TUSTIN : Schools Tentatively OK Open Enrollment

Trustees at the Tustin Unified School District tentatively approved a policy this week that would allow residents to send their children to any school within the district.

The open enrollment policy was passed by unanimous vote, and officials said it was done in compliance with state law that mandates open intradistrict transfers starting in school year 1994-95. The district is expected to have a final vote on the policy on Feb. 7.

District administrators have set some guidelines on how the open enrollment policy would be carried out.

For instance, students who reside within the attendance area of a school will have priority and cannot be displaced by a transfer student. Transfers will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a waiting list if enrollment limits at a school or a grade level have been reached.

In addition, requests for transfers must be made by April 15 of the preceding school year. The school will send a preliminary notice of acceptance by May 15. The final decision will be made by the third Monday of the school year.

Once accepted, students are expected to remain for the entire school year. Students could stay at the school until they graduate, and their siblings will have priority to enroll at the same school.

Supt. David Andrews said that student transfers would be closely watched to avoid having schools accept students mainly from one ethnic group.

The new enrollment policy would not affect the estimated 468 students from other school districts who are attending Tustin schools, or Tustin students in other school districts, Andrews said.

“The policy is working well,” Andrews said. “There is no need for restrictions for students going out or coming in.”