COSTA MESA, Calif.—The Orange County Board of Education is making it easier for students to attend schools outside of their districts.
Typically, parents can petition the board to allow their child to attend a school outside of their district, in the cases of issues related to transportation, childcare, and the parent’s place of employment. But after the board voted 3–1 on May 4, that criteria is widening.
The revised inter-district policy adds 12 new considerations for reviewing petitions, including the child’s psychological or physical well-being, a specific academic program unavailable elsewhere, lack of an afterschool program, the family’s plans to move into the desired district soon, or recommendations by the school based on documented cases of serious home issues.
Board President Mari Barke said inter-district transfers are “near and dear to her heart” because they have the potential to improve students’ lives.
“When we hear these appeals, we hear real problems from real people who love their children and are doing everything in their power to make their children’s lives better,” Barke said during the meeting. “I always believe that parents make the best decisions for their children every day. [They] ... identify the large and complex issues that we face and ... the real-life problems that OC families are facing and come here to discuss with us.”
The board has already been implementing these considerations already, said education and legal consultant Greg Rolen at the meeting, and today’s vote was to formalize the guidelines.
Because schools in California receive funding based on student attendance rate, the board also must consider the amount of space available for a new student in the receiving district, as well as financial impact the switch may have on both schools.
If either school makes the case that the student’s transfer would create financial hardship for the district’s current pupils in terms of reduced service or affected class size, the student’s transfer petition may be denied by the board.
A spokesperson for the Orange County Department of Education, and Trustee Beckie Gomez, who was the sole dissenting vote, did not respond to a request for data by press time.
