Student Assignment Policy: JBCC
A student is usually assigned to the school serving the geographic attendance area in which
the student resides. (A student's residence is defined in Policy JBC, and attendance areas
are discussed in Policy AD.)
However, the DeKalb County Board of Education desires to enhance the educational
opportunities available for students of the DeKalb County School District and therefore has
established numerous school choice options through which District students may be
assigned to schools outside their attendance area.
Additionally, students may be eligible for assignment to a school other than the school in their
attendance area pursuant to state or federal law. Instances in which students may attend
school outside their attendance area are outlined below.
Students who do not reside in the District are not eligible for enrollment in a District school,
except as required by state law or as provided below.
A. Special Needs Students In certain circumstances, special needs students requiring
special education student services will be placed in a school other than the school serving
their attendance area, in accordance with special education procedures.
B. Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (Senate Bill 10) Qualifying special needs
students may attend another public school within the District that has available capacity and
that has a program with the services agreed to in the student's existing Individualized
Education Program (IEP).
C. Limited School Choice (House Bill 251) Students may enroll in certain schools outside
of their attendance area where space is available. The House Bill 251 receiving schools to
which a student may transfer are publicized each year after seat availability has been
determined. Siblings may be approved only if grade level capacity is available.
D. Other School Choice Programs The District offers a number of academic options for
students including, for example, charter schools, magnet programs, and theme schools;
these options are referred to as School Choice Programs. The available School Choice
Programs and the relevant admissions criteria are published yearly. Every eligible student,
regardless of circumstance, must follow the published criteria and process. The Board, upon
recommendation by the Superintendent, and as allowed by applicable laws and regulations,
may move a School Choice Program to a different facility or cease the operation of a School
Choice Program.
E. Children of Full-Time Employees The following provisions apply only to a child whose
custodial parent or legal guardian is a full-time employee of the District. These provisions do
not apply to pre-K programs. Subject to paragraphs 3 and 4 below relating to theme schools
and magnet programs, a child whose custodial parent or legal guardian is a full-time
employee of the District will be allowed to attend the school at which the parent or legal
guardian is employed; or, if the child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), at a
District school that can appropriately implement the child’s IEP.
The Office of Student Assignment must be notified before the child is enrolled. Transportation
will not be provided by the District. Payment of tuition will not be required even if the employee
and child reside in another school district. This option is available only to school-based
employees.
Subject to paragraphs 3 and 4 below relating to theme schools and magnet programs, a child
whose custodial parent or legal guardian is a full-time employee of the District will be allowed
to attend another school within the vertical feeder pattern of the school at which the parent
or legal guardian is employed; or, if the child has an IEP, at a District school that can
appropriately implement the child’s IEP.
Central office employees may attend feeder pattern schools located in the vertical feeder
pattern of the employee’s work site. An employee wishing to avail themselves of the
opportunity described in this subparagraph shall notify the Office of Student Assignment in
accordance with a timetable issued and published by the Superintendent which reasonably
accounts for the District’s and individual schools’ planning requirements; provided, further,
that such timetable shall accommodate new hires who by virtue of their hire date would be in
compliance with such timetable and, provided further, that in the first year of implementation
such timetable shall be adjusted, to the extent necessitated by the date of passage of this
policy, to accommodate all eligible current employees for the 2014-2015 school year and
beyond. Transportation will not be provided by the District.
Payment of tuition will not be required even if the employee and child reside in another school
district.
Students permitted hereunder to attend a feeder pattern school must abide by school and
District approved standards of behavior, attendance, and punctuality in order to be allowed
to remain enrolled.
Children seeking to attend a theme school under this provision must enter the lottery and
comply with all other admissions procedures applicable to that school. Transportation will not
be provided by the District.
Because of the unique nature of magnet programs, which have special admission criteria
and competitive selection processes, children of employees will be given no special
preference in seeking admission to a magnet program.
Children wishing to enroll in a magnet program must follow the published admission
procedures and meet the admission criteria for the program. Moreover, because of the
special cost to the District in providing magnet programs, these programs are limited to
students who reside in the District. Transportation will not be provided by the District.
Employees' children who, at the time this Policy is enacted, are attending a school that they
would not be allowed to attend under this Policy shall be allowed to remain in their current
school until they have completed the highest grade at that school.
Seniors Moving out of the District or into another District school
A current or rising senior at a District school who moves out of the District may complete his
or her senior year at the District school if the student furnishes transportation, abides by
District approved standards of behavior, maintains regular attendance, arrives on time,
departs on time and pays tuition as set forth in Policy JBCBA. A current or rising senior at a
District school who moves into a different attendance zone, but still lives in the District, may
complete his or her senior year at the current District school if the student furnishes
transportation, abides by District approved standards of behavior, maintains regular
attendance, arrives on time, and departs on time.