Sioux City Community Schools -

Code Number: 501.8

The District has established boundaries for each of its attendance centers (attendance centers and boundaries are viewable on the District’s website—http://www.siouxcityschools.org). Each elementary attendance center feeds into a middle/high school attendance center: East, North, and West (“feeder systems”).

Maintaining the integrity of the boundaries to these attendance centers and feeder systems is important to the efficient operation of the District for many reasons, among them:

1. projecting student enrollment at attendance centers on a long-range basis;

2. maintaining balanced attendance centers to enhance equity in academic and activity offerings, including performances and competitions;

3. reducing barriers to community development; and

4. promoting school pride, loyalty, and community support.

Therefore, parents, legal custodians, and/or guardians are required to enroll their child(ren) in the attendance center(s) of their residence, except under such limited and specific conditions as may be granted at the discretion of the District and in accordance with this policy.

Parents, guardians, and/or legal custodians of District students may apply for a transfer for their child(ren) to a different attendance center as outlined in AR501.8 and only for the following Allowable Reasons for Transfer:

1. To accommodate childcare and transportation arrangements for students in grades TK-5.

2. For bona fide health or safety reasons.

3. To ensure the continuation of education through a particular attendance center.

4. To enable younger siblings to attend the same secondary feeder system (when both students will be at the same secondary feeder system in the same year).

5. Upon an administration-initiated recommendation.

6. To participate in an elementary specialty school program.

7. To select grandfathered status after a boundary change where the Board has allowed for that option.

8. Upon a determination by the District under Board Policy 504.4 that the student has suffered bullying or harassment by another student enrolled in the District.

The District retains sole discretion to approve or deny such applications under paragraphs 1-7. 

The District shall grant an application to enroll the student in another attendance center under paragraph 8 unless the attendance center has insufficient classroom space for the student.  “Insufficient classroom space” occurs when a grant of the application would result in exceeding the average student-to-teacher ratio, program capacity, or building capacity criteria identified in AR 501.8.

A request to transfer under paragraph (8) for a student requiring special education shall only be granted if:

A. The attendance center maintains a special education instructional program that is appropriate to meet the student’s educational needs and the enrollment of the student in the attendance center would not cause the size of the class or caseload in that special education instructional program in the attendance center to exceed the maximum class size or caseload established pursuant to rules adopted by the state board of education; and

B. The student would be assigned to a general education class and there is insufficient classroom space for the general education class to which the student would be assigned.

For transfers granted pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (7), if a transfer application is approved, the student will be granted a permit which will allow them to remain in the new attendance center for the remaining grades offered at that center unless the transfer permit is sooner revoked. Transfer permits may be revoked due to discipline, failing grades, or attendance problems. A recommendation for revocation of a transfer permit must be approved by the Superintendent’s designee. A student may also choose to terminate the transfer permit and return to their attendance center of residence.

For transfers granted pursuant to paragraph (8) above (related to bullying and harassment), a transfer shall be for a period of not less than one year.  A student who attends school in another attendance center pursuant to paragraph (8) may return to the original attendance center and enroll at any time once the parent or guardian has notified the District in writing of the decision to enroll the student in the original attendance center.

Students permitted to transfer within the District will not be provided transportation by the District to the approved attendance center (or reimbursed). This provision does not apply to those transfers granted pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, or other state or federal laws or regulations.  Notwithstanding this stated exception, this provision does apply to transfers made pursuant to Iowa Code 279.82.

For Activity Eligibility Requirements, refer to Board Policy 503.6.  A student who is granted enrollment in another attendance center within the District pursuant to a grant of an application under paragraph (8) bullying/harassment shall be eligible to participate immediately in varsity interscholastic athletic contests and athletic competitions as a member of a team from the receiving attendance center

This policy is to be read consistently with the District’s legal obligations pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other applicable laws and regulations.