Burlington-Edison School District -

QUALIFICATIONS OF ATTENDANCE AND PLACEMENT

Kindergarten Early Entry, Intervention Entrance Qualifications

Pursuant to WAC 392-335-010 Burlington-Edison School District establishes the following procedures for early entrance of kindergarten pupils. Early admittance will be considered for children born after September 1st of the desired year of entry. This allows children who have been identified as in need for intervention services to succeed in the traditional educational program to enter kindergarten prior to the uniform entry age.

Early Entry Kindergarten Intervention Application/Assessment Process

• Application for early entrance for children living within the Burlington-Edison School District Boundaries will be accepted through January 1st of the desired entry year. Complete applications mustinclude:

  • Proof of Burlington-Edison School District permanent residency

  • A copy of the child’s birth certificate (or other proof of legal name and age).

  • The application for early entrance to kindergarten form, which will include permission to evaluate.

  • A developmental questionnaire to be completed by the parent/guardian regarding the child.

  • A preschool questionnaire to be completed by the preschool teacher if the child has had a prior school experience.

  • Other Information that is relevant and will assist the Early Entrance to Kindergarten team in determining a child’s developmental level.

The application packet can be obtained by from the district website or district office.

• An early entrance assessment is required. This assessment will include, but may not be limited to, seven areas: (1) mental ability, (2) gross-motor skills, (3) fine-motor sills, (4) visual discrimination, (5) auditory discrimination, (6) social/emotional development, and

  (7) language development.

• The district reserves the right to annually establish a fee to pay for the cost of the assessments noted above. Parents for whom the cost of an assessment would cause undue hardship may request exemption or reduction from fees. These requests will be considered on the basis of submission of a “Free and Reduced Meal” application and qualifying for free or reduced meals.

• Parents must contact the Enrollment Office to make an appointment for the assessment.

• The assessment is conducted by the Early Entrance to Kindergarten Team. The assessment team will include a school psychologist, a kindergarten teacher or the Early Childhood Education Coach, and at least one additional member of a multidisciplinary team.

• The Early Entrance to Kindergarten team will review the applications and assessments and come to a decision in regards to a child’s need and/or ability to enter kindergarten early. The student must meet the screening criteria in all areas and receive a recommendation

  from the Early Entrance to Kindergarten team. A decision will be mailed within 10 business days of testing completion.

• Upon completion of early entry Kindergarten intervention, students will continue Kindergarten for the following schoolyear.

Admission of Students Aged Twenty-One or Older

• A Student aged 21 or older may enroll in the district under following conditions:

• There is available space in the school and program which the student shall attend;

• Tuition is prepaid;

• The student provides his/her own transportation;

• The student resides in the state of Washington; and

• In the judgment of the superintendent, no adult education program is available at reasonable costs and the district’s program is appropriate to the needs of the student.

Placement of Student on Admission

Pre-K – 8th Grade, and Requests to Transfer Schools, will be at the District Office. High School enrollment will be at the High School. District enrollment practices for non-resident students are outlined in policy 3141 and procedure 3141P

School Placement Considerations

Placement of students is based upon the following factors:

• Proximity of the student residence to the assigned school.

• Placing siblings to attend the same school,

• Capacity within the general education grade,

• Appropriate special education services are available,

• Remediation services can accommodate student needs,

• If English Language Learner services can accommodate student needs, and

• Continuation at current school, unless otherwise requested by the parent. Placement of students shall occur in the following priority order:

• Resident student transfer requests1;

• New resident student registrations; and

• Non-resident student registrations.

Class-size Guidelines for Enrollment Purposes

Student placement is processed with the intent to maintain class-sizes at or below the following

Student must be currently attending the school from which they are seeking a transfer. In addition, the class-size guidelines shall be used to create equitable class-size numbers across the district through the enrollment process.

• K – 2nd Grade: 25 students

• 3rd – 6th Grade: 27 students

• 7th – 8th Grade: 30 students

• 9th – 12th Grade: Determined by High School Administration and approved by the Superintendent.

If class-size enrollment guidelines are exceeded, the building principal(s) and superintendent shall be consulted prior to finalizing placement and informing the family.

Grade Level Placement

The superintendent designee shall evaluate the educational record and assessments of all other students to determine their appropriate grade level placement. A temporary classroom assignment may be made for no more than thirty calendar days for the purpose of evaluation prior to making the final placement decision. At, or prior to, the conclusion of the temporary classroom assignment period the building principal will finalize the placement decision.

In-District Transfers

Transfer requests from one school to another within the district shall be made in writing, on a form provided by the District, to the District Office. Prior to submitting a transfer request the parent/guardian shall meet with building level administration to review and resolve concerns, when feasible, as a part of completing the transfer request form. The following factors are considered as reasonable rational for granting a request to transfer schools.

• Financial, safety, or health conditions with potential for improvement with transfer;

• Proximity of school to home, parent workplace, or child care; and

• Other family related hardship.

Updated: 05.2015