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Resident Students
The Davenport Community Schools are maintained for all children of school age who are legal residents of the school district. Only those who are bona fide residents of the District or who have been approved for open enrollment shall be permitted to attend the district schools without payment of tuition.
Resident students are those whose legal residence is within the boundaries of the District. Two factors which must be considered in determining residence for school purposes are:
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Non-Resident Students
Qualified students who are not legal residents of the District may be admitted to school at the discretion of the Superintendent or superintendent's designee upon application and payment of tuition. The tuition rate shall be computed as authorized by the Iowa Department of Education.
The established tuition fee as computed by the Iowa Department of Education for the year shall be charged on a pro-rata daily basis (1/180th) for all non-resident pupils who are enrolled for one year or less.
Tuition will be waived for pupils who have been residents of the District the current year, and who within the last four weeks have become non-residents.
Tuition may be waived during the last four weeks of the school year for a non-resident pupil coming into the District during that time, and who intends to become a resident of the District by the start of the ensuing year.
Tuition will be waived for 11th or 12th grade pupils who were residents of the District during the preceding school year, who are no longer residents of the District, but continue to attend school in the District.
Non-resident open enrollment students may attend the District upon proper approval by both the sending and receiving school district.
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Foreign Exchange Students
The following guidelines shall be followed in considering foreign students for attendance in the District:
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Entrance and Immunization Requirements Kindergarten A pupil shall not be admitted to kindergarten unless said pupil will be five years of age on or before the 15th day of September of the current year. Every parent or legal guardian shall assure that the person's minor children residing in the state are compliant with the Iowa Immunization Code. First Grade A pupil shall be admitted to the first grade if said pupil will be six years of age or older on on before the 15th day of September of the current school year, and has completed kindergarten in the District or another school system. Students enrolling for the first time in the District will also submit a certificate of immunization as required by law. Failure to meet the immunization requirement will be grounds for denial of admission or continuation of school services. The following exceptions are permitted:
Evidence of Age A birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence showing date of birth shall be required of each pupil entering school in the District for the first time.
STUDENTS Closing Schools The Board adopts to follow the guidelines set forth "In re Norman Barker, 1 D.P.I. App. Dec. 145(1977)" when considering potential closings of schools in the District. The guidelines are as follows: [Additional Reference: Iowa code Section 279.11 (2001)] Norman Barker Guidelines These seven (7) steps shall constitute procedural due process for the public when making decisions as to the closing of an attendance center: 1. A timeline shall be established in advance for the carrying out of procedures involved in making the important decision. All aspects of such a timeline would naturally focus upon the anticipated date that the Board of Directors would make its final decision in the matter. 2. All segments of the community in the District should be informed that a school closing decision is under consideration by the Board. 3. The public shall be involved in providing sufficient input into the study and planning involved in the decision making process. 4. Sufficient research, study and planning shall be carried out by the Board and groups and individuals selected by the Board. Such things as student enrollment statistics, transportation costs, financial gains and losses, program offerings, plant facilities, and staff assignment need to be considered carefully. 5. There shall be an open and frank public discussion of the facts and issues involved. 6. A proper record shall be made of all the steps taken in the making of the decision. 7. The final decision shall be made in an open, public meeting, and a record be made thereof. Procedures for Closing an Attendance Facility 1. Timetable: Because school closings may create disruptions for families, a timeline shall be established under this policy to minimize problems relating to school closings. 2. Authority: Pursuant to statutory authority, the Board may close any attendance facility within the District upon finding good and sufficient reason, as they believe to be in the best interest of the District. In order to enhance quality education, this authority shall be exercised in compliance with state law and in the manner outlined in this policy. 3. Terms Defined: To ensure clarity terms used herein are defined as follows: (a) Attendance Facility – A school building where students regularly attend and which is currently owned by the District. (b) Attendance Area – The geographic area the Board has designated as the boundary for students to attend a particular attendance facility. 4. Factors to Consider: Whenever an attendance facility is proposed to be closed, the Board shall consider all factors before reaching a final decision, including but not limited to the following factors: (a) Quality of Education – (Primary importance.) The Board shall review staff, specialists, class size, pupil-to-classroom teacher ratios, present and projected enrollment, curriculum, instructional equipment, and special programs (art, music, science, reading, learning centers, etc.) The accessibility and quality of facilities shall be considered including classrooms, cafeteria, media center, computer lab, playground, special program facilities and equipment, and athletic facilities. (b) Safety of Students – The Board shall review necessity of transportation, major traffic arteries, fire protection, and availability of safety from severe weather, structural integrity, and hazards to the safety and welfare of students. (c) Costs of Operating – The Board shall review the present and projected costs of operating the attendance facility on a per-pupil basis or by other appropriate means. Costs shall be compared with projected costs incurred if the attendance facility would be closed. It shall include cost of transporting students to other facilities, hiring or transfer of staff, and purchase or transfer of textbooks and equipment. (d) Costs of Necessary Capital Improvements – The Board shall review present and projected costs for capital improvements or additional repairs. The costs will be compared with projected costs incurred to remodel, repair, or make improvements to the existing attendance facility and the receiving attendance facility made necessary by the closing. (e) Effect on the Community – The Board shall review the effect on the community for the attendance facility to be closed and on the attendance facility where the students would be reassigned. They shall consider the neighborhood-school concept, community attitudes, and traffic patterns. (f) Miscellaneous Factors – The Board shall review any other factors which it feels are relevant to closing of an attendance facility. 5. Process/Time Line: Whenever the Board considers the possibility of closing an attendance facility, the following timeline or process shall be followed to ensure adequate representation by all parties involved. (a) The Board shall consider all the factors for consideration required by law and outlined in this procedure. Upon making an initial determination an attendance facility should be closed, the Board shall adopt a resolution stating its intention to close the attendance facility at the close of the current school year. The resolution shall be adopted on or before the second Monday in October of the school year in which the Board proposing the closing. The resolution shall include (1) the reasons for closing; (2) the name of the attendance facility; (3) the attendance facility or facilities to which the students will be reassigned; and (4) the time, date, and place of all public hearings to be held on the proposal to close an attendance center. (b) Written information or data used to make the initial determination shall be available at the affected attendance facilities prior to the time the resolution is considered for adoption. The public may request a copy of the information from the Board Secretary, and additional copies will be available at the board meeting when the resolution is being considered. The District website will also have information available for the public to review. (c) As required by law the Notice of the Public Hearing which states the time, date, place, and purpose of the hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least ten (10) days prior but not more than twenty (20) days before the hearing. (d) Within seven (7) working days after the resolution is adopted, a copy of the resolution shall be mailed to the home address of each student attending the affected attendance facilities (both closing and receiving schools). (e) Within thirty-five (35) days after adoption of the resolution, any person may file a written response in favor of or opposed to the proposed closing of the attendance facility. Individuals may also file written questions concerning the proposal. These responses shall be filed with the Board Secretary at the Administration Building. All reasonable effort will be made by the administration to answer questions in writing and shall be available five (5) days before the public hearing. (f) Not less than forty-five (45) days nor more than sixty (60) days after adoption of the resolution, the Board shall hold a public hearing on the question of closing the attendance facility specified in the resolution. A separate hearing shall be held for each attendance facility proposed to be closed. Such hearing shall be held at the feeder high-school of the attendance center in question if at all possible. (g) The Board shall adopt rules and fix the agenda for such a public hearing. All written information and data presented to the Board by the administration shall be available to members of the public at least five (5) days prior to the public hearing. No action shall be taken by the Board at the public hearing on the matter of school closings. (h) At the next regular board meeting following the public hearing, the Board shall make a decision as to the closing of the attendance facility. The Board shall consider all testimony and evidence brought forth at the public hearing and consider the factors required by law and this policy before taking final action. (i) The Board's final action shall be in writing and shall include a statement by the Board stating the factors which lead to the decision. The factors stated will be supported with appropriate data and research information. (j) Within thirty (30) days after the public hearing, and in no event later than January 15, or the next working day following January 15 if it falls on a weekend or is a holiday, the Board shall adopt its final written decision. The vote of the majority of the Board will be final and conclusive. Exceptions to Procedure of Closing an Attendance Facility If an extraordinary or unanticipated event occurs after the initial deadline of on or before the second Monday in October in the year preceding the closing of the attendance facility, the Board may adopt an alternative schedule utilizing the factors for consideration listed in this policy. A final written decision shall be made no later than April 15 of the year preceding the school closing
STUDENTS Homeless Children and Youth The Board will make reasonable efforts to identify homeless children and youth of school age within the District, encourage their enrollment, and eliminate existing barriers to their receiving an education which may exist in District policies or practices. The designed coordinator for identification of homeless children and for tracking and monitoring programs and activities for these children will be assigned by the Superintendent or the superintendent's designee. A homeless child is defined as a child or youth between the ages of 5 and 21 who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and includes a child or youth who is living on the street, in a car, tent, or abandoned building or some other form of shelter not designed as a permanent home; who is living in a community shelter facility; or who is living with non-nuclear family members or with friends, who may or may not have legal guardianship over the child or youth of school age. So that enrollment of homeless children and youth of school age may be facilitated, the following policy areas are modified as follows:
The contents of this policy will supersede any and all conflicting provisions in board policies dealing with the seven policy areas discussed above.
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Placement
When a child enters the District for the first time, or re-enters after having been enrolled here two or more years before, the principal shall decide upon placement of the child after consultation with the parents and the child. The principal shall complete a final placement within two weeks. A temporary placement can be made immediately so that the child may attend school.
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Students--Legal Status
Students who have attained the legal age of 18 may continue the education program without payment of tuition as long as they are eligible to attend an Iowa public school and are residents of the District. It is expected that students who become married shall immediately notify the administration of this change of status. Married students may participate in all school activities.
Parents shall be allowed to access and view the student's records without written permission from the student unless the student has attained age 18 or is attending a postsecondary school full time or with the equivalent of 12 semester hours. In most cases, with the discretion of the principal or the Superintendent, the student shall be able to make decisions and sign documents rather than requiring parental permission or signature.
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Pregnant Students
The Board encourages pregnant students to continue to attend the education program as long as they are physically able to do so. If a pregnant student does not wish to attend Central, North, or West high schools, the Kimberly Center East is available for a pregnant student to attend. Arrangements to investigate this option may be made through any district counselor.
A pregnant student is encouraged to notify the principal, guidance counselor, or the nurse as soon as she is aware of the pregnancy. The school may require that a pregnant student provide the principal with a written note from her doctor relative to special conditions that might exist and specific suggestions as to how long the student may continue to attend classes. If the student is unable to attend school because of her physical condition, the student may be excused and arrangements made to continue her studies during her absence. The student shall resume classes upon the recommendation of her physician.
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Home Instruction
Pupils unable to attend school because of temporary or permanent physical disability but able to receive instruction shall be taught in the home by a visiting teacher on a schedule twice each week. The length of period for instruction necessarily varies with the pupil load. Each pupil shall receive at least one hour and fifteen minutes of instruction during each call.
In case of temporary disability, the pupil may later return to continue work at school. The visiting teacher shall consult with the teachers in the regular classroom and strive to give the pupil a program as nearly identical with the classroom as possible.
In case of a permanent disability that precludes the student from being accommodated in a school activity, the pupil shall be provided the opportunity to complete the course work at home, graduate, and receive a diploma.
Guidelines shall be established by the administration on eligibility for this program. Such guidelines shall comply with all regulations of the Iowa Department of Education.
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Attendance Centers
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Boundary Lines
The Board will have complete discretion to determine the boundaries for each attendance center, to assign students to the attendance centers, and to assign students to the classrooms within the attendance center.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent or superintendent's designee to review the defined boundaries annually and make recommendations to the Board as needed. In making the recommendation, the Superintendent will consider the geographical layout of the District, the condition and location of the District facilities, the location of student population, possible transportation difficulties, financial condition of the District and other factors deemed relevant by the Superintendent or the Board.
Public input should be incorporated in a plan as part of the decision-making process.
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Attendance Records
It shall be the responsibility of each building principal to assure adequate attendance records are kept and to make required reports to the Superintendent or superintendent's designee as requested.
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Student Fee Refunds
The administration shall establish consistent procedures for refunding student fees and shall inservice building principals to ensure the refunding of fees is equitable for all students transferring out of the District.
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Attendance
A. Compulsory Attendance Parents within the District who have children over age six and under age sixteen by September 15, in proper physical and mental condition to attend school, shall have the children attend the school district at the attendance center designated by the Board. Students shall attend school the number of days that school is in session in accordance with the school calendar. Exceptions to this policy include children who:
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian of a child to provide evidence of the child's mental and physical inability to attend school or of the child's qualifications for one of the exceptions listed above.
B. Board Policy on Absence Any absence from school is a serious handicap not only to the individual student, but to the entire school system as well. There is no real substitute for actual classroom attendance. For this reason, parents or guardians are requested to notify the school regarding family absences. It is the responsibility of the parents and the students to make arrangements prior to the absence for making up missed classroom work and assignments that might be given while the student is gone. Furthermore, parents and students are encouraged to ascertain that the students are not in academic jeopardy or will not be in academic jeopardy as a result of this absence.
Makeup work must be planned with school personnel. Work missed for all absences must be made up in order to obtain credit for assignments missed. The full responsibility for makeup work resulting from absence shall be assumed by the parents and the child. Teacher conferences for help shall be available. For cases other than serious personal illness in the home or death in the family, arrangements for the absence should be made in advance.
This policy recognizes that students may be absent from school for participation in school sponsored activities. All such absences must have prior approval from the school administration.
C. Excuses for Absence It shall be the policy of the District to require a written excuse or telephone contact with parents or legal guardians for all students under the age of 18 about the cause of all absences. The purpose of the contact is not only to explain the reasons for the absence, but to indicate that the parents or legal guardians are aware of the absence.
All absences must be recorded. Procedures shall be established by the administration.
D. Doctor, Dentist, Community Health Care Center, or Visiting Nurse Excused Absence Any child may be excused for any part of the day for an appointment with a dentist, doctor, Community Health Care Center, or visiting nurse, providing the child is present for a part of the one-half day in which the appointment takes place in order to receive credit for that one-half day's attendance.
E. Religious Instruction Students of the District may be excused from school for religious services, observances, or for instructional purposes.
F. Truancy Any child who has reached the age of six and is under sixteen years of age by September 15 is of compulsory attendance age. Any child in this age group failing to attend school regularly without a reasonable excuse for absence as provided by the State Code of Iowa shall be deemed to be a truant.
In such case, the truant officer shall be notified and shall enforce the laws as provided by the State Code of Iowa. G. Snow Days for Seniors The Board, in its discretion, may excuse graduating seniors from up to five days of instruction after the District requirements for graduation have been met. The Board may also excuse graduating seniors from making up days missed due to inclement weather if the student has met the District's graduation requirements. (503.11 Graduation Requirements)
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Open Enrollment Between Districts The mission of the Davenport Community School District is to enhance each student's abilities by providing a quality education enriched by our diverse community. Therefore, we believe maintaining a diverse school district better prepares students to live in a global society, expands every student's educational opportunities, and leads to a more effective use of District resources. The District is a participant in the state-enacted Open Enrollment program, both as a sending and as a receiving district. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent or the superintendent's designee to review all applications for open enrollment into or out of the District under provisions of the Open Enrollment Act of 1989, and any amendments thereto, Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 17, the District's Diversity Plan, and controlling case law. The primary determinant when making decisions regarding approval or denial of open enrollment applications is the result such approval or denial will have on the diversity of the District as determined by the ratio of certain student groups as defined by the District's Diversity Plan. This plan places students into one of two categories, Category A or Category B, based on key socioeconomic demographic characteristics, specifically, student academic performance and free and reduced lunch eligibility. The ratio of Category A to Category B students, as established in the District's Diversity Plan will determine the number of applications from each Category that can be approved for open enrollment out of the District or open enrollment into the District. For students applying to open enroll into the District under the state-enacted Open Enrollment program, available classroom space will also be a consideration for acceptance. If open enrollment into the District is approved, the District will make every effort to accommodate requests relative to specific attendance centers. However, the Board reserves the right to determine attendance center assignments for all students enrolled in the District. In accordance with Iowa Code a student whose family moves to the Davenport District and requests continuous open enrollment in his or her previous district of residence will have the application approved under the provisions for continuous open enrollment. The Superintendent is granted authority to adopt administrative procedures to implement this policy. The District's Diversity Plan is attached hereto and is hereby approved.
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