Parent of each student must make written application to the district Superintendent on the form provided. The Superintendent will make the decision to approve or reject any and all applications submitted. All applicants will be notified whether the enrollment application is approved or rejected.
Parents from other school districts requesting enrollment in a Harrison Hills School must submit an application to the Superintendent's Office between March 1-June 1.
Applications submitted after the established deadlines for admission may be considered only when it is agreed that a special need exists whereby admission would benefit the student, i.e. medical problems, family disruption, etc. The application process does not continue unabated throughout the school year except to permit pupils who move out of the district to complete the school year in the district.
Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received as to date and time. Applications must be filed annually and approval for one year does not guarantee approval for future enrollment. Limitation of numbers will be based upon first serving native students and preference given to previously enrolled transfer students over enrollment of first time applicants. Residents/native students will not be displaced.
Appropriate racial balance shall be maintained in all schools within the district, and the Superintendent may reject an application if racial balance would be negatively impacted.
There will be no requirements of academic, artistic, extracurricular, or athletic skills required or that incoming students are proficient in the English Language.
Students participating in athletics are subject to the eligibility rules established by the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the policies established by the Harrison Hills City School District Board of Education. Athletic eligibility applies to all students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12).
Acceptance into special programs will follow established State guidelines. There will be no limitation on admitting applicants due to handicap unless services required in the IEP are not available in the alternative district. Students receiving special education services are required to attend the school within the alternative district where the services specified in the student's IEP are currently available. The district will not be required to institute any special education program to serve transfer students. Students who are admitted from another district, and later have a disability identified that requires special education services, shall have representatives of the district of residence participate in the placement meetings. The alternative school district will provide the service if they are available, however, if they are not available, the native school (district of residence) has the responsibility to ensure that the student is served.
No student may be rejected because he/she has been disciplined by the previously
attended school district, except when an applicant has been suspended or expelled for ten (10) consecutive days or more in the term for which admission is sought or in the term immediately preceding the term in which admission is sought.
The district will not be required to provide transportation to a student enrolled in an alternative school unless the student can be "picked up" and "dropped off" at a bus stop designated by the Transportation Director. Routes will not be changed to accommodate special transportation arrangements for transfer students. Transportation to a bus stop will be the responsibility of the parents. The Harrison Hills Schools will not accept requests that a student be "dropped off" at a point along a bus route and will not be responsible for making arrangements requiring buses to make "time and place" coordinated connections for transportation purposes.
The number of students to be accommodated in open enrollment may be limited by the number of native students and others who have previously enrolled. Decisions to add or reduce classrooms will be based upon native student enrollment. Such changes shall be made prior to the processing of transfer requests. Programs or classroom sections will not be expanded due to transfer enrollment requests. The following enrollment guidelines have been established in considering requests for open enrollment.
| K-4 | 25 Students per Class |
| 5-8 | 28 Students per Class |
| 9-12 | Established on a course by course basis. |
Enrollment limitations shall take into account the mainstreaming of special education students into regular classrooms. Class size for special education classes is established by the Rules for the Education of Handicapped Children. Local limitation of classroom size must be such that native students identified for placement can be made during the school year. Students who move into an attendance area during the school year will not be refused and all students, once accepted, and taking classes, will not be displaced should enrollment exceed the limits established for the current school year.
The establishment of guidelines for the open enrollment program is not intended to establish maximum class size but to serve as criteria as to the number of transfer pupils admitted and still provide openings for native population fluctuation.
If a student is approved for a transfer to another building outside the attendance area of residence, they must remain in the school of choice for at least one year. The exception to this rule would be if unusual circumstances would arise during the course of the school year whereby the parents and students would like to return to the school in their normal attendance area. If so, the steps listed must be followed:
1. Parents must submit in writing the request to return.
2. The request will be reviewed by the Superintendent.
3. The Superintendent deems it educationally necessary.
4. The student must return to the official school of residence only at an end of a grading period.
Approvals are on an annual basis and applications must be submitted and approved every year. Students who have been part of the open enrollment program will be given first priority.
The Board of Education has the discretion to discontinue the open enrollment program in subsequent years.
For questions or concerns please contact Kerri Johnson at [email protected] or 740-942-7803.