DAR File No. 38185

Education, Administration

Rule R277-437

Student Enrollment Options

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 38185
Filed: 12/16/2013 01:38:13 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This rule is amended to update rule language and make wording changes.

Summary of the rule or change:

Minor language and wording changes are made throughout the rule.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 53A-2-206.5
• Subsection 53A-1-402(1)(b)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to the state budget. Minor wording and language changes do not result in a cost or savings.

local governments:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to local government. The minor wording and language changes do not result in a cost or savings.

small businesses:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to small businesses. This rule and the amendments to the rule apply to public education and do not affect businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

There is no anticipated cost or savings to persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities. The minor wording and language changes do not result in a cost or savings.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons. There is no associated compliance requirement because of the minor wording and language changes.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

I have reviewed this rule and I see no fiscal impact on businesses.

Martell Menlove, State Superintendent

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Carol Lear at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7835, by FAX at 801-538-7768, or by Internet E-mail at carol.lear@schools.utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

01/31/2014

This rule may become effective on:

02/07/2014

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-437. Student Enrollment Options.

R277-437-1. Definitions.

A. "Available school or program" means a school or program currently designated under the law and this rule by a district as open to nonresident students.

B. "Board" means the Utah State Board of Education.

C. "District of residence" means a student's school district of residence under Section 53A-2-201.

D. "Nonresident student" means a student attending or seeking to attend a school other than the designated school of residence.

E. "Residual per student expenditure" means the expenditure based on the most recent State Superintendent's Annual Report according to the following formula:

(1) Take total expenditures before interfund transfer for:

(a) maintenance and operation;

(b) tort liability; and

(c) capital projects.

(2) Subtract from the sum of (1), above:

(a) resident district's taxes collected under the Minimum School Program;

(b) state revenue;

(c) federal revenue; and

(d) expenditures for site acquisition or new facility construction (new facility construction includes remodeling that increases building square footage or other major remodeling, if approved by the USOE Director of Finance).

(3) Divide the remainder of (1) and (2) above by the total student membership of the district as reported in the most recent State Superintendent's Annual Report.

F. "Safety emergency" means a situation in which:

(1) enrollment in a specific school is necessary to protect the health of the student as determined by a specific medical recommendation from a medical doctor; or

(2) enrollment in a specific school is necessary to protect the emotional or physical safety of a student, based on documentation/evidence provided by the student's previous school, the parent(s)/guardian(s), a clinical psychologist who is tracking the student, or cumulative information.

G. "School of residence" means the school which a student would normally attend in the student's district of residence.

H. "School into which the school's students feed" for purposes of this rule means school boundaries and feeder systems as determined by the local board of education which may change over time.

I. "Serious infraction of the law or school rules" means chronic misbehavior by a student which is likely, if it were to continue after the student was admitted, to endanger persons or property, cause serious disruptions in the school, or to place unreasonable burdens on school staff.

J. "USOE" means the Utah State Office of Education.

 

R277-437-2. Authority and Purpose.

A. This rule is authorized by Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3 which places general control and supervision of the public school system under the Board, by 53A-1-402(1)(b) which directs the Board to establish rules and minimum standards for access to programs and by 53A-2-210 which directs the Board to provide a formula by rule for resident students who attend school districts under Section 53A-2-206.5 et seq. This rule is consistent with federal laws and regulations, including the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C., Chapter 33, Section 1412 as amended by Public Law 102-119, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001 (ESEA), P.L. 107-110.

B. The purpose of this rule is:

(1) to establish necessary definitions;

(2) to establish a formula for the residual per pupil expenditure for school districts to reimburse each other for full and part-time nonresident students;

(3) to summarize school, school district, and state responsibilities under Section 53A-2-206.5; and

(4) to provide a standard statewide open enrollment form required under Section 53A-2-207(4)(b).

 

R277-437-3. Local School Board and District Responsibilities.

A. [Prior to September 30, 2008, a]A local board shall [announce]have policies describing procedures for students to follow in applying to attend schools other than their respective schools of residence. Local school boards shall designate which schools and programs will be available for open enrollment during the coming school year consistent with the definitions and timelines of Section 53A-2-206.5 et seq.

B. The school district shall adjust timelines for open enrollment applications if the district is developing a district-wide reconfiguration of its schools consistent with Section 53A-2-206.5(1).

C. A school district may establish longer or broader timelines for enrollment than required by law.

D. If construction, remodeling, or other circumstances beyond the control of the local board do not reasonably permit the local board to make sufficiently accurate enrollment projections for a given school to determine whether the school should be designated as available for open enrollment for the coming year, the local board shall designate delays and procedures consistent with Section 53A-2-207(4)(c).

E. As required under Subsection 53A-2-210(2), a resident district shall pay to a nonresident district one-half of the resident district's residual per student expenditure for each resident student properly registered in the nonresident district.

F. Each local board shall establish a procedure to consider appeals of any denial of initial or continued enrollment of a nonresident student under Subsection 53A-2-209(1).

G. A local board of education may deny enrollment of nonresident students for reasons identified in R277-437-1I.

H. [There shall be no presumption of]This rule does not govern eligibility for students to participate in activities [governed]supervised by the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) if students transfer under Section 53A-2-206.5.

 

R277-437-4. State Board of Education Responsibilities.

A. Capacity for special education classrooms shall:

(1) be consistent with Utah Special Education Caseload Guidelines; and

(2) depend on staffing and funding constraints of the receiving school district.

B. A model standard enrollment options application form shall be available on the USOE website[ by May 15, 2008].

 

R277-437-5. Transportation.

A school district may transport its students to schools in other districts under Subsection 53A-2-210(3)(b)(i).

 

KEY: public education, enrollment options

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [ July 9, 2012 ] 2014

Notice of Continuation: December 16, 2013

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-1-401(1)(b); 53A-2-210; 53A-2-206.5 et seq.