DCVPA recognizes the need for consistent, open, and transparent admissions practices. DCVPA will adhere to the legal requirements set forth in N.C.G.S. 116-239.5 et seq. (hereinafter “the Statute”), as it may be amended from time to time. DCVPA shall not limit admissions based on race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, intelligence level as ascertained by an intelligence quotient examination, or identification as a child with exceptionality. The purpose of this Admissions Policy is to define the procedures that shall apply regarding all admissions at the DCVPA.

A. Policy Scope

This policy shall apply to all faculty, staff, students, and applicants of DCVPA.

B. Enrollment Plan

Enrollment at DCVPA will be determined exclusively by The University of North Carolina at Wilmington (hereinafter “University”). The Chancellor or designee will determine each year the availability of total seats and the availability of seats for each class. All students residing in the New Hanover County School District who are eligible as defined in the Statute and Section D.1 of this policy shall be considered for enrollment. Students who are planning to reside in the New Hanover County School District at the time of enrollment and make a representation to that effect can be admitted contingent upon fulfilling that representation.

C. Admission Committee

1. The Admission Committee (hereinafter “Committee”) oversees all aspects of the admission process.

2. The Committee shall include three members: the lab school implementation coordinator, who shall serve as chair; one faculty member from the University’s Watson College of Education (hereinafter “COE”), appointed by the Dean of COE (hereinafter “Dean”); and one staff member from the University’s COE, appointed by the Dean. The Committee will keep records of all admissions decisions and report to the Chancellor or designee as requested.

3. Members of the Committee will maintain all applicant, student, and parent and/or guardian information in the strictest confidence pursuant to applicable law, University policy, and DCVPA policy. No information received during the application process will be discussed with any individual who is not a member of the Committee or who does not have a need to know. All applications and information received related to an application will be considered property of the DCVPA and will not be released to any individual, committee, agency, or other entity unless required by the laws of the State of North Carolina, University policy, DCVPA policy, or an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

D. Residence; Domicile; Homeless; NC ACP

1. The residence of a student under 18 years of age is presumed to be the domicile of his or her parents, legal guardian, or legal custodian as defined by the General Statutes of North Carolina. If a student is at least 18 years of age, is married, or has been abandoned by his or her parents, or if the court declares a student to be emancipated, the student may establish a domicile independent from that of his or her parents, legal guardian, or legal custodian. A student who establishes domicile as a result of being emancipated is a domiciliary of the New Hanover County School District and is entitled to the same rights and privileges of other students domiciled therein. Domicile requires the intent to abandon one’s prior home and remain in the new location as a permanent home for an indefinite period.

2. Domicile for the purpose of school admission will be determined by the following criteria:

a) In the event that a student’s parents are divorced or separated and physical custody has been given to only one parent, the student’s domicile follows that of the parent who has been granted physical custody.

b) If physical custody has not been determined or has been granted jointly to both parents, or if the custodial parent wishes the student to attend school in the non-custodial parent’s system of residence, then the parents must jointly agree on which residence will be used to determine the student’s domicile. The selected residence must be submitted in writing to the principal.

c) The selection may not be changed during the school year unless the parents satisfy DCVPA’s policies on transfers and releases.

d) In the event that the parents cannot agree on which residence will be used to determine the student’s domicile for eligibility purposes, school officials shall use the residence of the parent with physical custody of the student at the time of application.

e) A student who is not a domiciliary of the local school administrative unit inwhich a lab school is located is eligible to attend if all of the three following criteria apply:

1) The student resides with an adult who is not a parent, legal custodian, or legal guardian but who is a domiciliary of the New Hanover County School District because of one of the following:

a. The death, serious illness, or incarceration of the student’s parent or legal guardian.

b. The abandonment by the parent or legal guardian of the complete control of the student as evidenced by the failure to provide substantial financial support and parental guidance.

c. Abuse or neglect by the parent or legal guardian.

d. The physical or mental condition of the parent or legal guardian is such that he or she cannot provide the student with adequate care and supervision.

e. The relinquishment of physical custody and control of the student by the student’s parent or legal guardian upon the recommendation of the Department of Social Services or the Division of Mental Health.

f. The loss or un-inhabitability of the student’s home as a result of a natural disaster.

g. The parent or legal guardian is one of the following:

i. On active military duty and is deployed out of the local school administrative unit in which the student is domiciled. For purposes of this requirement, the term "active duty" does not include periods of active duty for training for less than 30 days.

ii. A member or veteran of the uniformed services who is severely injured and medically discharged or retired, but only for a period of one year after the medical discharge or retirement of the parent or guardian.

iii. A member of the uniformed services who dies on active duty or as a result of injuries sustained on active duty, but only for a period of one year after death. For purposes of this requirement, the term "active duty" is as defined in N.C.G.S. 115C-407.5

2) The student is:

a. Not currently under a term of suspension or expulsion from a school for conduct that could have led to a suspension or an expulsion from the lab school, or 

b. Currently under a term of suspension or expulsion from a school for conduct that could have led to a suspension or an expulsion from the lab school and is identified as eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq., (2004).

3) The caregiver adult and the student's parent, guardian, or legal custodian have each completed and signed separate affidavits that do all of the following:

a. Confirm the qualifications set out in this subsection establishing the student's residency;

b. Attest that the student's claim of residency in the unit is not primarily related to attendance at the lab school; and

c. Attest that the caregiver adult has been given and accepts responsibility for educational decisions for the student.

Eligibility under this requirement is only available if some evidence of the deployment, medical discharge, retirement, or death and/or evidence of current eligibility is tendered with the affidavits.

3. A student who is homeless is eligible to attend DCVPA if his or her school of origin was in the New Hanover County School District, and meets the other criteria in this policy. The school of origin is defined as the school the student attended before losing permanent housing or the school in which the student was last enrolled, including a preschool. See Policy 4125 for additional guidance.

4. In determining whether a student meets the domicile or residence requirements of this policy, school personnel shall consider the actual address of a participant in the North Carolina Address Confidentiality Program established by G.S. Chapter 15C, but such address will remain confidential in accordance with the law.

E. Selection Procedures

1. The Committee shall determine enrollment eligibility in accordance with N.C.G.S. 116-239.9, as it may be amended from time to time. Applicants who reside in the New Hanover County School District shall be placed on one of the following eligibility lists:

a) Any child currently enrolled in a low-performing school, as defined by N.C.G.S. 115C-105.37 at the time of the student's application; or

b) Any child who demonstrates that s/he did not meet expected growth in the prior school year based on one or more of the following indicators:

a. Grades;

b. Observations;

c. Diagnostic and formative assessments;

d. State assessments; or

e. Other factors, including reading on grade level.

c) Applicants for Kindergarten shall be eligible for admission if (i) they attend a pre-kindergarten program at, or would be eligible to apply to enroll in, a low performing school as set forth in subsection a) above or (ii) demonstrate that he or she did not meet expected growth based upon available observations, diagnostic assessments, and other determinative factors. Applicants must turn five on or before August 31 of the upcoming school year.

d) Is the sibling of a child who is eligible under subdivision (a), (b) or (c) of this section E.

e) Is the child of a laboratory school employee.

f) If all applicants who both meet the criteria contained in NCGS §116-239.9 and the requirements in this policy have been accepted, and DCVPA is not yet at capacity, DCVPA may admit a timely applicant who is a domiciliary of the New Hanover County School District based upon the order in which the application is received.

2. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (1) of this section E, if a laboratory school has not reached enrollment capacity in a program, class, grade level, or building by March 1, prior to the start of the next school year, the laboratory school may enroll children who reside in the New Hanover County School District but do not meet one of the criteria set forth in subsection (1) for up to twenty percent (20%) of the total capacity of the program, class, grade level, or building.

3. DCVPA will not accept new enrollees after the first 10 days of a school year unless they have been previously enrolled during that same school year

4. On a yearly basis, the Committee shall determine the enrollment period as well as any application deadlines and related procedures. The Committee shall publish information regarding the enrollment period and applicable deadlines in multiple sources within the New Hanover County School District.

5. Student selection shall be based upon the following:

a) Applicant eligibility as defined pursuant to the Statute and Sections D and E.1 of this policy;

b) Timeliness of the application;

c) Capacity of the program, class, grade level, or building; and

d) The order in which the application isreceived.

F. The Committee, at its discretion, may maintain a waiting list. See Section F below. Appeal

The applicant may request an appeal within three (3) business days after notification of the decision to not admit. The request shall be submitted to the Committee and explain in detail the reason(s) for the appeal.

The Dean of the Watson College of Education, or his or her designee, shall serve as the designated appeal officer.

Upon receiving a request for appeal, the Committee shall provide the Dean/designee with the student’s application and any other relevant documents, including a rationale for supporting the decision. With this written information, the Dean/designee shall review the matter and has the authority to approve or reject the decision to admit. The student will be notified of the decision in writing within ten (10) business days after receipt of the appeal request.

G. Other Provisions Relating to Admissions

1. Any parent or guardian who makes application for a student must provide all required documents to the Admissions Committee establishing the student’s enrollment eligibility. (See Section D.1 above.) If the documents are not received by the deadline set by the Committee, the student’s name will be removed from consideration but may be considered at a later date if and when the parent or guardian provides the required documentation. To assist any parent or guardian, parents or guardians may sign a waiver authorizing the Partnership to obtain the necessary academic records from a child’s current school. This waiver should be signed at the time of application.

2. Students who have been suspended or expelled from another charter, private, or public school will not be considered for admission until such time the student would be eligible to return to the school from which the student was expelled.

3. School may refuse admission to any student who has been convicted of a felony in this state or any other state. A student who has been convicted of a felony must timely provide to the school all requested information related to the conviction at the time of theapplication. 

4. If a student fails to enroll after 5 days into the first semester, the student will be dropped from the enrollment list. Parents and/or guardians will be required to repeat the application process.

5. If a student is granted admission based on false or misleading information, the student may have that admission revoked or, if enrolled, be discharged from the school at any time during the school year, or at the end of the current school year. If a student is granted contingent admission based upon an intent to reside in the New Hanover County District or on false or misleading information related to that intent, the student may have that admission revoked or, if enrolled, be discharged from the school at any time during the school year, or at the end of the current school year. The Chancellor or designee will make a decision based on the recommendation of the Committee.

6. If legal guardianship has been transferred from a natural parent to any other entity or individual, such guardianship will only be recognized and accepted when the guardianship is permanent and approved by a court of competent jurisdiction.

7. The school requires all students to meet the eligibility requirements for School admission established by the State, including immunization and health assessments. See Policy 4110 for additional guidance.

8. Once enrolled, a student shall not be required to reapply in subsequent enrollment periods, unless the student has previously withdrawn from DCVPA.

9. A family may submit multiple applications concurrently; each application will be considered to have been filed at the same time.

H. Waiting Lists

If the Admissions Committee, in its discretion, decides to maintain a waiting list, the following shall apply:

1. No student will be included on DCPTA’s waiting list unless the student is eligible to be enrolled if admission were to be granted.

2. After the first day of the school year, if DCVPA is not at capacity or when vacancies occur by a student leaving DCVPA for whatever reason, the Committee may agree to admit a student from the waiting list. Any decision to consider an applicant after the first day of the school year is in the sole discretion of the Committee. This policy shall govern the wait list application process and any decisions to admit applicants from the wait list.

3. Applicants on the waiting list who were not admitted during the school year of their initial application must reapply for admission in succeeding years.

Issued: July 8, 2020