MDUSD Intradistrict Transfer Procedures 2011-2012

Well, I have to say, nothing frustrates me more than a "time sensitive" issue for many parents in our district, to have ZERO information available online at the district website.  At least I can't find it. Can you?  If you use their drop down menu of "How do I?" or the "Parents" tab on the main page, I get LAST YEARS information but still, no links to forms or their new Q & A.  So I figured I'd help you out.

I've uploaded the information, Q & A and forms you need to apply for a transfer here. 

Important points:

• Intradistrict applications for grades 1-12 are available starting October 1st, and are due on or before January 15, 2011.
• Forms are available at the District Office (Dent Center) at 1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord
• This year you will have three choices in your transfer designation and therefore, there are three different forms - you need to know which one to use - this is vital.
• Kindergarten students must register at their home school on District Kindergarten registration day, February 1, 2011.  Then, on or after that day, you may request a transfer.  Those requests are due no later than February 26th, 2011.

Three choices this year (each is described in more detail below and the Q&A is available at the link above), be sure you use the right form as which transfer to apply for is important to know:

• School Choice (another MDUSD School) - star at top left of transfer form
• NCLB Transfer (No Child Left Behind) - square box at top left of transfer form
• Open Enrollment (SBX5 4) - diamond box at top left of transfer form

What is the three options?

• School Choice provides parents with an opportunity to apply for another MDUSD school other than their residence school (i.e. you live in Concord, but want to have your child attend a Walnut Creek school)
• NCLB Transfer (No Child Left Behind) provides parents whose student's residence school is identified as "Program Improvement (PI)" to apply for attendance at a non-Program Improvement school (must be on the list below).  Program Improvement (PI) is a formal designation for Title 1 funded schools that do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years.  The Program Improvement Schools are listed below.
• Open Enrollment SBX5 4 provides parents who student's residence school has been identified as a Persistently Low Achieving school to apply to a school anywhere within or outside the district.  The receiving school must have an API (Academic Performance Index) score that is higher than that of the resident school.  Persistently Low Achieving schools are listed below.

Once assigned to a school per a transfer, can your student be displaced?

• Students on School Choice K-12 transfers can be displaced prior to September 15th of EACH SCHOOL YEAR (my emphasis) by students who reside in the school's attendance area.
• Students on NCLB Transfers can be displaced prior to September 15th of the FIRST school year only by students who reside in the school's attendance area.  After that first year, these students become residents of the school and are not subject to bumping.
• Students on Open Enrollment SBX5 4 transfers can be displaced prior to September 15th of the FIRST school year only, and as with NCLB, become school residents after that first year and are not subject to bumping.

Clear as mud?  An important distinction if you are contemplating between a NCLB and a Open Enrollment SBX5 4 transfer is that TRANSPORTATION IS ONLY PROVIDED for NCLB transfers.  Each of the other options will not provide transportation and parents are responsible for all transportation to/from school.  For NCLB transfers, transportation is provided to /from the home school to the new school.

Another important note.  You can ONLY submit one transfer request.  If a transfer request is denied, you may appeal, but you are assigned back to your home school.  So be careful.

Ok, so which schools are on which list?


NCLB Elementary Schools/Middle Schools and your NCLB school choice options are listed below:

Elementary:
Bel Air
Cambridge
Fair Oaks
Meadow Homes
Rio Vista
Shore Acres
Ygnacio Valley


Your Elementary Options are:  
Ayers
Bancroft
Hidden Valley
Mountain View
Sun Terrace
Westwood
Wren

Middle:
Glenbrook
Oak Grove
Riverview

Your Middle School options are:
Diablo View
Pleasant Hill


Schools eligible for Open Enrollment SBX5 4 (remember you can go to any other school that has a higher API) are as follows:
Bel Air Elementary
Meadow Homes Elementary
Shore Acres Elementary

Glenbrook Middle
Oak Grove Middle
Riverview Middle

Remember, Monte Gardens, Sequoia Elementary and Cornerstone Family School have separate admissions procedures and you should contact those schools directly for admission information and to be put on their waiting lists.

Schools noted as "over enrolled" will not accept transfer requests, those schools in 2010-2011 were/are Meadow Homes Elementary and College Park High School.  Over enrolled designation for this 2011-2012 transfer cycle will be determined by the board this month.

PROCEDURES:

• When more requests are received than there is space available to attend a specific school, the Student Services Office will conduct a public lottery among the applicants to fill any vacancies.  The lottery will be February 11, 2011, parents will be notified by April 15th, 2011 for 6th - 12th grade and August 16th, 2011 for K-5 grades of approval or denial of transfer request (nice bit of notice for those elementary students huh? Not knowing where they'll start school until a week or two before?)

To contact Student Services:  925-688-8000 x 4068.  Felicia Stuckey-Smith (email smithf@mdusd.k12.ca.us) in this department may be able to help you.

At last weeks PAC (Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council), Dr. Lawrence committed that the School Closure committee will either be done by this January 15th date, or will allow more time for those families impacted by any school closures.  Note that the choices under NCLB are several of the most underenrolled schools in our district.  So I have a feeling there will be some stress come January.