Students Procedure 3112P: Elementary Student Assignment

Grade level teams (includes students’ current grade level teachers; may include Title I or Special Education staff, school counselors, and specialists) will assist the building principal in the spring to develop class lists for the following year.

General Placement Criteria:
Students will be assigned to classrooms based on the following criteria:

1. Student’s strengths, the style in which they learn best (learning environment), i.e. teaching style, individual learning style, and specific characteristics of each student.
2. Balance in each class by gender, ethnicity, academic ability, social and emotional maturity, and special needs.
3. Equalization of class sizes.
4. Separation of specific students.
5. Parental Input for Student Assignment form, along with questionnaire and/or Spring Conference.

Considerations:
Parents are invited to discuss placement concerns with their child’s current teacher before classes are formed for the next school year via the Parental Input Form, a student questionnaire, and/or a Spring Conference. It needs to be noted, however, that whether a conference or questionnaire is completed, ALL students’ placement will be given the SAME CARE.

Parents/guardians may request that a child be placed in a particular environment (teaching style, teacher gender, with a particular teacher or not with a particular teacher, etc.) with the understanding that a requested teacher may not be assigned.

Other factors that may be considered may include:

1. Students with professionally documented academic, emotional, or behavioral need(s).
2. Students with significant educational needs as identified by the parent or guardian. Parents or guardians may apply for special considerations using the Parental Input for Student Assignment form included in this procedure.

The final decision on all placement rests with the principal based on the recommendation of parent/guardian input, current grade level teaching team (all teachers at that grade level), and, when needed, the buildings’ Student Assistant Team. The Team may include Title I Special Education Staff, school counselors, nurse, therapists, psychologists, and outside consultants.

Cutoff Dates for Considerations:
May 1 for students enrolled on or before that date. Students enrolled after May 1 will receive the same general and special considerations given all other students for class assignment.

Kindergarten:
In addition to the General Placement Criteria and Considerations, parents may request either AM or PM kindergarten at the time of their enrollment. Efforts will be made to accommodate working parents.

ADOPTED: May 16, 1991
REVISED: July 26, 1999
REVISED: October 28, 2002
REVISED: May 23, 2005