Student Transfer Policy

It is the policy of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education to enforce school attendance zones and to undertake appropriate address verification. All students in the Tuscaloosa City School System should attend the school servicing the attendance area in which they actually reside. Exceptions may be considered, but will be monitored for any impact on the school’s building capacity and the Alabama State Department of Education’s teacher/pupil ratio guidelines.

PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING STUDENT TRANSFER POLICY

The Superintendent or designee is responsible for implementing the Student Transfer Policy adopted by the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. The policy will be applied using the procedures described in this document.

1. Student Transfer Procedures
   
   PreK - 12 School Attendance. All Tuscaloosa City School students will attend school in their residential attendance zones. The residence zone will be defined as the school attendance zone in which the parent(s) or guardian(s) has established legal residence. The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education recognizes the following exceptions under the transfer policy:
   
   
   1. Approval for instructional program.
      
      
   2. Approval under the employee transfer provision.
      
      
   3. Approval for a senior whose parent(s) or guardian(s) establishes residences outside of the attendance zone.
      
      Out of district students, who request a transfer to the Tuscaloosa City School District, may do so at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee.
      
      
2. Administrative Reassignment
   
   Administrative reassignments for disciplinary reasons may include approval to attend a school other than the zoned school.
   
   
3. Priority Requests for Transfers
   
   
   1. Special Education. Transfers made as part of an Individualized Education Program will be approved or denied in accordance with the rules governing eligibility, admission, and attendance at special education programs.
      
      
   2. Transfer Renewals. Students who are currently attending a school out of zone or district must apply for renewal each year. The Superintendent or designee will establish procedures for application and approval of transfer renewals.
      
      
   3. Employee’s Child. For purposes of this category, an employee is defined as a board employee whose employment is subject to the Alabama Teacher Tenure Act, Teacher Accountability Act or the Fair Dismissal Act. A child is defined as the employee’s natural or adopted child, a child for whom the employee serves as legal guardian, or a child for whom the employee has legal custody pursuant to court order or administrative authority.
      
      
      1. Employees’ children. Employees’ children will have the option of transferring to any K-12 school in their employment zone.
         
         
      2. Retirement of parent. Students who transfer under this policy will be permitted to complete all grades offered at the school to which they transfer even if the parent retires. This provision is not applicable to resignation, contract cancellation or non-renewal.
         
         
   4. Public School Choice under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.” In the case of a school identified for school improvement, the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education shall, no later than the first day of school of the school year following such identification, provide all students enrolled in the school with the option to transfer to another school within the district. Such transfers shall be provided transportation.
      
      
4. Program Administration
   
   The Superintendent or designee is responsible for the interpretation and administration of all Tuscaloosa City Board of Education policies and procedures.
   
   The Superintendent or designee shall administer the Student Transfer Policy adopted by the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. As circumstances dictate, the Superintendent or designee may make interpretations of this policy and procedures to fit situations that may not be covered herein. Therefore, the approval or denial of student transfer applications is at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee.
   
   
5. Other Considerations
   
   
   1. Excluding student transfers pursuant to the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,” students approved for the initial transfers will be admitted based on the availability of space.
      
      
   2. Bus transportation will NOT be provided for out of zone transfers unless required by the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.”
      
      
   3. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered solely at the discretion of the Superintendent.
      
      
   4. Regardless of residency, all three-year old PreK students enrolled for Scholastic Year (SY) 2004-2005 shall have the option to remain in their same four-year old PreK program for SY 2005-2006.

Source: Tuscaloosa City Schools, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Date: February 19, 1996
Revised: February 26, 2001
Revised: July 21, 2003
Revised: March 7, 2005

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