Description

Students approved for transfer are expected to commit to at least an entire school year.   Students on transfer also maintain the right to attend their neighborhood school.

Required Validation

Students on transfer may return to their neighborhood school after submitting a transfer petition request and explaining the reason for transfer to their transfer school administrator.

• Return to neighborhood petition requests are guaranteed, but may be held until a quarter or semester break to ensure students have the best opportunity to gain credits.

Description

Transfer guarantees approved by the PPS Board of Directors

Required Validation

• Students who attend ACCESS Academy in 8th grade have a guaranteed seat at Grant HS with an on-time request made during the HS transfer cycle
• Students who live in the Bridger neighborhood have a guaranteed seat at Harrison Park MS.
   

PPS policy prioritizes sibling transfers, however, space must be available at the requested school.

Description

Co-enrolled siblings are students who 

• share at least one parent, 
• live together in the same household at least part of the time, as per address information in the Student Information System and 
• will both be enrolled together at the same school if the transfer is approved. 

Students who will both be new to a school without having a current sibling enrolled are not eligible for co-enrolled sibling preference. 

Required Validation

• Families should provide the name, grade and PPS ID number of the sibling as part of their transfer application. 

Description

Peer conflict is not uncommon and usually resolvable, so is rarely a valid reason for transfer.  Peer conflict is not a reason for transfer when

• Concerns have not been shared with or verified by the current school
• Concerns preceded the student’s current school experience by 2 years or more, unless there is evidence of exceptional conflict (such as law enforcement records or trespass notices)

Required Validation

• Input from the student’s current school confirming that the stated peers have had an exceptional negative impact, preventing the student from fully and regularly participating in school 
• If transfer is for the next school year, verification that the named peers will attend the current or forecast school

Continue to the next school level with students from a student’s current or prior school.

Description

Peer group changes are a normal part of school transitions when families move, transfers end and student interests change.  Additionally, some schools have Board- approved boundaries that necessitate peer separation at the next level.  

Generally, peer-based transfers will not be approved without evidence of exceptional family hardship circumstances and/or extraordinary student need. 

Required Validation

• Evidence that the student/family are experiencing an exceptional challenge, such as serious and unusual health issues or unstable housing (not required for transfers from elementary to middle schools)
• Confirmation that the stated peers will attend the requested school
• Confirmation from the student’s current school that the stated peers have provided significant support to the student and will increase the likelihood of the student fully and regularly participating in school

All PPS schools meet district standards for course offerings.  However, specific course offerings will vary based upon student interest, school feeder patterns and resource allocations. Examples include International Baccalaureate, foreign language, performing arts

Description

As some programming variability is expected, program difference or general program interest are not acceptable reasons for transfer.  Other reasons that will not be accepted as sole valid transfer reasons include:

• Program continuity outside of pathways already approved by the PPS Board of Education
• Access to foreign language classes based on general interest or past family experience, other than the formal transfer process in place for dual language immersion programs

Required Validation

At least two of the following

• Evidence provided by the family (ideally confirmed by the student’s current school) that the student/family are experiencing an exceptional challenge, such as serious and unusual health issues or  unstable housing
• Prior experience in the program (example, transfer from similar program)
• Input from the student’s current school confirming that program participation has or is likely to impact the student’s likelihood of fully and regularly participating in school

A transfer to improve a serious and unusual circumstance that presents a potential health or safety risk to the student.

Description

Families must make a good-faith effort to work with the current school (or forecast school, if for a future transfer) to improve the situation.  

Letters from medical professionals recommending a school change are not sufficient to verify a student hardship without additional corroboration from the current or forecast school.

Required Validation

• Input from the student’s current school confirming the serious and unusual circumstance persists despite significant efforts to improve the situation.

Description

Attend a different school due to proximity to home, childcare, parent’s work, medical facilities, or sibling’s school.
While it is reasonable to seek transit routes that are more efficient and convenient, boundary lines keep many residents from attending their closest school.  

• Transfer requests to attend a closer school or one that has a preferred bike or transit route cannot be granted unless there is evidence of unusual and highly impactful student or family circumstances.  
• Requests to attend a different school in order to be closer to a sibling’s childcare or preschool is generally not a sufficient reason for transfer, unless there is additional evidence of significant family hardship.
• Common childhood health conditions including generalized anxiety, depression, ADD and ADHD are serious issues that should be addressed with your student’s school team. However, by themselves these typical conditions are not sufficient reasons for transfer to a different school.

Required Validation

Depending on the transfer reason, families should be prepared to provide the following:

• Evidence of significant and unusual health needs that impact mobility or require a high level of access to medical facilities and support networks, including childcare for siblings.
• Evidence of financial need or instability that limits a family’s transportation and/or childcare options
• Evidence of safety issues that have directly impacted the student or family
• Documentation of appointments, work schedules or other factors that illustrate exceptional need for access to medical or other support facilities