FILE: JBCC

STUDENT ASSIGNMENT

The School Board shall have authority and responsibility for the assignment, placement, transfer, and continued education of all students attending schools within its jurisdiction. Students in Livingston Parish schools shall attend school in the attendance zone in which they actually reside. Each student shall have only one residence which is determined to be the place where he/she predominantly sleeps, takes meals, and maintains personal belongings, or when legal custody has been awarded by court of law, the principal residence of the parent awarded primary or domiciliary custody, or if he/she is eighteen years old or has been emancipated by a court order, by the student's own domicile, if not specifically contrary to the provisions of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction providing for the assignment of students. However, the Board reserves the authority to assign a student living in one school district to attend school in another district, if circumstances warrant. The parent or legal guardian of a pupil may file in writing to the Board an objection to the assignment of the pupil, in which case the Board shall review the assignment and investigate the circumstances in order to render a decision. Parents or legal guardians may otherwise obtain permission for a student to attend school in a neighborhood zone when the school is less than one mile from the student's principal residence.

Legal custody is defined as the legal status created by a court order which establishes in a custodian the right to have physical custody of the child or minor. The school principal or his/her designee shall be responsible for monitoring the school enrollment list and shall immediately terminate and/or transfer an unauthorized student.

Any child temporarily residing within the district who has no permanent address or who has been abandoned by his/her parent shall be enrolled and allowed to attend school in the zone appropriate to the special circumstance of the child.

However, in no event shall a student who does not actually reside in Livingston Parish attend a school within the parish. The child of an employee may enroll his/her child in any school of Livingston Parish without creating an undue hardship in respect to overcrowding, or materially impacting the racial balance at the school.

Attendance Out of Zone

Attendance out of zone is allowable whenever a mental or physical impairment, medical condition, or other exceptional condition requires services which are unavailable at the school in the child's regular attendance zone, provided that a student requesting transfer for medical reasons and taking elective courses not offered at his/her regular school satisfies the following criteria:

A. Transfers requested for medical reasons must be verified by a physician's statement.

B. The parent or legal guardian must provide transportation.

C. The transfer must not create an overcrowded condition.

Whenever a properly enrolled student has completed three nine-week periods in a year, the student may complete the year at the same school without regard to residence in the parish.

VERIFICATION OF DOMICILE

The principal shall be responsible for monitoring school enrollment and shall have authority to remove or transfer any student attending school out of parish or out of zone. When investigating the domicile of a student, the School Board, through the principal, shall attempt to verify the primary place of residence of the legal parent or legal or provisional guardian. Such verification of domicile shall be based on such items as the following:

1. Affidavit of residence, or

2. Certified copy of any judicially ordered tutorship, custody or guardianship of any minor child student not domiciled or in the custody of their natural and/or legal parents. Verification of the physical residency of the legal custodian, tutor/tutrix or nonparent shall also be required, or

3. Any other documentation as may be stipulated by the Board.

ASSIGNMENTS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS

The Board shall require that disabled students be assigned to programs within their attendance zones, if possible. However, if an appropriate program is unavailable within a student's attendance zone, the student may be placed in a school specifically designed to provide for the appropriate needs of the student.

CLASS ASSIGNMENT

Student assignments in K through 8 will be made by the principal of the school with teacher input. The placement of a student shall be based on grades, achievement test scores, and participation in special programs and be made in accordance with the Livingston Parish Pupil Progression Plan.

Selection of courses of study in grades 9 through 12 shall be made by individual students. Assistance in planning course of study and selection of classes shall be provided by teachers, counselors, and administrators. Each student shall be furnished a schedule of classes offered and requirements for graduation. Some classes may have prerequisites for enrollment.

Ref: Dunn vs. Livingston Parish School Board, USDC Docket #3197-B; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§9:951 et seq., 13:1569, 17:81, 17:101 et seq.,17:104.1, 17:221.2; Board minutes, 6-77, 8-79, 9-79, 1-4-96.