5117.2 - School Attendance

Students

School Attendance Areas

5117.2 – Interdistrict Choice

The Windsor Locks Board of Education (Board) recognizes that students may benefit from having a choice of schools to attend within the public school system that is not limited by school and/or district boundaries. Public school choice provides parents and students with greater opportunities to choose the school and/or program that best meets the academic needs of the student, positively influences the level of parent involvement and student motivation, improves academic achievement, reduces racial, ethnic and economic balance and provides a choice of educational programs for students.

The Windsor Locks Public Schools will cooperate with Capitol Region Education Council “CREC” in the planning and implementation of the state-wide inter-district public school attendance program in accordance with applicable Connecticut General Statutes, as amended from time to time, and with applicable provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Nonresident students from other school districts within the state including Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, New Britain, New London, Waterbury and Windham and any other remaining priority school districts who apply pursuant to the admission guidelines approved by the Board may enroll in the Windsor Locks Public Schools on a space available basis, without payment of tuition except that the district shall receive an amount within available appropriations, from the Department of Education, for each out-of- district student attending a school within the district. It is recognized that the Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC) shall determine which school districts in its area are located close enough to a priority school district to make transportation feasible.

In providing for admission of nonresident students, the Superintendent shall consider:

1. Issues pertaining to the availability of space within a requested school to accommodate nonresident students. The district will notify its RESC by March 31 of each year of the space it will have available for students from the surrounding area for the new school year.

2. Programs available and the possible establishment of new programs.

3. Eligibility criteria for participating in a particular program, including age requirements, course prerequisites and required levels of performance.

4. Dates of enrollment of nonresident students in a school or program.

5. The requirement that participants attending school in the district shall do so until they graduate from high school.

It is the policy of the Windsor Locks Public Schools to receive nonresident students as part of the state-wide inter-district public school attendance program in accordance with the plan developed with CREC. Such planning, the Board believes, should consider, but not be limited to, the issues of definition and determination of space availability, choice of students, transportation to and from school and after-school activities. Further, planning should consider issues related to special education, prior disciplinary behavior, and acceptance of prior academic work, The Windsor Locks Public Schools will not recruit students under this program for athletic or extracurricular purposes.

The Board directs the Superintendent and staff not to make any distinction on account of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, disability or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law of any student who is in attendance or who seeks admission to the Windsor Locks Public Schools in the determination or recommendation of action under this policy.

Legal References:

Connecticut General Statutes

10-4a Education interests of state identified

10-226a Documentation of pupils and teachers of racial minorities and pupils eligible for free or reduced price lunches

10-226b Existence of racial imbalance 10-226c Plan to correct imbalance

10-226d Approval of Plan by State Board

10-226h. Programs and methods to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation

Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies

10-226e-3 Determination of racial imbalance

10-226e-4 Determination of impending racial balance

10-226e-5 Plans

10-225e-6 Approval of Plan

Policy Adopted: March 28, 2013

Policy Revised: April 8, 2021