Interdistrict Attendance Agreement

Dear Parent,

Welcome to Exeter Unified! We are delighted to have your student(s) in our District. This year, we reviewed Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5117.5 and have tightened our Terms and Conditions for both acceptance of Interdistrict Agreements, and continued stay in Exeter once an agreement has been reached.

Administrative Regulations, or the local law established by our school District and aligned with California Education Code, allows for terms of initial acceptance as well as the revocation of agreements should the expectations in the Administrative Regulations not be followed. To be accepted on an Interdistrict Agreement, or to stay in the District once the agreement has been signed, our School Board has established minimum standards for grades, attendance and discipline. By Education Code, these standards must be equally applied and cannot be arbitrary. The following are the minimum standards:

Grades- a 2.0 or greater; passing grades in elementary
Attendance- 94% attendance rate. Student cannot be truant (tardies more than 30 minutes and unexcused absences)
Discipline- no suspensions or suspendable offenses

The District has established one probation standard that will be equally applied to all current (not new) students. Current students who have an attendance rate between 90-93%, are not truant, have no discipline, and acceptable grades will be allowed to stay for one semester on probation. During this time frame if the attendance improves to 94% the student may continue with enrollment in the District. If the student does not raise their attendance to this standard, the Interdistrict Agreement will be revoked at the end of the probationary period (one semester or term). This is the only probation accepted and it is not negotiable as that will violate the “arbitrary” requirement in the law.

Per Education Code 46601 and AR 5117.5, students have the right to appeal an initial interdistrict application denial; however, students do not have the right to appeal if the renewal is revoked due to failure to meet the minimum standards set by Exeter Unified.

Below are the Terms and Conditions for all students who are on an Interdistrict Attendance Agreement in Exeter Unified School District. All student records will be reviewed in December and again in May. Please help us and your student by monitoring your student’s attendance, grades and discipline.

Sincerely,

Carol Swanson
Director of Student Services and Special Education

TERMS AND CONDITIONS- INTERDISTRICT ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT

This Agreement is made between the Governing Boards of the resident and requested school district (district of attendance) in accordance with the provisions of Education Code sections 35160, 46600 et seq., and the parent/guardian/student identified in the Interdistrict Attendance Agreement. This IAA is based on the IAA agreement signed by districts within Tulare County, and Board Policy and Administrative Regulations (AR 5117 and 5117.5) for Exeter Unified School District.

Parent/guardian(s) must initial in each area to confirm acceptance of policy and expectations for an IAA.

Procedure to be Followed.
All requests must be approved by both districts in this order: 1st by the District of Residence (home school district) and 2nd by the Requested District of Attendance (where you want your student to attend).

Exeter Unified (EUSD) shall approve or deny the request to enter or leave the District within 30 days of receipt.
If the Request for the IAA is approved by both the District of Residence and the District of Attendance, the student will be enrolled as soon as possible into the receiving district.
If the initial request for an IAA into EUSD is denied by Exeter Unified, the parent/guardian may appeal to the Exeter Unified Board of Education within 30 days of denial to issue an IAA permit.
If the Exeter Unified Board of Education upholds the denial, the parent/guardian may appeal to the Tulare County Office of Education within 30 days of denial to issue an IAA permit.
Revocation of an existing IAA is not subject to appeal and is subject to the expectations set forth in AR 5117.5.

Length of Permit and Reapplication Requirements. Notwithstanding Education Code section 46600, any interdistrict transfer permit issued under this Agreement is valid only for one year and students must reapply each year, except for students entering grade 11 or 12 in the subsequent school year.

Terms and Conditions for Permitting Transfer by Requested District of Attendance. The Superintendent/designee of the District of Attendance MAY approve an interdistrict transfer pursuant to applicable board policy and regulations for reasons including but not limited to:

The student is a victim of bullying, as defined under Education Code section 48900(r);
To address the child care needs of the student;
To address the student’s special mental or physical health needs as certified by a physician, school psychologist, or other appropriate school personnel;
When the student has a sibling attending the school district of residence;
To participate in a specialized program in secondary schools as long as there is space available after first serving and enrolling students that reside in the district;
When the class and school enrollments in the district will permit the enrollment of additional students residing outside the district;
When the parent/guardian provides written evidence that the family will be moving into the district in the immediate future and would like the student to start that year in the district;
To allow the student to complete the school year if their parent/guardian will be moving out of the district during the school year;
When there is a valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the district of residence.
If the parent/guardian is an employee of Exeter Unified School District. If an IAA is accepted, the employee does not need to reapply annually. The IAA is in effect until the employee is no longer employed with the district.

Terms or Conditions for Denying an Initial Transfer by the Requested District. The Superintendent/designee of the District of Attendance may deny an interdistrict transfer pursuant to applicable board policy and regulations for reasons including but not limited to:

If school facilities are overcrowded at the relevant grade level and / or site;
If district resources are limited;
The student does not meet the grade, attendance or behavioral expectations set forth by Exeter Unified School District. Expectations include a 94% attendance rate, 2.0 GPA, and no suspensions or suspendable offenses.
Any other consideration so long as it is not arbitrary. However, once an interdistrict transfer permit has been approved, the Superintendent or designee of the District of Attendance may not revoke a student’s interdistrict transfer permit during the effective period of the permit because of overcrowded facilities.

Notice of Denial of Transfer. Written notice of the denial of an interdistrict transfer permit shall be provided by the district denying the request. The notice shall advise the parent or guardian of all information required by Education Code section 46601 regarding appeals.

Terms for Revocation of an Interdistrict Attendance Agreement. Parent / guardian agree that an IAA may be revoked at any time according to reasons stated in the District of Attendance’s board policy and regulations, including but not limited to:

Excessive truancy or tardiness;
Excessive absences (either excused or unexcused) which disrupt the educational program of the student. Attendance must be 94% or greater.
Continual disruption of the educational program (disciplinary issues). The student may not have any suspensions.
Poor academic achievement; lack of diligence to studies. Student must maintain a minimum of 2.0 GPA; elementary students must demonstrate satisfactory achievement via report card;
A student who has completed the 10th grade, but no later than June 30, can be revoked for the above reasons.
Students in the 11th/12th grade may not be revoked.
The student is recommended for expulsion;
Falsification of information stated on the IAA application.

Transportation. Unless otherwise agreed to or required by law, a student attending a school other than his or her district of residence under this Agreement is not entitled to and shall not receive home to school transportation from either his or her district of residence or district of attendance.

EUSD Board Policies Regarding Interdistrict Attendance Agreements