Alternate School Attendance

All STMA students, including open enrolled students, are automatically assigned to the school that serves their home address. The School Board Policy 552 "Alternate School Attendance" allows families to apply for a transfer to an alternate school provided qualifying conditions are met. The parent/guardian must also provide or arrange transportation to the alternate school.

Alternate School Attendance is subject to available space and limited to ensure enrollment balance among our schools. Placement of a student in an alternative school is not guaranteed. One application per student per school year will be accepted.

Once a student is accepted for an alternate school transfer in elementary school, s/he must return to his/her original assigned attendance area for the middle school level. However, the student may once again apply for an alternate attendance school, if the family meets the eligibility requirements.

Parents/guardians may choose to return a child(ren) to the school in the assigned boundary attendance area after notification to the principal of the child(ren)’s current school.

Siblings ARE NOT guaranteed approval to an assigned alternate attendance school under this policy.

This policy does not apply to non-public and homeschool students who elect to participate only in the middle school activity program.

Transfers may be revoked for tardies and absences due to transportation. Transfers may be also revoked when the school board determines it is necessary to change school boundary areas as well as discontinue the ASA policy on a temporary basis based upon economically and educationally sound staffing arrangements.

Eligibility

• Students are eligible to apply for ASA if one of the following qualifying conditions is met:
• Parent/guardian is deployed for a military assignment and requests to have a child continue to attend the current neighborhood school.
• Parent/guardian moves from the assigned boundary attendance area where the child is attending school and requests to have a child continue to attend the neighborhood school.
• Parent/guardian requests to have a child first through fifth grade attend an alternative assigned school because childcare is located in another attendance area.
• Parent/guardian is an employee of the school district and requests to have a child attend the school where the employee is employed.
• Siblings of students who are assigned to an alternative attendance school because of educational programs.