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State law requires that California school districts offer open enrollment opportunities to parents within certain guidelines. The District first offered the Open Enrollment during school year 1995/96. Open Enrollment will be offered to parents every year, at the start of each school year.
The information below reflects the guidelines within the law allowing parents to enroll their children in District schools with available space, so long as certain requirements are met.
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What is Open Enrollment?
State law provides the parents (guardians) of each schoolage child who is a resident of the school district the opportunity to select the school the child will attend.
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Which schools are identified as Open Enrollment Schools?
Open Enrollment Schools are determined according to individual school capacities. Schools which have space available for additional students are identified. Space availability depends upon:
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District growth patterns;
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the physical capacity of the school (based on the number of classrooms and seats at standard capacity);
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the school's current racial/ethnic make-up;
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staffing allocations at the school (the law does not require that school districts add teachers to accommodate Open Enrollment transfers). |
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Under what conditions are students accepted into Open Enrollment Schools?
Acceptance is based on:
- The school must have space without displacing students currently living within the school's attendance area;
- The District must be able to maintain a reasonable racial/ethnic balance among schools.
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Who can participate in Open Enrollment?
Any student who lives within District boundaries.
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How do parents apply to take part in Open Enrollment?
Interested parents can complete an application form and return it to the Office of Child Welfare & Attendance according to the established timeline (See Open Enrollment Calendar on page 36 of Student Information Handbook).
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How are students selected for Open Enrollment?
A lottery drawing is held from the applicant pool--a random, unbiased process that prohibits an evaluation of whether a student should be enrolled based upon academic or athletic performance.
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Will Open Enrollment affect students already on approved intra/inter-district permits?
No. Students attending school on intra/inter-district permitswill not be displaced through Open Enrollment.
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What about siblings?
The lottery drawing selects for an entire family, not just one student in the family. Placement of siblings, who will be
enrolling in the future in the Open Enrollment School will be given first priority. However, their placement will depend upon available space.
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When do parents register their children for Open Enrollment?
For the 2012/2013 school year, parents are asked to submit Open Enrollment applications by December 1, 2011. If selected, students must register in the Open Enrollment School by May 3, 2012.
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Do students selected for Open Enrollment need to apply to stay at their Open Enrollment School every year?
No. Once accepted, students are considered residents of their Open Enrollment School. They need only apply for Open
Enrollment at the next level (junior high school/middle school and high school).
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Will transportation be provided for Open Enrollment students?
No. A parent who transfers a child to an Open Enrollment School is responsible for transportation.
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Can students return to their original school after transferring to an Open Enrollment School?
Yes, if there is space available and the student returns at the trimester (K-6) or the semester (7-12).
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What about special education students?
When special education students are attending special classes and/or receiving specialized services, it is recommended that their families consult with the student's IEP team or program specialist before applying for Open Enrollment.
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If you are interested in participating in Open Enrollment, complete the Modesto City Schools Open Enrollment Application. Return the form by December 1, 2009, by mail, or in person, to:
Modesto City Schools
Child Welfare & Attendance
426 Locust Street, Modesto, CA 95351 |