School Choice Program Guidelines
Board Policy 02.12

Eligible Participants
Any student (grades K-12) whose parent or legal guardian is a resident of the State of Delaware who wants to attend a school that is located:

1. In a different school district from where the student resides ("reside", "residing" and "residence" refers to the residence of the student's parent); or
2. Outside the designated feeder pattern where the student resides.

Application Procedure

1. The application for provided by the State Board must be fully completed and submitted to the district in which the "choice school" is located on or before the 2nd Wednesday in January for enrollment in grades 1-12 during the following school year, or up to the first day of the following school year for kindergarten enrollment.
2. Applications shall be accepted after the above dates if the application is for kindergarten and it is submitted prior to the beginning of the school year, or if the dates were missed due to "good cause."  "Good cause" means (a) a change in the location of family residence, (b) a change in the student's parent's marital status, (c) a change in legal guardianship, (d) placement in foster care, (e) adoption, (f) participation in a foreign exchange program, or (h) a set of circumstances consistent with this definition of "good cause" such as a change in child care providers.
3. A separate application must be submitted for each student.
4. Only one application may be submitted for each student, and must be limited to three  choice school(s) or program(s).
5. An application must be submitted for the sibling of a student already enrolled in a district school.  A sibling is not granted automatic approval to attend a choice school.
6. An application must be submitted for any situation formerly handled by special permission, including the accommodation of child-care needs.
7. The approval of a choice application for a school or program does not entitle the student to move to the school housing the next grade configuration (i.e. K-5, 6-8, 9-12).  A timely choice application must be submitted in order for a student to be considered for enrollment in the school housing the next grade configuration.
8. An applicant will receive notice that the application for a "choice school" has been received.
9. Acceptance or non-acceptance of the application will take place by the last day of February for grades K-12, or within 45 days of receipt of application, whichever is later.
10. Within 5 working days of Board action on a choice application, notice shall be sent to the applicant and the student's district of residence.
11. Applications will not be accepted for students who have been expelled from another school district until that district readmits the student.
12. The application may be withdrawn if written notification is received at the address in #13 prior to action being taken on the application.  Refer to #9 for approximate dates when action will take place on an application.
13. Applications must be submitted by mail or in person to the following address:

Christina School District
Education Options
Drew Educational Support Center
600 N. Lombard Street
Wilmington, DE  19801

Guidelines for Consideration of Applications

1. Choice applications received by the specified dates will be considered in the following order:
   1. Returning students who continue to meet the requirements for the program or school, including students graduating from one school to another within the program.
   2. District students who meet the requirements for the program or school and reside within the school's feeder pattern.
   3. Siblings of students already enrolled in the school, provided that such siblings meet the requirements for the program or school.
   4. District students in grades K-6 who reside within the District and wish to attend a school outside the designated feeder pattern in order to accommodate childcare needs.
   5. Students who reside in the District who attend a District school, but wish to attend a school outside the designated feeder pattern.
   6. Students who reside in the District but do not attend a District school; and
   7. Students residing in other school districts.
2. Applications received after the applicable deadline(s) due to "good cause" shall be considered in the order set forth in paragraph 1.
3. Criteria for accepting or rejecting an application
   In reviewing applications in the order set forth above in paragraph 1, the following criteria (listed in priority order) will be applied:
   1. Capacity of the affected schools or programs as determined by the District;
   2. Whether it is an undue hardship for the affected school or program to provide the services identified in the applicant's Individualized Education Plan.
4. Lottery
   If the capacity of the school or program cannot accommodate all of the students in one of the listed categories, a lottery will be conducted to determine which applications in such a category will be accepted.

Duration of Choice School Enrollment

1. A student will be enrolled in the choice school until completion of the program and/or grade level configuration of the school. 
2. A student who fails to meet the academic requirements of a choice school will not be permitted to return the next school year.  Meeting the academic requirements is defined as meeting the District standards for promotion to the next grade level.
3. A student who fails to continue to comply with the District requirements for attending school or class in a choice school will not be permitted to return the next school year.
4. A student who engages in multiple violations of, or one or more serious violations of the District's Student Code of Conduct in a choice school will not be permitted to return the next school year.
5. A withdrawal of choice permission involving an out-of-District student will require the agreement of both the Christina Board and the Board of the resident district.
6. Enrollment in a choice school may be terminated when the mutual Boards of the resident and Christina School District, and the student's parents agree, for any reason.

Transportation
Students will be provided transportation to and from the choice school by the District if the student meets the distance eligibility requirements established by the State, and complies with the District's rules.  If the District provides transportation, the parent is responsible for getting the student to and from a District designated location on a regular bus route for the choice school.

Interscholastic Sports

1. Students shall be governed by the rules of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association with regard to eligibility of transferring students.
2. A student enrolled in a choice school in grades 10 through 12 shall not be allowed to participate in the interscholastic sports program during the first year of enrollment in the choice school if the student attended a different choice school the preceding year unless the sport was not offered at the previous school.

Termination of Enrollment in Choice School

1. Enrollment in a choice school will be automatically terminated upon the completion of the program or completion of the last grade level contained in choice school.
2. A parent may apply to terminate enrollment in a choice school for the reasons defined in the "Application Procedures", Section 2, by providing the termination information to the:  Christina School District, Education Options Office, 600 North Lombard Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
3. When a student is withdrawn from a choice school, the choice permission will automatically terminate.
4. Choice permission may be terminated when:
   1. The original district of residence changes;
   2. The student ceases to attend a day care within a specific school attendance area, and such day care was the reason for consideration of the choice application;
   3. The student is a Christina resident with multiple violations of, or one or more serious violations of the District's Student Code of Conduct, or
   4. The student is a Christina resident who fails to continue to comply with District requirements for attending school or class.

    

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