Q: Are students who are currently attending a school with an approved transfer required to apply for open enrollment? A: No. Students with a current approval remain at their current school until they complete the last grade of the school. Parents of these students are not required to submit any paperwork.
Q: If a student with a current approval has unsatisfactory attendance, conduct and/or grades can the principal of the current school revoke the transfer? A: No. The Curriculum and Instruction Division must approve any revocations. The decision to revoke an existing transfer will depend on the documentation provided by the principal. Documentation should include strategies and communication efforts that have been implemented/attempted to correct the unsatisfactory conditions.
Q: How can school-based staff apply to get their dependents to attend the same school to which the parent is assigned? A: During the month of March, school-based staff should apply through the Open Enrollment process if the requested school is included in Open Enrollment. If the school is not included in Open Enrollment, school-based staff should request the Dependent Transfer Application. Applications should be submitted during the month of March for the following school year. However, every effort will be made to work with staff that may be transferred over the summer. Approval will be based on space being available at the requested school. Requests will not be approved if it appears an additional teacher and/or portable classroom may be required as a result of approving the request.
Q: Is there a priority preference in the Open Enrollment process? A: Yes. Here is the order of priority which will be followed:
Students already enrolled at the school
Dependents of staff at the requested school
Dependents of staff within the cluster
Younger siblings entering the lowest grade of the requested school
Students from a feeder school
All others
Q: If a student is on "special transfer" this year, and they have a sibling who would like to attend the same school NEXT year, what are the family's options to make this happen? A: The family should apply for an open enrollment transfer.
Q: What if the younger sibling’s requested school is not an open enrollment school? A: The Open Enrollment application includes this option. Simply complete the appropriate section of the application. Approval will be considered on a space available basis.
Q: Will Continuity Transfers still be available? A: Yes. These transfers will remain available throughout the school year for students who move during the year, but remain in Davidson County. Students who move out-of-county must contact the Student Assignment Office to request a continuation in the same school.
Q: What happens after March 31? Can parents still request an out-of-zone school for their child/children? A: Open Enrollment ends on March 31. Parents who think they want their child/children to attend an out-of-zone school must apply during March.
Q: How will families be notified if their request has been approved? A: All MNPS students except current seniors in high school will receive a letter by the end of April. This letter will tell parents to which school their child/children have been assigned for next year. Parents will then be given a 2 week window to let us know if our information is incorrect. Wherever possible, we will attempt to honor the parent responses. Space availability at the requested school will be the determining factor. This is the last chance parents will have to request an out-of-zone school.
Q: What if a family experiences an emergency event or family circumstances change over the summer or during the school year which may suggest a transfer to another school is in the best interest of the child and the family? A: If the family emergency involves homeless issues, MNPS will follow federal law in terms of school attendance. In such cases, schools should contact the office of the Homeless Liaison. If the family emergency does not involve homeless issues, the parent may apply for an Emergency Hardship Transfer. According to policy, “a request to transfer schools after the open enrollment deadline must be due to an extraordinary, unforeseen event or situation which occurred after the deadline. An extraordinary or unforeseen event/situation is defined as an event or situation that is totally unexpected and sudden requiring a significant change in the daily life of a family.” The parent is required to submit a completed Emergency Hardship Transfer application along with documentation verifying the emergency request. All emergency transfer requests are subject to space being available at the requested school. If space is not available at the requested school, alternate schools will be explored.
Q: Is school bus transportation provided to students approved for Open Enrollment? A: No. Parents of students approved for Open Enrollment are responsible for arranging transportation to and from school. However, this could include a school bus if the parent obtains official approval from the Transportation Department and the principal of the requested school. School bus routes will not be altered in these special situations. For more information on obtaining special bus riding permission, contact the Transportation Department.
Q: What happens if an approved open enrollment student withdraws from school, and then later wants to return to the approved school? A: Once a student withdraws from an approved open enrollment school, or if the student fails to enroll in the approved school, the approval is voided. An exiting student may not return. This is consistent with NCLB choice and magnet/lottery students.
Q: What is the policy for when a parent changes his/her mind about the child attending an approved out-of-zone school? Can the parent withdraw the child and enroll in another school after school begins? A: The parent can withdraw the child from the approved school and enroll him/her in the zoned school. However, there will be no other requests allowed to an out-of-zone school during that school year, except where a documented emergency exists.
Q: Can a student be approved to more than one out-of-zone school at a time? A: No.
Q: What if a magnet/lottery student is approved for an open enrollment school? A: The student will be withdrawn from the magnet/lottery seat and lose his/her seat.
Q: Will a student on a magnet/lottery school wait list be removed if he/she accepts and Open Enrollment school? A: No. The student will remain on the wait list. If his/her number on the wait list comes up, MNPS will contact the parent to allow him/her to choose the desired school. Again, students can only be approved to one out-of-zone school at a time.
Q: How many out-of-zone approvals can be granted to a student in one school year? A: Students are allowed only one approved school option per year.
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