FILE: JBCC
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
The Orleans Parish School Board shall have authority and responsibility for the assignment, placement, transfer, and continued education of all students attending schools within its jurisdiction. The School Board shall assign students to schools through the citywide common enrollment process to provide students and families the opportunity to choose a school that suits the student’s interests and needs.
DOMICILE
Each student shall have only one residence (domicile) which is determined to be the place where he/she predominantly sleeps, takes meals, and maintains personal belongings. To establish domicile in the Orleans Parish School District, a parent or legal custodian must present sufficient information which supports both that the parent, legal custodian, or caregiver is actually domiciled within Orleans Parish and that the child under his or her care, custody and/or control is actually domiciled with that parent or legal custodian.
When legal custody has been awarded by a court of law, the domicile shall be the principal residence of the parent/guardian awarded primary or domiciliary custody, or if the student is eighteen (18) 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.
Verification of Domicile
The School Board shall require verification of domicile of those students where residence is suspected to be outside Orleans Parish. When examining the domicile of a student, the School Board through the principal shall attempt to verify the domicile (primary place of residence) of the legal parent or guardian. The principal shall refer any student who is suspected to not be domiciled within Orleans Parish to the supervisor of child welfare and attendance, who shall have the authority to conduct a thorough investigation of the student’s domicile.
Documents presented as proof of residence shall bear the name and current legal address of the student’s parent/legal guardian.
LEGAL CUSTODY
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. Proof of legal or domiciliary custody, or guardianship, or judicially ordered tutorship, shall be a certified copy of the decree of the court which issued the custody order, whether the order grants temporary or permanent custody.
Legal custody shall also include cases where provisional custody of a minor student has been granted to a person of legal age by the child’s parents, or the natural tutor, or grandparents awarded custody. Provisional custody shall be verified by submitting a properly executed and notarized form attesting to the granting of provisional custody. Verification of a student’s residence in Orleans Parish may also be required in any provisional custody situation.
SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS
All students who seek to change their school assignment, or are enrolling in an Orleans Parish school for the first time shall be required to apply or enroll using the common citywide enrollment process adopted by the School Board.
GRADE 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 Pupil Progression Plan for Orleans Parish.
CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENT
Selection of courses of study in grades 9 through 12 shall be made by individual students. Assistance in planning for a student’s course of study and selection of classes shall be provided by teachers, counselors, parents, and administrators. Each student shall be furnished a schedule of classes offered and requirements for graduation. Some classes may have prerequisites for enrollment.
Parental Request
In grades kindergarten through second grade, the parent of twins, triplets, etc. (more than one child at a single birth event) may request that their children be placed initially in the same or separate classrooms if the children are in the same grade at the same school. Such a request shall be presented to the Superintendent or his/her designee no later than fourteen (14) days either after the first day of the school year or after the first day of attendance if the child enrolls after the fourteenth day of the school year. Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or School Board policy to the contrary, the request of the parent for initial placement shall be granted subject to change as set forth below.
As soon as possible after the end of the student’s first grading period, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the initial placement of the child. If the Superintendent or his/her designee, in consultation with the school principal, the child’s(ren’s) teacher(s), and the parent, determines that the initial placement of the children is disruptive to the school or is not in the best educational interests of the child(ren), the initial placement of the child shall be modified, and the child(ren) shall be placed in accordance with School Board policy otherwise applicable to the child(ren).
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§9:951, 9:952, 9:953, 9:954, 17:81, 17:104.1, 17:221.2, 17:221.4, 17:221.5
Orleans Parish School Board