SINOI Transfers - December 2004

This procedural directive was reviewed and revised in April 2010. We provide this revision for historic purposes only.

The following applies to students who attend a Title I school defined by the New Mexico Public Education Department as School Improvement Year 1, School Improvement Year 2, Corrective Action, or Restructuring, and reside within the boundaries of that school.  These schools will hereafter be referred to as "Designated NCLB Schools" in this directive.  As mandated by the Elementary/Secondary Education Act, “No Child Left Behind”, these students will be allowed to request a transfer to an APS school which has not been classified as a "Designated NCLB School."

Enrollment requests will be approved as long as the site has physical capacity, program availability, and the ability to maintain required class sizes.  If the number of requests exceeds available capacity, the district shall determine enrollment approvals according to a random selection process.

Processes and Timelines

1. Enrollment requests must be initiated by either parent/guardian, student 18 years of age or older, or students who are emancipated by the courts.
2. The district will utilize a series of opportunities to accept application.  The first window is from February 1 through March 15.  All applications submitted during this window will be processed as having been received the same day.  Additional windows of transfer opportunity will happen on a weekly or by-weekly basis.
3. Requests for transfer from "Designated NCLB Schools" must be submitted by the 40th day of the school year.
4. The district will try to accommodate the applicant's first choice of school, but will not place students at school sites that are over capacity.
5. The program support specialist must verify educational program availability and ability to maintain specified class sizes for all special education enrollments prior to a special education eligible student enrolling at a school.
6. Transfer approvals will be granted only once per academic year.
7. All students enrolled at a school, regardless of priority, are subject to the same discipline and attendance policies.

Transportation and Reimbursement

The district will provide bus transportation from school sites to a select number of schools.  If the parent/guardian receives a transfer approval for their child to attend a school where transportation is not provided by the district, the parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the child.  Those parents/guardians will be eligible for reimbursement, upon application and verification, for the cost of mileage not to exceed  10 dollars per day, per dwelling.  The amount of daily reimbursement will be determined annually, based on the availability of funds.  No additional reimbursement will be provided for multiple students from the same dwelling being transported to the same school.  In the case of students at different schools, payment will be based on a logical drop off route, not to exceed 10 dollars per day.  In order to be eligible for bus transportation or reimbursement the student must be registered at the school at the time it is designated as a NCLB school. 

Extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case to case basis. 

In order for the parent/guardian to receive reimbursement, proof of insurance, a valid driver’s license, and residency must be verified.  If license or insurance expires during the reimbursement period, the parent/guardian is responsible for providing the district with updated information prior to the expiration date.

Reimbursement payments will stop, and parent/guardian must reapply for reimbursement, if either insurance or driver’s license expires.  There will be no retroactive reimbursement for lapsed insurance or driver's license. 

Payment will start again at the time of re-verification of insurance or driver's license.

In addition, the following also applies:

1. There is no reimbursement option when a parent/guardian chooses to transport students rather than utilize the bus service provided by APS.
2. Transportation and/or reimbursement will not be granted for a student transferring from one "Designated NCLB School" to another. 
3. All applications for reimbursement/transportation must be submitted by the end of the first semester.
4. There will be no retroactive reimbursement for requests received after the 40th day of the school year.
5. Students who have transferred to a school that comes off the "Designated NCLB Schools" list will no longer be eligible for busing or reimbursement during subsequent school years. They will be given the option to remain at the school, pending space availability.  Families in this situation will be notified by mail. 

December 2004

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.