.2.1.1. As a part of the enrollment process, the parent/guardian will be required to release information from the resident school district.

2.2.2. Applications will be accepted beginning October 1 for the following school year.

2.2.3. Applications should be submitted by January 15 for the following school year.

2.2.4. Applications received by the application deadline will be rank ordered using a random selection process.

2.2.4.1. Applications are approved as space becomes available for requested school.

2.2.4.2. Applications that arrive after the deadline will be considered in the order received, on a case-by-case.

2.2.4.3. Applications not approved will remain rank ordered from one school year to the next for the same level (i.e. elementary or junior high) unless otherwise declined by parent/guardian.

2.2.5. Notification of approval/denial of request will be provided by February 15 for the following school year, or no later than 30 days from the date of the application if submitted after the January 15 deadline for the current or upcoming school year.

2.2.6. Pursuant to state law, the district will notify the non-resident district by March 15, or no later than 60 days from the date of the application

2.2.7. District transportation may be utilized as identified within the Transportation Policy R 4.5.

2.3. Non-Minnesota Residents requesting tuition agreement

2.3.1. Complete a Non Minnesota Resident Tuition Agreement Application, found on the District 834 website, and submit to the District 834 Enrollment Office.

2.3.1.1. As a part of the enrollment process, the parent/guardian will be required to release information from the resident school district.

2.3.2. Applications are accepted at the sole discretion of District 834 and subject to School Board approval.

2.3.3. Applications for a particular school year will be accepted no earlier than October 1 for the following school year.

2.3.4. Applications and tuition payment must be submitted by January 15 for the following school year.

2.3.5. Applications received by the application deadline will be rank ordered using a random selection process.

2.3.5.1 Applications are approved as space becomes available for requested school.

2.3.5.2 Applications and tuition payments that arrive after the deadline will be considered in the order received, on a case-by-case basis.

2.3.5.3 Applications not approved will remain rank ordered from one school year to the next for the same level (i.e. elementary or junior high) unless otherwise declined by parent/guardian.

2.3.6 Notification of approval/denial of request will be provided by February 15 for the following school year, or no later than 30 days from the date of the application if submitted after the January 15 deadline for the current or upcoming school year.

2.3.7 District transportation may be utilized as identified within the Transportation Policy R 4.5.

Attendance Priorities

3.1 Priority for attendance in District 834 schools shall be given in the following order:

3.1.1 Unrestricted Enrollment Options (automatic approval)

3.1.1.1 Resident students who are approved for the District’s Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE).

3.1.1.2 Non-resident students who are approved for the District’s Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE).

3.1.1.3 Resident Special Education students whose Individual Education Plan (IEP) requires a setting III placement.

3.1.1.4 Resident and non-resident students whose parents/guardians intend to change residency from one school attendance area to another and who have filed the appropriate application and documents with the district.

3.1.1.5 Eleventh and twelfth grade students who have been attending Stillwater Area High School, who qualify to continue to attend that high school through the state law on continued enrollment.

3.1.2 Restricted Enrollment Options (approved in the following priority order, based on space available and/or by random selection)

3.1.2.1 Resident children of district employees, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting alternate attendance at the building where the employee works.

3.1.2.2 Siblings (individually if by random selection) of students described in Sections 3.1.1.1 or 3.1.1.3 above, or siblings of resident students whose alternate attendance request has been previously approved

3.1.2.3 All other resident students requesting alternate attendance.

3.1.2.4 Non-resident children of district employees, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting open enrollment at the building where the employee works.

3.1.2.5 Siblings (individually if by random selection) of students described in Section 3.1.1.2 above, or siblings of non-resident students who are in the district through the State Enrollment Options (open enrollment) Program.

3.1.2.6 All other non-resident students, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting open enrollment.

3.1.2.7 All non-Minnesota students requesting a Non Minnesota Resident Tuition Agreement.

3.1.3 School Attendance Area Changes

3.1.3.1 During the implementation year of changes in school attendance areas, the following shall override the priorities established in Section 3.1.2:

3.1.3.1.1 All currently enrolled students (including alternates and open enrollment) affected by school attendance area changes made by the school district who want to continue to attend the school they have been attending.

3.1.3.1.2 Resident children of district employees, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting alternate attendance at the building where the employee works.

3.1.3.1.3 Siblings (individually if by random selection) of students described in Sections 3.1.1.1 or 3.1.1.3 above, or siblings of resident students whose alternative attendance request has been previously approved.

3.1.3.1.4 All other resident students requesting alternate attendance.

3.1.3.1.5 Non-resident children of district employees, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting open enrollment at the building where the employee works.

3.1.3.1.6 Siblings (individually if by random selection) of students described in Section 3.1.1.2 above, or siblings of non resident students who are in the district through the State Enrollment Options (open enrollment) Program.

3.1.3.1.7 All other non-resident students, whose request has not been previously approved, requesting open enrollment.

3.1.3.1.8 All non-Minnesota students requesting a Non Minnesota Resident Tuition Agreement.

Attendance Priorities