JBC JBC  - SCHOOL ADMISSION 1. In General The admission of students to the appropriate general and special education programs operated by this school district shall be strictly in accordance with the provisions of Georgia law and these policies and rules. Verification of eligibility shall be the duty of the administration to protect our students from possible overcrowding with all of its attendant disadvantages and to protect our taxpayers from unwarranted financial burdens. 2. Non-Discrimination The conditions of admission, assignment and attendance, including curricular and extra-curricular offerings under the auspices of the schools shall be applied without regard to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital or parental status. 3. Eligibility Criteria a) Students who reside in Baldwin County and are eligible for inclusion in the full-time equivalency count under the Quality Basic Education Act are authorized to attend the schools operated by this school district. In most cases this means that the student and his/her parents, guardian, or other person having legal custody and control of the student must be legal residents of the State of Georgia and Baldwin County. In certain exceptional circumstances, the State Board of Education will authorize inclusion of a student in the FTE count whose parents or other custodial person do not reside in this state. In order for a student who is under the age of 18 to establish a residence in this school district for the purpose of attending the public free schools separate and apart from his parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control of him under an order of a court, the student and/or his caregiver must carry the burden of establishing that the student is not in the school district for the primary purpose of attending school. The Superintendent shall establish procedures to insure that such students are not attempting to (1) avoid payment of out-of-county/out-of-state tuition, (2) avoid or evade athletic eligibility rules, (3) avoid the consequences of any court order providing for the desegregation of public schools, or (4) avoid the consequences of disciplinary action taken in another school district. b) The school district is authorized by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-152 to contract with other school districts in this state for the education of special education students whose handicapping condition is either of such low incidence or of such severity that it is impossible for impractical to provide needed special education services in the student’s school district. The Administration is authorized to contract with other school districts for the education of such special students upon payment by the sending school district of: (1) the amount earned for that student by the sending district under QBE; (2) the amount of federal funds earned by the sending district for that student; (3) the cost of providing any related services for the student; and, (4) an amount equal to the average locally financed per student cost for students in the Program for Exceptional Children. c) Admission to the instructional program funded by the State of Georgia and operated by this school district shall be free to all eligible children and youth enrolled in such programs except for such tuition charges as are authorized under the Quality Basic Education Act for non-instructional and enrichment programs, and non-resident students. d) Students who are bona fide residents of the State of Georgia and who reside in counties other than Baldwin may attend the schools operated by this school district if they are eligible for inclusion in the full-time equivalency count under the Quality Basic Education Act, and upon payment of tuition as provided in Board policy JBCBA. 4. Immunization and Examination All students entering a school in the State of Georgia for the first time regardless of the grade entered shall be immunized as required by law and shall furnish to the school a certificate of eye, ear and dental examination. The student’s immunization record and certificate shall be made of a part of the student’s permanent record folder. 5. Admission to First Grade An otherwise age eligible student may be admitted to the first grade provided the student has successfully completed the Baldwin County Public School Kindergarten Program, can demonstrate mastery of the minimum expectations established for successful completion of kindergarten established by the Baldwin County Schools, and can pass the school readiness assessment required by the State Board. 6. Admission of Students Eighteen or Over Students eighteen years of age or older, who have dropped out of school for two grading periods and who wish to pursue a course of study shall make written application for admission to the School Principal. Applications are available in the office of the principal or registrar. Applications will be accepted only during the first ten (10) days of a school year or at the beginning of the second semester for senior high school students. 7. Admission of Students from Home Study and Non-Accredited Schools Credit earned or grade level achieved in a school or home school which is not accredited by a regional or state accrediting agency shall be validated by the principal. The principal must use one of the following validation criteria: (1) Validation by examination means that the student takes and earns a passing score on one or more applicable norm reference standardized achievement tests, or teacher made tests for each subject for which the student seeks Carnegie Unit credit. A passing score on the achievement test is equal to or greater than the 50th percentile. A passing score on the teacher made test is determined by the principal. (2) A score which is less than the 50th percentile means that the student will be placed in one grade level below for which the test was performed. If the student fails the criterion reference test or the teacher-made test, the student will be placed in one grade level below for which the test was given. (3) Validation by scholarship performance means that the principal may temporarily place a student in a grade level according to the recommendation of the non-accredited school or home school. To remain in that temporary grade placement, the student must earn at least a “C” grade in the following core curriculum subjects: (a) Math; (b) English/Language Arts/Reading; (c) Social Studies; (d) Science. If the earned grade is less than a “C”, the principal will reassign the student one grade level below the temporary grade placement. The principal shall have the sole and final discretionary authority to evaluate the education record of the student to determine Carnegie Units and/or grade level placement in the regular education program. No units of credit will be given for course work obtained in a home student program or non-accredited school unless comparable course work is offered as a part of the public school curriculum. All students enrolled in public school are evaluated on a periodic basis in order to assess student achievement and program effectiveness. Students entering or re-entering the public schools will be required to participate in all state or local testing programs when applicable. Home school students who plan to graduate from Baldwin County High School must be enrolled in Baldwin County during their entire senior year. Upon entry, their record will be evaluated and the student and parents advised of the student’s status regarding graduation requirements in this system. Legal Ref.: O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-133; 20-2-152; 20-2-690. Other Ref.: SACS (Secondary Schools) 3.4.3; 3.4.7; 3.4.8; 3.4.9. Adopted: August 10, 1982 Revised: October 13, 1992 Revised: January 12, 1993 Revised: January 9, 1996 Revised: December, 11, 2001 Revised: October 17, 2006 BALDWIN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION