Policy Details Page

Policy No. 3110
Students

The board of directors of Tacoma School District No. 10, believes that learning best occurs when students are developmentally, physically, intellectually, academically, and emotionally ready. In adopting this policy, the board seeks the following:

To assist staff in making sound educational decisions.
To provide for equitable treatment of all students seeking grade placement consideration.
To allow highly capable students the opportunity to enter school prior to state-mandated timelines.

The superintendent is authorized to develop and implement the necessary regulations for the administration of this policy.

Age of Admission

Attending the schools of the district shall be recognized as a right and responsibility for those who meet the requirements prescribed by law. Every resident of the district who satisfies the minimum entry age requirement, is less than 21 years of age on September 1 of the current school year and has not yet earned a high school diploma has the right to attend the district's schools until he/she completes high school graduation requirements. Children of age 8 and less than age 18 are required by law to attend a public school, an approved private school or educational center, unless they are receiving approved home-based instruction. Under certain circumstances children who are at least 16 and less than 18 years of age may be excused from further attendance at school. The superintendent shall exercise his/her authority to grant exceptions when he/she determines that the student:

Is lawfully and regularly employed, and
Has permission of a parent, or,
Is emancipated pursuant to Chapter 13.64 RCW; or
Is subject to one of the other exceptions to compulsory attendance.

A resident student who has been granted an exception retains the right to enroll as a part-time student and shall be entitled to take a course, receive ancillary services and take or receive a combination of courses and ancillary services which is offered to full-time students.

Entrance Qualifications

To be admitted to a kindergarten program which commences in the fall of the year a child must be not less than 5 years of age prior to September l of that school year. To be admitted to a first-grade program which commences in the fall of the year a child must be not less than 6 years of age prior to September l of that school year. Any student not otherwise eligible for entry to the first grade who has successfully completed a state-approved kindergarten program of 450 or more hours including instruction in language arts, arithmetic, and reading may be placed in a temporary classroom assignment for the purposes of evaluation prior to making a final determination of the student's appropriate placement. Such determination shall be made no later than the 30th calendar day following the student's first day of attendance. If a student is age 6 at the beginning of his/her kindergarten school year and (1) qualified for special education services, or (2) ESL eligible, a full-day program may be considered based on recommendation of the building multi-disciplinary team. Consideration will include class size, progress toward IEP goals, competence in the English language, and other educational needs.

Exemptions

Special exemptions may be made for younger pupils who appear to be sufficiently advanced to succeed in the educational program. The superintendent is authorized to establish screening and admission procedures that shall provide reliable estimates of the skills and abilities required for granting exemptions.

Parents requesting an exemption shall provide to the district the results of an assessment using the instruments and processes approved by the superintendent.

Placement of Students on Admission

Generally, students meeting the age of admission requirements or transferring from a public or approved private school shall be placed in kindergarten or first grade, or the grade from which they transferred. The principal shall evaluate the educational record and assessments of all other students to determine their appropriate 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.

Rulings related to admission requirements (except early admission of highly capable children to kindergarten) may be appealed through the process described in Regulation 3110R, Appeal Process.

Cross References:

Board Policy 2090 Program Evaluation
Board Policy 2121 Drug and Alcohol Use/Abuse Program
Board Policy 2140 Guidance and Counseling
Board Policy 2108 Remediation Program
Board Policy 3114 Part-time, Home-based, or Off-campus Students
Board Policy 3121 Compulsory Attendance
Board Policy 3122 Excused or Unexcused Absences
Board Policy 4312 Complaints Concerning Staff or Program

Legal References:

RCW 28A.225.010 Attendance mandatory--Age--Exceptions
RCW 28A.225.020 School's duties upon juvenile's failure to attend school
RCW 28A.225.160 Attendance age eligibility
RCW 28A.225.220 Adults, children from other districts, agreements for attending school--Tuition
WAC 180-39 Uniform Entry Qualifications
WAC 392-134-010 Attendance rights of part-time public school students
WAC 392-137 Finance--Nonresident Attendance

Adoption Date: 6/22/00