FILE: JBCC
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
The Franklin 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 generally require a student to attend the appropriate school as determined by the domicile of the parent or legal guardian, unless the School Board assigns the student to another school.
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 Franklin 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 the Franklin Parish School Board jurisdictional school boundaries, and confirm 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.
Proof of Domicile
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.
Documents presented as proof of residence must bear the name and current legal address of the student’s parent/legal guardian. A minimum of two (2) of the following acceptable documents must be included:
lease agreement;
current utility bill or deposit;
copy of an agreement to purchase or an act of sale for a completed dwelling;
copy of an agreement to purchase or an act of sale for a residential lot entered into by the parent/legal guardian of the child, and a notarized statement from a contractor indicating the anticipated date of completion of a dwelling on the lot (said completion date not to exceed sixty (60) calendar days);
legal document issued by or approved by the Civil District Court for the Parish of Franklin giving control and custody to the adult(s) if other than the student’s legal parent(s) with whom the student resides, if the student is sixteen (16) years of age or under;
legal document verifying student’s emancipation and/or legal proof of residence as required;
legal document issued by or approved by the U.S. Office of Immigration and Naturalization;
any combination of the above if requested by the principal.
If none of these documents can be provided, the school principal shall give the parent/legal guardian or student(s) fifteen (15) school days to produce an acceptable document to prove residence.
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. The school principal or his/her designee shall be responsible for monitoring the school enrollment list and shall immediately refer to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance the determination of proper school assignment.
SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS
The School Board shall require a student to attend the appropriate school located in the attendance zone in which the student’s domicile is located.
The School 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 student may file in writing to the School Board an objection to the assignment of the student, in which case the School Board shall review the assignment and investigate the circumstances in order to render a decision. However, no decision of the School Board in response to an objection to the assignment of the student shall conflict with the student assignment provisions of any court-ordered judgment.
Any child temporarily residing within the district who has no permanent address, or who has been abandoned by his/her parent, or who is in foster care, shall be enrolled and allowed to attend school in the zone appropriate to the special circumstance of the child. Surrogate parents may be appointed when appropriate for special needs students.
CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES OF FRANKLIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
The child of an employee of the Franklin Parish School Board who resides in Franklin Parish School Board jurisdictional boundaries may be granted permission to enroll in the school where the parent is employed. Permission shall be granted in accordance with the procedure outlined for granting transfers.
ATTENDANCE OUT OF ZONE
Attendance out of zone may be allowed 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 (see policy JBCD, Student Transfer and Withdrawal), provided that a student requesting transfer for medical reasons and taking elective courses not offered at his/her regular school satisfies the following criteria:
Transfers requested for medical reasons must be verified by a physician's statement.
The parent or legal guardian must provide transportation.
The transfer must not create an overcrowded condition.
ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES
Unless the Individualized Education Program (IEP) of a student with an exceptionality, except a gifted and talented student, requires some other arrangement, the School Board shall require the student with such an exceptionality to be educated in the school that the student would attend if he/she did not have an exceptionality. However, if the educational needs of the student cannot be achieved satisfactorily in a regular class setting, the student may be placed in an educational environment designed to meet the appropriate needs of the student, as determined by the IEP committee.
However, a student with an exceptionality, except a gifted and talented student, shall be assigned to a school as requested by the parent, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:1944, if all the following conditions are met:
The parent submits a written request to the School Board responsible for the student and the respective School Board having jurisdiction over the school being requested, by not later than April first of the school year preceding the school year for which the parent is requesting the school assignment. The request shall include a recommendation from at least two (2) licensed physicians who have treated the student during the year prior to the submission of the request.
The School Board responsible for the student and the respective School Board having jurisdiction over the school being requested by the parent enter into an agreement for the assignment of the student to the requested school.
The requested school is located at least ten (10) miles from the school to which the student is assigned, in accordance with applicable school attendance zone requirements.
The requested school is located at least fifteen (15) miles from the student’s home.
The requested school is not located in a public school district in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the public schools in the district are charter schools and fifty percent (50%) or more of the public schools in the district participate in a single application and enrollment process for public school enrollment.
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 Franklin Parish.
CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENT
High School
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.
Multiple Siblings
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 further review.
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).
Teachers with Felony Convictions
At the request of a student’s parent or legal guardian, a student shall be removed from the class of any teacher who has a felony conviction and placed in another class.
Revised: December, 2016
Revised: February 4, 2019
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§9:951, 9:952, 9:953, 9:954, 17:15, 17:81, 17:104.1, 17:221.2, 17:221.4, 17:221.5, 17:238, 17:1944
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 6-1-15, 3-6-17, 2-4-19
Franklin Parish School Board