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Policies » Section J: Students » JCB: Assignment Of Students To High School

Policy Date: 06/24/2014

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HSD File: JCB
HOOKSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
PLACEMENT OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN A NON-CONTRACTED
PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL OR PUBLIC ACADEMY

INTRODUCTION
The Hooksett School District does not currently operate its own high school. Nevertheless, the Hooksett School Board is committed to assuring all Hooksett high school students have access to a quality high school education at district expense in accordance with RSA 189:1-a. To that end, the Hooksett School District provides for the education of resident high school students through agreements to pay full tuition to neighboring public school districts and public academies. When those tuition agreements are approved by the State Department of Education, the School Board may assign students to attend the approved schools.

The Hooksett School Board recognizes that students may from time to time wish to attend public schools or public academies which are not under contract or agreement with the Hooksett School District. New Hampshire law, RSA 193:3, IV, allow parents/guardians to enroll their child in any public school or public academy outside their resident district that accepts the child at the parent or guardian’s own cost. Under RSA 193:3, IV, the Hooksett School District may agree to pay all or a part of the tuition of a student so enrolled.

Because the Hooksett School District does not operate its own high school, the Hooksett School Board believes it is in the best interest of the School District and its high school students to annually establish an amount the district will pay to public schools or public academies thataccept and educate parentally placed Hooksett high school students pursuant to RSA 193:3, IV.

PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
A. Parents/guardians of students enrolled in the 8th grade or higher who would like their children to attend a public high school or public academy which is not under contract or agreement with the Hooksett School District, must do the following:

1.  Between September 1 and October 31, obtain written authorization for their child to attend the desired public high school from the school district Superintendent or a public academy from the school’s Headmaster/principal.

2.  Complete and sign a district form developed by the Superintendent which will among other things;
(a) Establish the amount of tuition that will be paid by the Hooksett School District for attendance for the full school year;
(b) Contain an acknowledgement the parent/guardians will be responsible for any tuition or charges that are more than the amount paid by Hooksett School District under this policy and will also be responsible for all transportation expenses.
(c) Contain a waiver of the parent/guardian’s right to request assignment at the Hooksett School District’s cost under Policy JEC or JCA;
(d) Contain an agreement that the district’s payments will be made directly to the public school or public academy in which the child is enrolled and that payments will cease if the student is no longer a resident of Hooksett;
(e) Contain an acknowledgment that the Hooksett School Board will annually review both amount it pays to schools under this policy and whether to continue to make any payments and continue this policy; and
(f) Such other terms and conditions as from time to time the Superintendent determines are advisable.

B. The Hooksett School Board shall on or before September 1 of each school year establish the amount of tuition it will pay during the next school year for students enrolled in non-contracting public district schools or public academies in accordance with this policy. The Board may annually change the amount the district pays under this policy and the Board’s commitment in any one year will not bind the Board in a future year to a particular amount in succeeding years or to continuing this policy.

C.  No applications under this policy will be accepted before September 1st or after October 31st in any year (with respect for II.A). The Superintendent will be responsible for reviewing and approving all parent applications for completeness on or before November 1 in each school year. The Superintendent will report the number of students approved under this policy to the School Board.

D. Payments made under this policy will be made to the public school or public academy in which a resident student is enrolled and will continue only for so long as the student remains a resident of the Hooksett School District. In the event the student is not a resident of the Hooksett School District, the parent will be responsible for the total tuition payment and the district reserves the right to recover any payments made while the student is a non-resident. The Superintendent or his/her designee will develop practices to assure that a student using this policy is at all times a Hooksett resident for school purposes.

E. This policy does not apply to placement at schools under contract or agreement with the district and shall not be used to make a placement at a school under contract or agreement with the district.

OTHER ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS
Parents and guardians are advised that this policy is in addition to and not a replacement of the two laws/policies that give parents/guardians the right to request reassignment of their children at district expense.

A. Under Policy JEC, parents/guardians have a right to request the school board change the school to which their child is assigned at district expense if they can establish that the school assignment made would result in a manifest educational hardship to the child as defined in Policy JEC and N.H. Ed 320. The Hooksett School Board’s decision under Policy JEC may be appealed to the State Board of Education.

B. Under Policy JCA, parents/guardians may request the Superintendent reassign a student at district expense to another public school based on the best interest of the child. The Superintendent’s decision under Policy JCA is final and not appealable to the Hooksett School Board or the State Board of Education.

Legal Reference: RSA 189:1-a, RSA 193:3, IV

Adopted: December 3, 2002
Revised:  June 3,  2008
Re-adopted:  October 2, 2012
Revised:  June 24, 2014