Policy 3110

A. Age of Admission

Attending the schools of the district shall be recognized as a right and responsibility for those who meet the requirements prescribed by law. Every resident of the district who satisfies the minimum entry age requirement and is less than 21 years of age has the right to attend the district’s schools until he/she completes high school graduation requirements. Children of age 8 and less than age 18 are required by law to attend a public school, an approved private school or educational center, unless they are receiving approved home-based instruction. Under certain circumstances children who are at least 16 and less than 18 years of age may be excused from further attendance at school. The superintendent shall exercise his/her authority to grant exceptions when he/she determines that the student:

1. Is lawfully and regularly employed, and

2. Has permission of a parent, or,

3. Is emancipated pursuant to Chapter 13.64 RCW; or

4. Is subject to one of the other exceptions to compulsory attendance.

A resident student who has been granted an exception retains the right to enroll as a part-time student and shall be entitled to take any course, receive any ancillary services and take or receive any combination of courses and ancillary services which is offered by a public school to full-time students.

B. Entrance Qualifications

To be admitted to a kindergarten program which commences in the fall of the year a child must be not less than 5 years of age prior to September l of that school year. To be admitted to a first grade program which commences in the fall of the year a child must be not less than 6 years of age prior to September l of that school year. Any student not otherwise eligible for entry to the first grade who has successfully completed a state-approved, public or private, kindergarten program of 450 or more hours including instruction in the essential academic learning requirements and other subjects that the district determines are appropriate shall be permitted entry into the first-grade program. If necessary, the student may be placed in a temporary classroom assignment for the purposes of evaluation prior to making a final determination of the student’s appropriate placement. Such determination shall be made no later than the 30th calendar day following the student’s first day of attendance.

Exemptions

Special exemptions may be made for younger pupils who appear to be sufficiently advanced to succeed in the educational program. The superintendent shall identify screening processes and instruments that shall provide reliable estimates of these skills and abilities, develop procedures for implementing this policy and establish fees to cover expenses incurred in the administration of preadmission screening processes. The district shall provide a fee waiver or a reduction in fees for low income students whose parents are unable to pay the full cost of preadmission screening.

C. Admission of Students Aged Twenty-One or Older

A student aged 21 or older may enroll in a school in the district under the following conditions:

1. There is available space in the school and program which the student shall attend;

2. Tuition is prepaid;

3. The student provides his/her own transportation;

4. The student resides in the state of Washington; and

5. In the judgment of the superintendent, no adult education program is available at reasonable costs and the district’s program is appropriate to the needs of the student.

D. Placement of Students on Admission

The decision of where to place a student seeking admission to the district rests with the principal. Generally students meeting the age of admission requirements or transferring from a public or approved private school shall be placed in kindergarten or first grade, or the grade from which they transferred. The principal shall evaluate the educational record and assessments of all other students to determine their appropriate placement. A temporary classroom assignment may be made for no more than thirty calendar days for the purpose of evaluation prior to making the final placement decision.

Cross References:
Board Policy 2080 Comprehensive Student Assessment System
Board Policy 2121 Substance Abuse Program
Board Policy 2140 Guidance and Counseling
Board Policy 2108 Remediation Programs
Board Policy 3114 Part-time, Home-based, or Off-campus Students
Board Policy 3121 Compulsory Attendance Board Policy 3122 Excused and Unexcused Absences
Board Policy 4220 Complaints Concerning Staff or Program

Legal References:
RCW 28A.225.010 Attendance mandatory — Age — Person having custody shall cause child to attend public school — When excused
RCW 28A.225.020 School’s duties upon juvenile’s failure to attend school
RCW 28A.225.160 Attendance age eligibility
RCW 28A.225.220 Adults, children from other districts, agreements for attending school — Tuition
WAC 180-39 Uniform Entry Qualifications
WAC 392-134-010 Attendance rights of part-time public school students
WAC 392-137 District policies — Procedure and criteria for release of resident students and admission of nonresident students

Management Resource:
Policy News, April 2006 Entrance to School Policy Changes
Policy News, August 1999 Districts may set K-screening fees

 

 

La Center School District Adoption Date: March 27th, 2007