Schools of Choice

Niles Community Schools welcomes applications for the Schools of Choice Program for Kindergarten thru 12th grade students. Please request a Schools of Choice Application by contacting the Superintendents Administrative Assistant at 269-683-0732 ext. 10013 or by stopping by the Niles Administration Center, One Tyler Street, Niles, MI. 

5113 - ADMISSION OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING UNDER SCHOOLS OF CHOICE
The District agrees to consider nonresident students residing in the same intermediate school district for admission under the District’s Schools of Choice Program.

Application for Admission with Limited Number of Positions

  1. The District's regular enrollment procedure is to be followed when enrolling a schools of choice student.
  2. The District shall not discriminate against any students with disabilities (IDEA or 504).
  3. Enrollment in a program or school shall be subject to an agreement that transportation of the schools of choice student to the school or to a scheduled in-District bus stop is provided for by the student, his/her parents, or the constituent district. Exceptions to this requirement may need to be made for students with disabilities.
  4. Participation in interscholastic athletics must comply with pertinent regulations of the Michigan High School Athletic Association and any relevant league standards regarding eligibility of transfer students for participation in interscholastic athletics.
  5. The appropriate principal shall determine the awarding of transfer academic credit, academic assignment, or placement based upon completion of courses or grades in the student's home school.
  6. Upon notification of acceptance for enrollment, parents are to furnish a written statement to the principal authorizing release of all records of the nonresident student from his/her home district.

Transfer of Resident Students

  1. When a resident student is accepted for enrollment in a constituent-district's Schools of Choice program, the procedure described in AG 5130 - Withdrawal/Transfer from School is to be followed.
  2. If, during the school year, a resident student wishes to transfer back to his/her home school, the student may do so. If the student has a record of academic difficulty, the principal may wish to assess the student's current level of performance using the assessment AG 5463 as appropriate to the situation.

Application for Admission into an Unlimited Number of Programs

  1. The Superintendent must provide notice to the general public that applications will be taken from nonresidents residing in the same intermediate school district. The public notice shall identify an application period of at least fifteen (15) days and the place and manner for submitting applications.
  2. Not later than the end of the first week of school, the District shall notify the parent or legal guardian of each applicant whether or not the applicant may enroll in the District.
  3. When a schools of choice student or his/her home-school requests an application, s/he is to be informed of the prerequisites for each program or course of study in which enrollment is sought. No schools of choice student will be enrolled in a program or course of study who has not met the prerequisites established for District students and tuition students.
  4. If there are more qualified applicants than spaces available for a particular grade or program, the following selection procedure shall be used:
    1. Examine each application to make sure the students seeking admission meet any pre-requisites and other eligibility standards associated with particular courses of study.
    2. If the application is for a special education or 504 student, the IEP or 504 plan must accompany the application and be reviewed by the Director of Special Education prior to any action by the committee.
    3. Identify students who were suspended from their home school during the preceding two (2) school years and/or were expelled at any time from any school.
      These students are to be accepted and only after the principal in whose school the student would be attending has reviewed the circumstances and given his/her approval to the enrollment.

Applications for Enrollment in the Second Semester

If the District determines during the first semester that it has positions available for schools of choice students for enrollment in the second semester:

  1. Not later than two (2) weeks before the end of the first semester, the District shall publish the grades, schools, and special programs for which enrollment in the second semester may be available to nonresidents residing in the same intermediate district and/or a contiguous district located in another intermediate district.
  2. During the last two (2) weeks of the first semester, the District shall accept applications from schools of choice students for enrollment for the second semester in available grades, schools, and programs.
  3. By the beginning of the second semester, the District shall determine which applications to accept and notify the parent or legal guardian of each applicant whether or not the applicant may enroll in the District for the second semester. For accepted applicants, this notification shall include the date by which the applicant must enroll and procedures for enrollment. The District shall use the procedures and preferences identified herein when considering applications for enrollment for the second semester.
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