Brockton Public Schools



Brockton Public Schools

School Committee Policy

ATTENDANCE AREAS AND SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS

1. SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT POLICY

The Brockton School Committee is committed to equitable access and racial fairness in all schools and programs under its jurisdiction. In accord with its commitment, the School Committee has adopted policies that are intended to

a. Maximize parent and student choice for school enrollment

b. Achieve a consistent class size distribution across individual schools and grades,

c. Promote racial balance and diversified student bodies in all kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, and academic houses at Brockton High School.

2. SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS

a. Kindergarten:

1) Kindergarten children enrolling for attendance in kindergarten centers will be assigned to schools based on their residence or day care address. Annually, based on enrollments, projected racial balance and available locations, the School Department will establish school boundaries for designated kindergarten centers.

2) Kindergarten children seeking enrollment in full-day kindergarten classes will be assigned according to the elementary controlled-choice school assignment policy.

b. Elementary School:

Assignments to elementary schools are made according to the controlled-choice school assignment policy.

b. Junior High School:

Assignments to junior high schools are made according to the controlled-choice school assignment policy.

c. High School:

Assignments to individual academic houses within Brockton High School will be made in a manner that ensures that the composition of each house reflects the racial/ethnic student body make-up of the school in its entirety.

3. CONTROLLED-CHOICE SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT POLICY

Attendance Zones

1) The controlled-choice student assignment policy combines the school system's former (1995) elementary and junior high school areas into two larger geographic attendance zones with a diagonal boundary. The two zones, each linking contiguous north/south sections of the city, are intended to be similar in size and

student enrollment, to be equivalent in the range and quality of school choices available to students, and to serve student populations that reflect the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of the school system as a whole. As new zone and citywide schools open, the schools are assigned north, south or citywide status as may be required to maintain zone equivalence.

2) The controlled-choice school assignment policy applies to all grade 1-8 school assignments and to the placement of kindergarten pupils seeking enrollment in full-day kindergarten classes.

3) Within each zone parents of elementary students select schools of attendance in order of preference. Parents residing in either zone may select schools designated as citywide. Assignments are subject to timely registration, space availability and racial fairness guidelines.

4) Parents of junior high students select desired schools of attendance in order of preference. Available selections include schools within the student's attendance zone, schools designated as a citywide or out of attendance zone schools. If the selected attendance zone schools are oversubscribed, students may be assigned to any school within a School Committee defined walking distance. Assignments are subject to timely registration, space availability and racial fairness guidelines.

b. Administration of Controlled-Choice School Assignments

Enrolling grade 1-8 students and administering the controlled-choice assignment policy is the responsibility of the School Registration and Parent Information Center. The center conducts school tours and other parent outreach activities in individual schools. Services provided include dissemination of accurate and timely information regarding the school choice and application process; implementing student assignment procedures; developing school profiles and other information necessary for parents to make informed school choices; parent education and training workshops in such areas as curriculum and program objectives, student discipline, technology awareness, home tutoring, parent leadership and advocacy skill-building.

c. Bilingual Student Assignments

Students whose primary language is not English and are identified as eligible for bilingual education services will be assigned to a school that provides these services. Based on seat availability, bilingual students will be given a choice of schools that provide either Transitional Bilingual Education or English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for their primary language group.

d. Special Education Students Assignments

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act the educational placement of a special needs student is determined by the student's individual education planning team and cannot be unilaterally determined by the parents. Students who have been identified as requiring special education services will be assigned only to those schools containing the special education program required by their IEP (Individual Educational Plan). Special needs students may also apply to attend schools offering an inclusive special education/regular program provided that the program meets the requirements of their IEP.

e. School Choice Transportation

The School Committee will make every effort to provide transportation within each zone for all students who reside beyond the walk zone of their assigned school. A walk zone is defined by the School Committee policy on transportation eligibility.

f. Racial Fairness Guidelines

Assignments to schools and programs will be available to minority and non-minority students on the basis of their actual proportion in each grade. An elementary school will be considered racially balanced when its student body is within ten points of the percentage of minority and non-minority students in grades 1-6. A junior high school will be considered racially balanced when its student body is within five points of the percentage of minority and non-minority students in grades 7 and 8. A citywide program will be considered racially balanced when its student body is within five points of the citywide percentage of minority and non-minority students in the grades served by the program.

g. Sibling Preference

Students who have a brother or sister already enrolled in their first-choice school within their zone in the same school year during which they seek admission will be assigned to that school. Such assignments will be made before any other students are assigned, provided that the parents submit a timely and complete school choice application form.

h. Proximity-to-School Preference

Students within each attendance zone will be given proximity-to-school preference. Students who reside within the walk zone of their first-choice school will be assigned to that school before applicants who reside beyond the school's walk-zone. The assignment preference of students who live closest to their first choice school will be subject to racial fairness guidelines and timely registration.

i. Lottery Assignments

In the event that the number of controlled-choice school applicants exceeds the number of available seats for non-minority and/or minority applicants, the over chosen seats will be filled by lottery within racial fairness guidelines.

j. Mandatory Assignments

In the event that a student cannot be assigned to a selected school, the student will be assigned to a school within his/her zone that is nearest to the student's home and has available space for that particular racial group.

k. Waiting Lists

All students who do not receive their first-choice school will be placed on a waiting list for that school. Students who receive mandatory assignments will be placed on a waiting list for their first and second-choice schools. Waiting lists will be cleared when space becomes available and will be subject to racial fairness guidelines. Parents who decline the opportunity to be moved when a seat becomes available in a first-choice school will be removed from the list.

l. Requests for Within-the-Zone Transfers

Transfers will be allowed at the end of the school year based on timely requests, space availability and racial fairness guidelines.

m. Requests For Transfers to Out-of Zone Schools

Requests will be considered only if there is seats unfilled by students from within the attendance zone and will be subject to racial fairness guidelines. Transportation to out of zone schools will not be provided.

n. Change of Home Address

1) Students who move to a new address within an attendance zone will be allowed to continue in their present school until they complete the school's highest grade. Transportation will be provided subject to availability.

2) Students who move into another zone during the school year will be allowed to remain in their present school until the end of the school year. Transportation will not be provided. Students will be required to register for a new school assignment in their new zone prior to the beginning of the new school year.

o. Review of Assignments

Within 90 days after kindergarten parents select grade one schools and grade six parents select grade seven schools, the Superintendent will report to the School Committee on the extent to which the assignments conform to the goals of the controlled-choice school assignment policy.

p. Appeals

The Superintendent shall establish a process for appealing assignments made under the controlled-choice school assignment policy. Decisions rendered through the appeals process are final.

q. Amendment Process

The School Committee's policy regarding school assignments is based on the Brockton's state-approved Long-Range Voluntary Desegregation and Educational Equity Plan (1995) and is designed to be responsive to changing demographic and educational conditions in the Brockton Public Schools. No amendment that may have an impact on the legal and funding basis of the plan, and/or that may substantially alter the plan's organizational and educational framework will be implemented without a public hearing and review by the Massachusetts Department of Education.

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