- 0 - Community Forums OUSD School Admissions and Attendance Boundary Policies Spring 2008

- 1 - I. Meeting Outcomes (6:00 – 6:05) II. Core Values Exercise (6:05 – 6:30) Small groups discussion Large group reflections III. Data Presentation (6:30 – 6:45) Current OUSD Lottery Priorities Percentage of OUSD students choosing neighborhood schools (by neighborhood) Percentage of OUSD students receiving their first choice (by neighborhood) Possible policy adjustments under consideration Challenges to current OUSD Options Policies Possible impacts of policy adjustments IV.Large Group Reflections (6:45 – 7:30) Agenda Allison

- 2 - Meeting Outcomes REFLECT on what values should inform how students are assigned to schools REVIEW the details of OUSD’s current options policy LEARN how the current options policy impacts families EVALUATE possible scenarios under consideration INFORM OUSD Board Members of your opinions of any changes that should be made Allison

- 3 - Core Values Exercise: Small Group Discussion What are the most important values to consider when assigning students to schools? Allison

- 4 - Summary of Current OUSD Enrollment Priorities Students are currently assigned to schools in the following order: 1. Neighborhood siblings 2. Neighborhood students (non-siblings) 3. Non-Neighborhood Siblings 4. Students from Program Improvement neighborhoods 5. Open Lottery Mike

Options Data on Incoming Kindergarteners Juwen

- 6 - Scenarios under Consideration The Board of Education is currently evaluating the following possible scenarios for FALL Neighborhood as first priority (current scenario) 2. Siblings receive first priority 3. Families receive equal first priority for all schools within the middle school attendance boundary For example, students living in the Glenview attendance area would have equal first priority for all the schools in the Bret Harte attendance area: Bella Vista, Cleveland, Crocker Highlands, Emerson, and Glenview 4. 10% of seats at every school are reserved for students from Program Improvement neighborhoods 5. Families receive equal first priority for all schools within the middle school attendance boundary AND 10% of seats at every school are reserved for students from Program Improvement neighborhoods * NOTE: Under all of these scenarios, families would still indicate their priorities through the options process. These scenarios would only be used to determine where students were assigned when more students requested a school than there were spaces available Juwen

- 7 - Challenges to Current OUSD Options Policy Policy Intent: Provide access to neighborhood schools while allowing for choice across the district Challenges to Policy: Overcrowded Neighborhoods: There are not enough spaces in kindergarten to accommodate all of the residents who are interested in attending the school. As a result, neighborhood some families need to be re-directed to other schools Neighborhoods with Mobility: Often families move from one neighborhood to another while their children are in school. As a result, siblings may be separated into different schools because the family no longer has first priority at the initial schools Neighborhoods with Multiple Schools in Attendance Area: Some neighborhoods have multiple schools within the same attendance area. Families are guaranteed priority for one of their neighborhood schools but this may not necessarily be the school which is their first choice within the attendance area Based on current trends of where students live and where they are choosing to go to school, challenges with the current OUSD options policy are felt most noticeably at the elementary school level

- 8 - Policy Implications for Scenarios Under Consideration Scenario 2 Siblings First Scenario 3 Middle school boundary Scenario 4 10% Seats Reserved for PI Scenario 5 Middle School Boundary & 10% Seats for PI Policy Intent Keep families togetherProvide access to a neighborhood school within a larger radius while relieving some overcrowding Provide more equitable access for students from Program Improvement neighborhoods Provide more equitable access for students from Program Improvement neighborhoods while relieving some overcrowding Challenges to Policy Some neighborhood students may be re-directed if there is not enough room for non-neighborhood siblings and neighborhood students Siblings may be attending different schools within the same middle school boundary A certain number of neighborhood students may be re-directed to the next closest school Students may be assigned to a school further away from their current neighborhood school Siblings could potentially attend different schools within the same middle school boundary

- 9 - Reflections on the Data What reflections do you have on the data shared? What (if any) changes do you recommend that the Board of Education makes to the current enrollment and attendance boundary policies? Juwen

Appendix

OUSD Administrative Regulation: School Attendance Boundaries (AR 5116) AR School Attendance Boundaries Students The Governing Board shall regularly review school attendance boundaries, taking into account school capacities and enrollment data, geographic features, student safety and transportation, racial and ethnic balance, educational programs, and community input. (cf Intradistrict Open Enrollment) The Superintendent or designee may place some students in a school outside of their attendance area in order to alleviate overcrowding. The Superintendent or designee places students into a nearby school taking into account space, proximity to the residence and parent preference. Pursuant to district policy, all students have priority to attend their neighborhood school. Pre-K, 5th grade and 8th Grade families must participate in the Intradistrict Open Enrollment process by completing an application listing their neighborhood school within the Intradistrict Open Enrollment window. Upon assignment, they must confirm their enrollment by the May confirmation date or forfeit their enrollment. Priority is given first to neighborhood siblings, then other neighborhood students. While it is our intention that students will be able to attend their neighborhood school if desired, it is possible that neighborhood applicants exceed the seat capacity of the neighborhood school. If families apply during the Intradistrict Open Enrollment window, neighborhood siblings will receive first priority, then other neighborhood students, then outside neighborhood siblings, then PI status, and then lottery. When a neighborhood site is filled, students will be redirected to a nearby school or to their next preference on the application if space is available. After the Intradistrict Open Enrollment window, parents/guardians may appeal if their student does not receive a school they applied for. Students who have appealed to enter their neighborhood school will be placed on the waitlist for that neighborhood school. The Student Assignment and Bilingual Testing Office will make assignments from the waitlist as space becomes available through the first three weeks of school. Afterwards, requests must be made as Intradistrict transfers for the current year. When boundaries are changed, the Superintendent or designee will make every effort to keep siblings together, therefore "grandfathering" the neighborhood sibling priority for one year. If a redirection must occur due to space availability, families who appeal will be placed on the waitlist for that neighborhood school. The Student Assignment and Bilingual Testing office will make assignments from the waitlist as space becomes available.

OUSD Administrative Regulation: Open Enrollment (AR ) The Governing Board desires to provide enrollment options that meet the diverse needs and interests of district students. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for the selection and transfer of students among district schools in accordance with law, Board policy and administrative regulation. The parents/guardians of any student who resides within district boundaries may apply to enroll their child in any district school, regardless of the location of residence within the district. (Education Code ) The Board shall annually review this policy. (Education Code , 48980) Enrollment Priorities Priority for attendance outside a student's attendance area shall be given as follows: 1. If a district school receiving Title I funds is identified for program improvement, corrective action or restructuring, all students enrolled in that school shall be provided an option to transfer to another district school. (20 USC 6316) 2. Beginning in the school year, if while on school grounds a student becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, as defined by the State Board of Education, or attends a school designated by the California Department of Education as persistently dangerous, he/she shall be provided an option to transfer to another district school. (20 USC 7912) 5 CCR Priority shall be given to siblings of students already in attendance in that school. 4. Priority shall be given to students living in attendance areas where all of their attendance area educational options are identified for program improvement, corrective action or restructuring. For all other applications for enrollment outside a school's attendance area, the Superintendent or designee shall use a random, unbiased selection process to determine who shall be admitted whenever a school receives admission requests that are in excess of the school's capacity. (Education Code ) Enrollment decisions shall not be based on a student's academic or athletic performance, except that existing entrance criteria for specialized schools or programs may be used provided that the criteria are uniformly applied to all applicants. Academic performance may be used to determine eligibility for, or placement in, programs for gifted and talented students. (Education Code ) No student currently residing within a school's attendance area shall be displaced by another student transferring from outside the attendance area. (Education Code ) Enrollment Priorities - Exception - School Year For the school year, all families within any District overcrowded attendance area not placed at their home school will be redirected through the District Open Enrollment process to their next closest neighborhood school. (Board Resolution , 12/19/2007) Transportation Except as required by 20 USC 6316, for transfers out of Title I program improvement schools, the district shall not be obligated to provide transportation for students who attend school outside their attendance area. However, upon request, the Superintendent or designee may authorize transportation contingent upon available space and funds. Priority for any such transportation shall be based on demonstrated financial need.