503.2 - Within District Transfers

I. Purpose

   The District has established boundaries for each of its elementary attendance areas
    (attendance areas and boundaries are viewable on the District website www.willmar.k12.mn.us).

    A.   Maintaining the integrity of the boundaries to these attendance areas is important to the    
          efficient operation of the District for many reasons, among them:     

          (1) the need to project student enrollment for attendance areas on a long-range basis

          (2) it is in the best interest of students to maintain academic continuity in one attendance   
               area

          (3) maintaining balanced areas enhances equity in academic and activity offerings, 
               performance and competitions, reduces barriers to community development, and 
               promotes school pride, loyalty and community support

          (4) failing to maintain boundary integrity effectively allows choice of an attendance site 
               unrelated to residency, eroding the benefits of these boundaries for those who abide by
               the board’s boundary policy. 

    B.   Therefore, parents, legal custodians and/or guardians are required to enroll their child(ren)
          at the attendance site within the boundary of their residence, except under such limited and
          specific conditions as may be granted at the discretion of the District.

II.   Within District Transfer Requests

      A.   Parents, guardians and/or legal custodians of District students may request a transfer for
            their child(ren) to a different attendance site for one of the reasons hereinafter listed.

      B.   Transfers may be granted only if classroom space is available at the attendance site for
             which the transfer is requested. 

      C.  Within-district transfers may be denied when projected enrollments exceed an average of
           22 students per class in grades K-2 and 25 in grades 3-5 of the selected attendance site.  

      D.  If space is available, within-district transfers may be granted only for the following reasons:
            (1) to accommodate child care arrangements (only K-5)

            (2) for bona fide health or safety reasons

            (3) to ensure continuation of education through a particular attendance site, or

            (4) upon administrative initiated recommendations.

III. Applications

     A.    Parents, guardians and/or legal custodians wishing to apply for an exception for their child
          must make a written application to the District using procedures established by the
          District.  
     B.    The District retains the sole discretion to approve or deny within-District transfer requests.

IV. Duration/Revocation of Permits

      A.  If approved, the student will be granted a permit which will allow them to remain at the 
           new attendance site for the remaining grades offered at that site unless the transfer permit
           is sooner revoked.

      B. Transfer permits may be revoked due to discipline or attendance problems. A
           recommendation for revocation of a transfer permit must be approved by the 
           Superintendent’s designee.

V.   Transportation

      Students permitted to transfer within the District will not be provided transportation by the    
      District to the approved attendance site (or reimbursed).

VI. Appeals

      Appeals of District decisions under this policy may be made following procedures established
      by the Superintendent. 

Approved: 6-22-2009

Download File: 503.2 - Within District Transfers