P5511 Special Assignment of Students

A lawful custodian or district-level administrator may request a student be assigned to a school other than the school indicated by the student’s legal residence.

Administrative Implemental Procedures: 

1.     School Boundaries: An official description of school boundaries shall be presented annually to the Board of Education for adoption. (See BOE Policy 5505 - Resident Enrollment and Admission and BOE Policy 1373 - Establishing School Attendance Areas).

2.     Eligibility for Special Assignment: A Special Assignment may be appropriate under the following circumstances: 

a.     Childcare (elementary only)

b.     Discipline/Behavior (as a result from a hearing)

c.     Special Education Programs (for students whose needs cannot be met through programming at their school of residence (neighborhood school).

d.     Specialized Programs (such as AVID, CTE pathways, or other programs that are offered only at select schools)

e.     District-level Administrative Recommendation (such as from an assistant superintendent or the executive director of Choice Enrollment and Programs)

f.      Siblings Placement (as defined by AIP 3f)

g.     Parent is a District Staff Member (as defined by AIP 3g)

h.     Students Experiencing Homelessness (as defined by AIP 3h)

3.     Explanation of Eligibility Circumstances

a.   Childcare (K-5 only)

i.         The childcare arrangements must be outside the student’s assigned attendance area but within USD 259 boundaries.

 ii.         The childcare facility must be within the attendance boundary of the requested school.

b.   Discipline/Behavior

i.         Following an extended suspension or expulsion hearing, the district disciplinary hearing officer may conclude that an administrative reassignment is justified on the basis of the individual case, as provided in BOE Policy 5114 – Alternative to an Extended Suspension or Expulsion.

ii.         The principal shall be informed of any special conditions concerning the assignment and may share such information with their staff as permitted by law.

iii.         The receiving principal shall meet with the student and lawful custodian(s) before enrolling the student to clearly explain the conditions imposed by this policy or pursuant to BOE Policy 5114 under which the student will be allowed to enroll and remain a student in good standing at the assigned school. (See AIP 8 below; see also BOE Policy 5114 – Alternative to an Extended Suspension or Expulsion)

c.     Special Education Program

The Student Support Services Division will assign to appropriate programs if their needs cannot be met through programming at their school of residence (neighborhood school)

d.     Other Special Programs

Programs identified through collaboration between the Office of Choice Enrollment and Programs and the Assistant Superintendents of Elementary and Secondary Schools

e.     District-Level Administrative Recommendation

A district-level administrator may recommend a Special Assignment when substantial educational reasons indicate that a school change is in the best educational interest of the student. This may include concerns related to of personal and/or emotional well-being. An explanation of the request must be included with the assignment request form.

f.     Siblings Placement 

i.     "Sibling" has the meaning given in BOE Policy P5506 – Non-resident Enrollment and Admission.

ii.         Siblings must reside in the same household to qualify for placement consideration.

g.      Parent is District Staff Member

i.   “Parent” has the meaning given in BOE Policy P5506 – Non-resident Enrollment and Admission.  

ii.   Foster parents do not have authority to request a Special Assignment for a student.  

iii.  If a student’s parents are divorced or unmarried, a Special Assignment request may be submitted by the parent who has sole legal custody or exclusive decision-making rights regarding the student’s education.  

iv.  If both parents share legal custody, the District may require a joint application signed by both parents.

v.   This provision applies to full-time and part-time district employees assigned to any USD 259 school or non-attendance center.

h.     Students Experiencing Homelessness 

i.         "Homeless child" means a child who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence and whose primary night-time residence is:

1.         A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations, including welfare hotels, congregate shelters and transitional housing for the mentally ill;

2.         An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or

3.         A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for humans.

4.     Term of Special Assignments

a.     A student's Special Assignment duration is determined by the specific program in which they are enrolled. The assignment remains in effect until the program is completed.

b.      In some cases, the assignment continues until the student has completed all available grade levels at the assigned school or at the discretion of the district-level administrator.

c.     Assignments are determined on an individual basis based on the student's program. A district disciplinary hearing officer or an IEP team may also recommend assignment duration and any required special conditions. 

5.     Revoking Special Assignments (Annual Review Process) 

a.     An annual review of all Special Assignments will be conducted each spring. Based on this review, assignments may be revoked for the following school year. This does not include special assignments made by an IEP team.

b.     Reasons for revocation include failure to maintain Good Standing (see AIP 6b).

c.     Principals will receive a list of students with revoked Special Assignments at the end of the school year.

d.     Principals may appeal revocation decisions to the Office of Choice Enrollment and Programs within ten (10) business days of notification.

e.     Final authority regarding revocations rests with the Office of Choice Enrollment and Programs.

6.     The lawful custodian(s) shall be informed of any administrative decision not to continue enrollment of a student on a Special Assignment no later than June 30th.

7.     General Considerations for Reviewing Special Assignment Requests

a.     There should be sufficient capacity to receive the student at the requested school.  Capacity is determined pursuant to BOE Policy P5506 – Non-resident Enrollment and Admission.

b.     The student must be in Good Standing. For the purposes of this policy, a student is considered in Good Standing if they:

i.         Maintain a minimum 90% attendance rate. 

ii.         Did not obtain a Special Assignment based on inaccurate or untruthful information in the application process.

iii.         Have not received more than one out-of-school suspension during the current school year.

 iv.         Have not received a long-term suspension or expulsion in the current school year.

v.         Are considered on track for on-time graduation (for high school students).

8.     Procedural Requirements for Special Assignment

a.     Requests must be submitted by the Parent of the student unless the assignment originates from Title I, Choice Enrollment and Programs, Student Support Services, or a district disciplinary hearing officer recommendation.

b.     Student Records & Enrollment Services will review requests and recommend approval or denial based on established criteria, including:

i.         Availability of space at the requested school.

ii.         Student’s Good Standing status. 

c.     Choice Enrollment and Programs will make the final decision on approval or denial.

d.     Families will receive written notification of approval or denial, including the reason for denial if applicable.

9.     Acceptance Terms for Special Assignments

a.     Parents must agree to the following conditions when accepting a Special Assignment:

i.  Commitment to Attendance: The student must remain at the assigned school for the duration of the school year.

ii.  Good Standing Requirement: The student must meet Good Standing criteria to remain eligible for assignments.

iii.  Transportation Responsibility: The district does not provide transportation for students on Special Assignment, except as required by a student’s IEP.

10.  KSHSAA Eligibility

Nothing in this policy shall exempt a resident student who transfers within the district from the Kansas State High School Activities Association (“KSHSAA”) eligibility rules. 

 

Administrative Responsibility: Choice Enrollment and Programs

Latest Revision Date: May 2025

Previous Revision Date: February 2011

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