510 Policy: Shared-Time Students

1. PURPOSE

   To address non-public or homeschooled students to be enrolled part-time in Independent School District 834.

2. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
   
   Shared-Time students are students who are enrolled part-time in the District and the remainder of the time in a non-public school or a homeschool.

3. SHARED TIME STUDENT REGULATIONS
   
   A.    Student Eligibility

   1.      Students who are residents of the District who attend homeschools full time which are in compliance with the Minnesota Compulsory Instruction Law may apply for limited shared-time enrollment privileges in the District.

   2.      Shared-time privileges are available to all nonpublic students in grades 1-12 per the following limitations.  Students in grades 7-12 may access any curricular offering and students in grades 1-6 may access music and physical education instruction.

   3.      Shared-time students must attend the public school at the school in their attendance area.

   4.      Nothing in these regulations is intended to exclude students with disabilities from receiving special education services.

   B.     Limitations

   1.      Shared-time enrollment at the high schools will be limited to four (4) courses per year.

   2.      No more than one (1) science laboratory course may be enrolled in per term at the high school level.

   3.      Shared-time enrollment will be limited to courses that generate shared-time foundation aid from the state.

   4.      Shared-time students may enroll in a course, which requires co-curriculum participation.

   5.      Priority for course enrollment will be given to full-time public school students.

   C.     Courses/Programs/Tests

   1.      To be approved for a specific course, a student must have completed all pre-requisite course requirements and may be required to demonstrate appropriate skill and/or knowledge levels.

   2.      When participating in a shared-time course, shared-time homeschool students will be subject to all the same school and District policies, regulations and rules which apply to public school students, including student rights and responsibilities, grading, and attendance and performance expectations.

   3.      Shared-time students enrolled for courses that are not offered consecutively must leave school property when not in class or may attend a supervised study hall (if available) in between the courses.  (A study hall does not count as a course a homeschool student may take each term).

   4.      If the school lunch period falls between the two courses, the shared-time student may purchase a school lunch and eat in the student eating area.  Shared-time students whose families fall within the income guidelines for free or reduced-price meals may qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch. 

   5.      Homeschool shared-time students may take state basic standards tests and nationally norm-referenced tests at the public school, as arranged with the principal.

   a.       The homeschool will be charged for the cost of the test and scoring.

   b.      Homeschool student test results will be reported separately from the public school student tests.

   D.    Process

   1.      Students accepted for shared-time enrollment will be counted as enrolled in the District for the purpose of calculating state aid.

   2.      All inquiries for shared-time enrollment shall be directed to the principal of the District school where enrollment is desired.

   3.      Inquiries will be accepted from students who are residents of Stillwater Area Public School District 834 only.

   4.      The principal will make a recommendation for approval or disapproval.

   5.      Specific communications about class scheduling should take place between the shared-time student and the school principal or designee.

   6.      Principals of schools, which shared-time students attend, are responsible for calculating the proportion of classroom time in the District’s system of pupil unit accounting.

   E.     Transportation

   1.      Students accepted for shared-time enrollment are eligible for District transportation from home to school if they are at an existing bus stop at the regularly-scheduled bus stop time, if space is available on the bus, and if they meet District Policy guidelines for distance from school.

   2.      Students accepted for shared-time enrollment are eligible for District transportation from school to home if they are at the school bus departure location at the end of the school day, if there is room on the bus, if they get off the bus at a regularly-scheduled bus stop, and if they meet District Policy guidelines for distance from school.

   3.      Students must be eligible for state transportation aid.

   4.      Transportation arrangements will be made by the Transportation Department, at the request of the homeschool.

Legal References

Minn Stat § 126C.19 Shared Time Aid