Consideration of Board Policy JEE, Student Transfers Background: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Montgomery County Board of Education September 12, 2019 Consideration of Board Policy JEE, Student Transfers

Background: New business item regarding Board Policy JEE, Student Transfers , put forward by Mrs. Jeanette Dixon, Board member, on June 25, 2018, and adopted unanimously by Board Resolution No. 368-18, on July 17, 2018 • Policy Management Committee directed to consider issues related to student transfers • Policy Management Committee identified topics, and framing questions, for further discussion by the Board • Following presentation on June 12, 2019, the Policy Management Committee provided guidance on academic transfers and requested further consideration of unique hardship and transfers for children of staff, to be presented today 2

Policy Management Committee 2 topics for further discussion by the Board: • Criteria for COSAs based on child care, social and emotional issues, and medical concerns; and, • Granting COSAs based on parent employment status with MCPS 3

Unique Hardship Decisions 4

Unique Hardship • Policy JEE • A student may apply for a COSA when a documented unique hardship is shown. • Regulation JEE-RA • A COSA may be requested when a family’s individual and personal situation creates a unique hardship that could be mitigated by a change of school environment. • However, problems that are common to large numbers of families (e.g., child care issues or program/course preferences) do not constitute a unique hardship, absent other compelling factors. 5

Case-by-Case Analysis of Compelling Factors • Determining what constitutes a unique hardship typically requires a case-by-base analysis. • While the family may request a specific school, the case-by-case analysis may find that other schools could also address the unique hardship, and such alternatives may be offered. 6

Framing Questions • Would more specificity in Board Policy JEE regarding permitted reasons for COSAs lead to greater equity and/or more efficiency in COSA decision making process? • What unintended consequences could arise from modifying COSA criteria to include greater specificity? 7

Unique Hardship Decisions Based on Child Care Concerns 8

Example of MCPS COSA Granted for Childcare Needs • Parents provide documentation of work hours that extend beyond typical school-based before- after-care program hours. • Grandparent or friend documents that they often care for the child while parent is working those extended hours. 9

Baltimore County Public Schools Rule 5140: Enrollment and Attendance Child Care a. The parent of an elementary school student demonstrates hardship in obtaining appropriate full-time before- and/or after-school supervision of the student within the boundaries of the school where the child is domiciled. The parent shall provide documentation concerning the child care provider, including the provider’s name, address and telephone number. b. A student is severely or profoundly disabled and the parent provides documentation of child care, and after consultation with the appropriate offices including, but not limited to, the Offices of Special Education, Health Services and Transportation. c. Special permission transfers for reasons of child care will be denied if the requested school is overcrowded. 10

Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation 2230.44: Special Services: Admissions, Residency, and Attendance; Student Transfer Process Child Care Hardship (K-6) Parents or guardians which demonstrate hardship in obtaining appropriate full-time before- and/or after-school child care within the base school boundaries, may submit a transfer application. Requests must be made to the school within the boundary of the child care address and a minimum of two documented attempts to secure child care within the base school boundary will be required. If the requested school is closed to student transfers, the next closest school open to student transfers will be recommended. 11

Discussion 12

Unique Hardship Decisions Based on Social and Emotional Issues, and Medical Concerns 13

Example of MCPS COSAs Granted for Hardship • Social/Emotional • Parents provide documentation of ongoing therapy/mental health issues and school verifies that student had bad experience there with other students and strongly advises new placement. • Medical — • Student has significant health issue requiring unique care/frequent medical appointments far from home school and parent’s work location. 14

Howard County Public Schools Policy 9000: Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment Administrative Placement The Superintendent/Designee may administratively place a student in a school other than the assigned/designated school when there is concern for the physical, mental, or emotional well-being or educational welfare of the student, other students, or school system personnel. Transportation may be provided by HCPSS. 15

Baltimore County Public Schools Rule 5140: Enrollment and Attendance Medical/Student Adjustment A special permission transfer may be approved for medical/social adjustment under the following conditions: 1. The student demonstrates exceptional hardship for reasons of medical, emotional or social adjustment. a. Independent, detailed documentation substantiating the circumstances (e.g., from physicians, psychologists, social workers or counselors) is required and must be attached to the Application for Special Permission Transfer for Medical/Student Adjustment. (Rule 5140, Form B) … 4. Overcrowded conditions and boundary changes will not preclude approval under this subparagraph. 16

Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation 2230.44: Special Services: Admissions, Residency, and Attendance; Student Transfer Process Medical, Emotional, or Social Adjustment For students who demonstrate exceptional hardship for reasons of medical, emotional, or social adjustment, parents or guardians may submit an online student transfer application at https://www.fcps.edu/registration/student-transfers. Detailed documentation defining how a school transfer supports the student’s treatment plan is required from a current independent (non-FCPS) licensed healthcare provider. These include physicians, psychologists, social workers, or counselors. A Student Transfer Request Form – Medical, Emotional, or Social Adjustment, (https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/se328.pdf),SS/SE-328, must be completed by the parent or guardian (Part I) and by one or more healthcare providers (Part II). The signed, original document must be submitted to the base school for student transfer consideration. This form is required and must be completed annually. All information must be completed in its entirety and is subject to review and verification by FCPS. 17

Discussion of Benchmarked Language • Would it be helpful to add language to Policy JEE to describe the current practice of accepting documentation from school administrators, school counselors, and school psychologists who are available to all students? • Could a requirement to obtain documentation from certain professionals create an equity concern for families who may not have the means to obtain professional documentation? • Does the Board want to retain the ability to approve COSAs for unique hardship for medical, emotional or social adjustment, regardless of capacity? 18

Discussion 19

Consideration of Parental Employment Status with MCPS 20

Framing Questions • Does granting student transfers based on parents’ employment status with MCPS serve an educational purpose? • To what extent might consideration of parents’ employment status impact MCPS employees’ decisions as transfer to particular positions or work sites? Would there be any unintended consequences? • Could high school teachers obtain a transfer for their child to attend an elementary or middle school within the high school cluster, or vice versa? • Would these types of transfers apply only to school-based staff or also to non-school-based staff who seek to have their children attend a school nearby their work location? 21

Framing Questions (cont.) • Is there a fairness issue with respect to other parents who do not work for MCPS but want their children to attend school near their workplace? • Would an approved COSA to the school where the parent is employed automatically assure a student’s continuation through the articulation pattern for that school? • How would consideration of parents’ employment status impact school and cluster capacity? • Are there ways to use Policy JEE to create an incentive to encourage staff to work at Title I schools or other targeted programs? 22

Discussion 23

State Board Action: “ Best Interest of the Student” 24