JFBB School Choice

JFBB

SCHOOL CHOICE

It is the policy of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District, by vote of the School Committee, such vote reaffirmed annually, to admit non-resident students under the terms and conditions of the Interdistrict School Choice Law and subject to the following local conditions:

  1. That by May 1 of each school year, the School Committee, upon recommendation of Administration, shall vote participation in School Choice.

  2. In recognition of population expansion in the District’s two towns the School Committee desires to gradually reduce the number of available School Choice seats. To that end at the annual vote to participate in School Choice the Administration shall include a recommended limit on School Choice seats in each school and/or grade level available for the upcoming year.

  3. That by June 1 of each school year, if consideration is being given to withdraw from the provisions of the choice law, a public hearing will be held to review this decision.

  4. Selection / Admission Process:

    • All else being equal, that applicants who are siblings of existing AWRSD School Choice student(s) shall have preference for admission.

    • That the initial selection of non-resident students for admission be in the form of a random drawing when the number of requests exceeds the number of available spaces. The drawing should take place during the last week of the current school year but no later than July 1st. A second admission process shall be conducted during the week immediately preceding the opening of the next school year and will be based on any prior School Choice admission withdrawals and unexpected district enrollment changes.

    • That a waiting list of students who applied but were not accepted be established and maintained until October 1st of the current school year.

    • A good discipline record and solid school citizenship are important selection considerations.

    • Before a student is placed in the lottery, to the extent permitted by law, principals may consider a nonresident student's school disciplinary record in deciding whether to admit the student. If the Principal denies admission to a nonresident student on the basis of the student's school disciplinary record, the student may appeal the Principal's decision to the Superintendent. Any appeal must be made within five calendar days of the student's receipt of notice of Principal's decision. The decision of the Superintendent is final.

  5. Any student who is accepted for admission under the provisions of this policy is entitled to remain in the District until graduation from high school except if there is a lack of funding of the program.

The School Committee affirms its position that the District shall not discriminate in the admission of any child on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, homelessness, sexual orientation, pregnancy or pregnancy related conditions, ancestry, athletic performance, physical handicap, special need, academic performance or proficiency in the English language.

SOURCE: MASC October 2016

LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 71:6; 71:6A; 76:6; 76:12; 76:12B

603 CMR 26:00

First Reading: 2/27/18 Second Reading: 3/14/18 Adopted: 3/27/18