JFABA - School Choice Policy
SCHOOL CHOICE POLICY
The Acton School Department permits parents and guardians of students in grades 9-12 to select an appropriate school for their child to attend. If no choice is made by the parent or guardian, the student will automatically be enrolled in Sanford High School. Acton residents enrolled in a K-8 school outside of the Acton School will not be considered participating school choice students and must complete the application process outlined below immediately prior to the start of their 9th grade year.
Although every effort will be made to place students according to parents’ wishes, attendance at a school other than Sanford High School is not guaranteed. The following limitations apply to school choice:
School choice will be limited to 10% of eligible students, defined as students in grades 9-12 educated at public expense unless special accommodations are made by the Acton School Committee.
The available school choice places shall be apportioned in order of priority as follows: existing school choice students, siblings of existing choice students, all others.
To maintain eligibility for this program, students must maintain residency status throughout the year. The Acton School Committee, or designee, reserves the right to verify participating students’ residency at any time.
Admission to the selected school, other than Sanford High School, is the responsibility of the parent or guardian of the student.
All transportation to and from a school other than Sanford High School will be the responsibility of the parent or guardian. The Acton School Department will not cover the cost of travel expenses to any other school unless transportation is determined to be necessary by a student’s Individual Education Plan.
Tuition costs will be a shared responsibility of the parent or guardian. Acton will contribute a tuition amount up to the cost of sending the student to Sanford High School. Any additional costs will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian of the student.
The list of high schools eligible for Acton School Department tuition contributions is maintained by the State. To be eligible for tuition contributions from Acton, the school must be categorized as ‘non-sectarian’. The current list of schools and their categorization may be found at: [https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/schooling] The parent or guardian of the student, and not the Acton School Department, is solely responsible for ensuring that the school chosen by the student/parent/guardian has been approved by the Maine Department of Education to receive public funds for the school year(s) in question. For students with Individual Education Plans, the school chosen by the student/parent/guardian must be approved by the Maine Department of Education to provide special education services.
Once a student is participating in school choice, his or her slot will be reserved until no longer desired by the student’s parent /guardian, or until the student’s graduation.
Students moving into Acton during the school year who wish to continue at their previous school will not be considered existing school choice students. Such students must apply for school choice their first full year in Acton.
Students moving to Acton after the school choice registration window has concluded (after February 14th) will be deemed ineligible for school choice for the following school year. These students may apply for school choice during the next registration window.
Students declaring residency in Acton as part of a J1 Visa program (Foreign Exchange student) will not be considered school choice students due to the temporary nature of their residency. These students should consult the Sanford School Department policy regarding Foreign Exchange students.
Approvals for school choice placements are specific to the students receiving placements and non-transferable to other students, regardless of familial relationship.
In order to provide for adequate planning, the following process will be followed:
A registration window shall be available from January 6th through February 14th of each year. Parents wishing to utilize school choice in the following school year must register during this period. For students already participating in school choice, a letter of intent to continue shall be sufficient.
In the event the number of school choice applicants exceeds the number of available school choice openings, participation will be determined by lottery. This lottery shall be held on a date between February 14th and March 1st.
Students not selected will be placed on a waiting list in the order they were drawn in the lottery.
Acton will notify Sanford High School of the expected number of students by March 1st.
School choice lottery results will be postmarked to parents no later than March 1st.
The parent/guardian completes any enrollment application required by the chosen school.
Should enrollment in the chosen school be denied, acceptance into Sanford High School is guaranteed in accordance with the Acton agreement with Sanford.
The Acton School Committee will receive a complete report of school choice placements at the regular November meeting of the School Committee.
Legal Reference:
20-A M.R.S.A. § 2951
Cross Reference:
Sanford School Department Policy JECB – Admission of Non-Resident Students
Acton School Department Policy JECA-E Residency
Adopted: March 12, 2019