Policy 5111

Students

Admission/Placement

Admission

District schools shall be open to all children five years of age and over who reach age five on or before the first day of January of any school year.  Each such child shall have, and shall be so advised by the appropriate school authorities, an equal opportunity to participate in the program and activities of the school system without discrimination on account of race, color, sex, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. Students who are classified as homeless under federal law and therefore do not have a fixed residence, will be admitted pursuant to federal law and policy 5118.1.  Exceptions from routine admission will be made if the following requirements are met:
The parent or person having control of a child five years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is six years of age. The parent or person having control of a child six years of age shall have the option of not sending the child to school until the child is seven years of age.

The parent or person shall exercise such option by personally appearing at the school district office and signing an option form. The district shall provide the parent or person with information on the educational opportunities available in the school system.

According to Connecticut General Statute 10-76d(b2), special education will be provided for children who have attained the age of three and who have been identified as being in need of special education, and whose educational potential will be irreparably diminished without special education.  If a special education student is being considered for an exception, the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) will make a recommendation to the administrator in charge of special education.

Each child entering the district schools for the first time must present a birth certificate or offer legal evidence of birth data, as well as proof of a recent physical examination and required immunizations. If the parents or guardians of any children are unable to pay for such immunizations, the expense of such immunizations shall on the recommendation of the Board, be paid by the town. Proof of domicile may also be requested by the building Principal.

Any child entering or returning to the district from placement in a juvenile detention school, the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, or any other residential placement, shall have the educational records of such child provided to the Superintendent of Schools by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Judicial Department.  Such information will be shared with the Principal of the school to which the student is assigned. The Principal can disclose them to the staff who teach or care for the child.

The District will immediately enroll any student who transfers from Unified District No. 1 or Unified District No 2.  A student transferring from the Unified School Districts who had previously attended school in the local District shall be enrolled in the school such student previously attended, provided such school has the appropriate grade level for the student.

The parent or person having control of a child sixteen or seventeen years of age may consent to such child’s withdrawal from school. For the school year commencing July 1, 2011, and each school year thereafter, the parent or person having control of a child seventeen years of age shall exercise this option by personally appearing at the school district office to sign a withdrawal form.  Such withdrawal form shall include an attestation from a guidance counselor or school administrator of the school that the district has provided the parent or person with information on the educational options available in the school system and in the community.

Children who have attained the age of seventeen and who have terminated enrollment in the district's schools with parental permission as described previously and subsequently seeks readmission may be denied readmission for up to ninety school days from the date of such termination, unless such child seeks readmission to a district school not later than ten days after such termination. In such case the child will be provided school accommodations not later than three days after the requested readmission.

Children who apply for initial admission to the district's schools by transfer from nonpublic schools or from schools outside the district will be placed at the grade they would have reached elsewhere pending observation and evaluation by classroom teachers, guidance personnel, and the school Principal.  After such observations and evaluations have been completed, the Principal will determine the final grade placement of the children.

Children who have attained the age of nineteen or older may be placed in an alternative school program or other suitable educational program if they cannot acquire a sufficient number of credits for graduation by age twenty-one.

(cf. 0521 - Nondiscrimination)
(cf. 5112 - Ages of Attendance)
(cf. 5118.1 Homeless Students)
(cf. 5141 - Student Health Services)
(cf. 6171 - Special Education)
(cf. 6146 - Graduation Requirements)

Admission/Placement

Legal Reference:    Connecticut General Statutes
Policy adopted:  May 5, 2015                                                    
NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Newtown, Connecticut