MONROE COUNTY Schools of Choice ENROLLMENT PERIOD APRIL 1, 2021 - JUNE 25, 2021 ONLY 2021-2022 Guidelines and Application What Parents Graduation/ and Guardians Step-By-Step Promotion Transportation and Timeline of the Important Dates Need to Know: Requirements and Information for The Schools Athletic Policies Application and Curriculum Process Parents of Choice Issues Application Process Deadlines TO REMEMBER To provide a quality education for all students in Monroe County, the Monroe County Schools of Choice STEP 1: Due June 25, 2021 Program is offered by the Monroe County Intermediate Application must be returned to the School District in cooperation with its constituent administration building of the resident districts. This program allows parents and students the district. choice to attend any public school in Monroe County, as STEP 2: July 9, 2021 determined by space available. Applicants are notified to inform them whether they have been accepted into Remember, a student must be released by his/her the Schools of Choice Program. resident district and be accepted by the choice district before he/she can enroll at the choice district. The STEP 3: August 6, 2021 Parents/guardians must formally accept student will not be able to start school unless ALL or reject acceptance into the Schools of paperwork is completed BEFORE THE START OF Choice Program. SCHOOL. The student must be formally registered at the choice district by Friday, August 13, 2021. STEP 4: August 13, 2021 Student must be formally registered at the choice school. The Schools of Choice Application Process WHAT PARENTS AND GUARDIANS NEED TO KNOW The application process for the • Students participating in this program • An application form must be completed Monroe County Schools of Choice who wish to return to their resident for each student wishing to participate school for the following year, must notify Program has been designed to the resident school district as soon in the choice program. Enrollment guarantee all applicants a fair and as possible, but not later than April 1, priority shall be given to the sibling of a equitable opportunity. immediately preceding the date of non-resident pupil from a participating re-enrollment. • Applications must be returned to the district already admitted and attending • Students who for disciplinary reasons administration building of the resident the choice school district under this district by the fourth Friday in June. have been suspended, expelled or otherwise released or excluded from policy. • The number of transfers allowed is their resident school district during the • If the number of applications for determined by the space available in preceding two years will not qualify for each participating district and the space this program. admission from choice students exceeds available at each building. The districts the number of available enrollment will not be required to release more than • A student approved to a choice district is 1% of the district’s enrollment from the allowed to remain in the choice district opportunities, choice pupils shall be previous year February audited count. until his/her class graduates from that selected for admission using a random school district. The student does not • All participants in the program are need to reapply for admission to the selection process. expected to attend their school of same choice school district each year, choice for the entire school year. During • All applications must be initiated by the once approved under the Monroe County the school year, requests for student Schools of Choice Program. parent/guardian of the student (or the transfers back to the student’s home choice student, if legally emancipated). school will be denied, unless there are • Applications for the program will be extreme extenuating circumstances. available from the participating school Such person making application bears districts and the Monroe County contractual and other legal responsibility Intermediate School District, and should for the payment of tuition, if any (as be returned to the resident school Nondiscrimination district. Applicants will be notified by established by the enrolling choice Policy the second Friday in July, to inform district), if the choice student is accepted The Board of Education of the them whether they have been released for enrollment in the choice district. Monroe County Intermediate from the resident district. Parents will be notified by the choice district by the • The decision of the local district School District, and the Boards fourth Friday in July if their choice school of the constituent districts, superintendent to approve or deny an is available. Parents need to accept or comply with all federal and state deny the school of choice by the first application for schools of choice is final. laws and regulations prohibiting Friday in August. The student must be An appeal by a parent/guardian will discrimination and with all formally registered in the choice school only be considered if there has been a requirements and regulations of by the second Friday in August. the United States Department of violation of the Monroe County Schools • It is recommended that parents/ Education and the Michigan State of Choice Application Process. If there guardians and students desiring to Department of Education. participate in the choice program meet has been a violation of the process, the with a building administrator or district appeal must be filed, in writing, with It is also the policy of the Monroe representative of the choice school to the Monroe County ISD Superintendent County Intermediate School District discuss school rules, curriculum, parent and its constituent districts, that involvement, graduation requirements, within 30 days of a parent receiving no person on the basis of sex, grade placement, possible tuition costs, notificationthat their application for race, color, religion, national origin and other school issues. schools of choice has been denied. The or ancestry, age, marital status, • There is no guarantee that space in the limited English, or handicap shall parent must provide information on how district selected will be available. be discriminated against, excluded the application process was violated. The • A student requesting a transfer is allowed from participation in, denied Monroe County ISD Superintendent will the benefits of, or otherwise be to request which district he/she would subjected to discrimination in any like to attend, and building preference. review an appeal within ten (10) days of program, employment practice, • The number of openings in a particular receipt. or activity for which they receive program for participating district • This appeal review will take place within financial assistance from the United students will be determined by States Department of Education or optimum size for a particular program 10 days of receipt of appeal by the the Michigan State Department of or classroom, which is the number of Monroe County Intermediate School Education. students that can be accommodated District. without increasing district expenditures for staff or equipment. Graduation/Promotion Requirements and Curriculum Issues Each participating school district has developed a curriculum that is based on the State of Michigan Core Curriculum Model. In addition, each district has its own locally approved grading system and graduation requirements. While there are some similarities • All districts will supply, at the request of Transportation Policy of requirements among districts, parents/guardians, a current listing of graduation requirements for the high It is the sole responsibility of parents/ parents/guardians should be aware school of choice. To receive a copy of guardians to transport their children of the following conditions of the graduation requirements, parents/ to and from the choice school. Monroe Monroe County Schools of Choice guardians should contact the high school County Schools of Choice participants are Program. principal of the school of choice. expected to arrive at the choice school on • Choice students seeking admission are time every day. • Participants are required to graduate subject to the academic and program Athletic Policy with the number of credits determined size standards of the choice school by the district they are attending at the district. Note on the New Sport Specific Transfer time of graduation. Regulation: See a summary of the Sport • Choice students accepted for enrollment • It is recommended that before a are subject to the determinations Specific Transfer Regulation available in student transfer is finalized, parents/ of the choice district concerning the the high school principal’s office or visit the guardians and the student(s) meet awarding of transfer academic credit, MHSAA website, www.mhsaa.com. with a counselor/administrator in the academic assignment or placement • Students will follow the choice district’s choice school district to review all based upon completion of courses or policies for participation in the school’s rules, regulations, grading system and grades in districts or schools where the athletic activities. graduation requirements. non-resident student has previously attended. • Participating districts comply with pertinent regulations of the Michigan • Choice students accepted for enrollment High School Athletic Association and are subject to facility, grade and course any relevant league standards regarding assignments within the choice