Enrollment and Transfer of Students in the Chicago Public Schools

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THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:

That the Chicago Board of Education (“Board”) amend Board Report 17-0426-PO1 Policy on the Enrollment and Transfer of Students in the Chicago Public Schools. The policy was amended to reflect the district’s current enrollment and transfer practices and updated organization structure. The policy was posted for public comment from May 19, 2021 to June 18, 2021.

POLICY TEXT:

I. Enrollment

Enrollment decisions should be made in the best educational interest of the child and to promote equitable and fair enrollment across the district. All children between the ages of five and twenty-one who live in the City of Chicago who seek admission must be enrolled in Chicago Public Schools. Decisions concerning enrollment will be consistent with the Section 34-18(7) of the Illinois School Code.

A. Students Enrolling In Chicago Public Schools

The general rule governing enrollment does not apply in the following situations:

Where a school has been designated for controlled enrollment, enrollment eligibility is subject to the requirements set out in the Board’s Controlled Enrollment of Elementary and High Schools Policy.
Where the school has no established attendance boundary, such as a magnet school, or a school with established selective enrollment admissions criteria. For schools with no attendance boundaries, admissions must comply with the Admissions Policy for Magnet Selective Enrollment and Other Options for Knowledge Schools and Programs and the Elementary and High School Guide issued annually by CPS, which identify the admissions requirements for magnet and selective enrollment schools.
Where a school offers a preschool program, eligibility for preschool program enrollment is subject to preschool enrollment eligibility criteria and enrollment procedures as further described in section A.7 of this Policy. Except when otherwise specified by the Board, or Preschool Enrollment Guidelines, enrollment in a school’s preschool program does not establish eligibility or guarantee to enrollment in the school’s kindergarten program.

Where a student with disabilities in grades Kindergarten through 12, seeks to enroll in his or her attendance area school, the attendance area school must immediately enroll that child.

If the attendance area school believes that it is unable to implement the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, the school must then contact the Office of Diverse Learner Support Services (“ODLSS”) for appropriate review and placement determination and provide interim services until proper placement is made by the ODLSS.
If a student with disabilities’ IEP or 504 Plan requires an accessible building, an attendance area school or magnet school that constitutes the nearest building that meets the student’s accessibility needs must accept the student, if requested by ODLSS, even if the student has not applied or has not been accepted into the school.
Minimum Enrollment Targets. Every school, must strive to meet the minimum enrollment targets of students with disabilities established by the Final Report of the Corey H. court monitor. If a school is below the minimum enrollment target, the school and the ODLSS must determine whether the placement of a program for students with low incidence disabilities is appropriate to assist the school in meeting the minimum enrollment target.

The parent/guardian of all new students enrolling for the first time must complete a Home Language Survey (HLS) at time of enrollment.
If either question on the HLS is answered yes, the school must use the state-prescribed screening instrument to measure the student’s English language proficiency to determine eligibility to receive bilingual education services. For more information, see the Bilingual Education Policy, Section 603.1.
Enrollment in Attendance Area School Without Bilingual Education Program.
- Where an EL student seeks to enroll in the EL student’s attendance area school and the school does not offer a bilingual education program aligned with the child’s English language proficiency, the child must be enrolled in the attendance area school and given the option to transfer to the nearest school offering a bilingual language program.
- Pending identification and transfer to another school, or if the child opts to remain in the home school, the child must be enrolled and provided the most appropriate bilingual education services possible, consistent with their child’s bilingual instructional needs.
- The school must contact the Office of Language and Cultural Education for any placement in an alternate program or for assistance in developing the student’s language proficiency in the attendance area school.
ELs who also have an IEP must be provided both bilingual education services as well as the services required under their IEP.

Enrollment in a CPS preschool program is subject to the application and eligibility requirements that are specific to each CPS preschool program and based on applicable federal or state requirements. Enrollment in any CPS preschool program is subject to availability of space. The parent or guardian seeking enrollment for a child must satisfy all documentation requirements set out in this Policy as well as additional program eligibility documentation requirements as set out in the Preschool Enrollment Guidelines issued by the Office of Early Childhood Education (“Preschool Enrollment Guidelines”). Modified enrollment eligibility requirements may apply to children exiting the State of Illinois’ Early Intervention Program as specified in the Preschool Enrollment Guidelines.

Enrollment in a preschool program is not subject to school attendance boundary requirements. Parents/guardians may seek to enroll their child at any school offering a preschool program for which they are eligible. If there are more applicants than available spaces for a preschool program at a particular school, students will be prioritized for placement in accordance with the Preschool Enrollment Guidelines.

Students with disabilities shall have their preschool program placement determined by the ODLSS. Students who have received an itinerant, inclusive, or instructional IEP from ODLSS may be able to begin preschool immediately on or after their third birthday, even if it falls after September 1 of the academic year (see Preschool Enrollment Guidelines). If a student with a disability has an IEP in place at the time of preschool enrollment, the ODLSS will work with the Office of Early Childhood Education in determining the appropriate preschool placement for the student.

Enrollment of students suspected to have a disability: If the school believes after enrollment in any preschool program that a student may have a disability, the preschool program must begin the special education referral process and continue the student’s enrollment in the program until the student is determined to have a disability and an IEP is developed and appropriate program placement is determined.

Except when otherwise specified by the Board, or Preschool Enrollment Guidelines, enrollment in a school’s preschool program does not establish eligibility or guarantee enrollment in the school’s kindergarten program. Kindergarten enrollment is subject to the standard enrollment eligibility requirements established for a school.

Withdrawal of a student enrolled in a CPS preschool program must comply with the conditions and requirements in the Preschool Enrollment Guidelines.

B. Enrollment of Students Identified as Homeless

Schools must immediately enroll homeless students and unaccompanied homeless youth.
- Schools must immediately enroll the homeless student even if the child is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, in compliance with the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Policy.
- Schools may require parents or guardians of a homeless child to submit an address or other contact information as the school may require from parents or guardians of permanently housed children, in compliance with the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Policy.
The enrolling school must immediately contact the school last attended by the child to obtain relevant academic and other records.

C. Required Information for Enrollment

The parent or guardian of a child seeking enrollment must present proof of a child’s age to the school principal or designee. Proof of age includes the following documents:

Child’s original or certified copy of birth certificate;
Child’s baptismal record; (Not acceptable for preschool)
U.S or Foreign Passport or Visa
Court documents; and
Medical records. (Not acceptable for preschool)
State issued medical card

The parent or guardian of a child seeking enrollment must present proof of a child’s current address to the school principal or designee. Proof of current address includes any two of the following documents:

Current utility bills;
Illinois driver’s license or State of Illinois identification card;
Deed;
Employer identification card;
MediPlan/Medicaid Card;
Voter registration card;
Court documents;
Illinois Department of Public Aid card;
Stamped United States Post Office change of address form;
Illinois state aid check/social security check; and
Other identification card issued by a federal or state agency or foreign government consulate, such as a Matricula Consular.

The parent or guardian must promptly notify the school of any change of address, phone numbers, and other contact information.
Schools may request updated emergency contact forms at least 2 times per year and the parent or guardian must promptly reply to school requests.
Schools must ensure that change of address and emergency contact information is promptly entered into, Aspen, the District’s system of record.

D. Original Certified Copy of Student Birth Certificate

A parent or guardian must present an original certified copy of the student’s birth certificate at the time of enrollment to fulfill the enrollment requirements in the Missing Children’s Act ¹. The school must make a copy of the original certified copy of the birth certificate and retain the copy as a Permanent Student Record in accordance with the guidelines established by the Chief Executive Officer or designee.

If an original certified copy of the birth certificate is not presented at the time of enrollment, the school must provide written notice to the parent or guardian that the parent or guardian must provide a certified copy of the student’s birth certificate within thirty (30) days.
If the school does not receive the original certified copy of the birth certificate within thirty (30) days, the school must notify the Chicago Police Department and the Illinois State Police. In addition, the school must provide written notice to the parent or guardian that the parent or guardian has an additional ten (10) days to provide the original birth certificate.

If a parent or guardian has failed to provide an original certified copy of the student’s birth certificate, the school must still enroll the student.

E. Proof of Guardianship or Custodianship

Adults acting in the role of guardian or custodian may enroll a child upon providing proof of guardianship or custodianship which may include the following:

A valid court order;
The most recent tax return naming the child as a dependent;
Health insurance coverage for the child;
Any public aid documents covering the child; or
Appropriate documents authorizing or establishing custodianship.

Any other form of proof must be presented to the appropriate Network Chief or other designated oversight office for review. For adults caring for unaccompanied youth there is no requirement for proof of guardianship.

F. Proof of Temporary Custodianship

Adults acting in the role of temporary custodian to a child due to circumstances involving the parents, legal guardians or child, may enroll a student with applicable documentation of residency and status as temporary custodian, which may include a notarized letter from the parent authorizing the temporary custody and the reason. Enrollment by a temporary guardian is subject to the limitations provided in Section I.H. of this Policy.

G. Enrollment of Students Who Transfer from a Private School, Foreign School, Charter School or Other School District

Students who were previously enrolled in a private school (including home school), foreign school, Charter School or other school district who seek enrollment in the Chicago Public Schools are subject to transcript evaluation to determine proper grade placement and also may be evaluated to verify appropriate grade placement.
Incomplete or Missing Transcripts. Schools must consult with Department of Policy and Procedures on placement determinations when a transfer student’s transcript is incomplete or missing.
Students with Disabilities. Schools must follow the ODLSS’ Procedural Manual on students with disabilities transferring from other schools outside CPS.
English Language Learner Students. Schools must follow the Office of Language and Cultural Education’s guidelines to ensure appropriate grade placement of ELL transfer students based on educational attainment of the child, not English language proficiency.

A student suspended or expelled for any reason from any public or private school in Illinois or any other state must complete the entire term of the suspension or expulsion before being admitted into the Chicago Public Schools. The following requirements apply to transferring students disciplined by a suspension or expulsion:

Transfers from Illinois Public Schools. Students transferring from another Illinois public school must produce the Illinois State Board of Education “Student Transfer Form” completed by their former school verifying that they are “in good standing” and are not currently being disciplined by a suspension or expulsion. Failure to provide this form will result in the denial of enrollment of the transferring student.
Transfers from Out-of-State Public Schools. The parent or guardian of students transferring from an out-of-state public school must certify in writing that the student is not currently serving a suspension or expulsion imposed by the school or school district from which the student is transferring. Failure to certify in writing that a student transferring from an out-of-state public school is not currently serving a suspension or expulsion will result in the denial of enrollment of the transferring student.
Transfers from Any Private School. The parent or guardian of students transferring from any private school must certify in writing that the student is not currently serving a suspension or expulsion imposed by the school or school district from which the student is transferring. Failure to certify in writing that a student transferring from a private school is not currently serving a suspension or expulsion will result in referral to the Chief Education Officer or designee to review the student’s suspension or expulsion status.
Transfers from CPS Charter Schools. Students who have been expelled from a CPS Charter School may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for appropriate placement.
Alternative Placement.
- Expelled Transferring Students. Transferring students currently expelled from another school may be assigned to an alternative placement if space is available as reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer or designee.
- Students with Disabilities. Students with disabilities who have been expelled by another school district and transfer into the Chicago Public Schools must be assigned to an alternative placement in order to receive their IEP services.

H. Exemption from Providing Documentation

Homeless children, unaccompanied youth, or children in the care of the state (Department of Children and Family Services) must be enrolled if they cannot produce their birth certificates, educational records, medical records, and/or proof of immunizations. Specific requirements regarding documentation waivers for homeless students are found in the CPS Policy and Procedures on Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

I. Students Living with Adults Who Are Not Parents or Legal Guardians

Students may not, for the sole purpose of enrolling in a particular school, live with adults who are not their parents or legal guardians. If there is a finding that a child is living with an adult who is not the parent or legal guardian solely for the purpose of attending school in that attendance area, then:

If the parent or legal guardian lives within the City of Chicago, that child will be enrolled in the school of the attendance area in which the parent or legal guardian lives, absent extenuating circumstances. If there is a dispute as to what constitutes extenuating circumstances, the parent may seek a review by the appropriate Network Office.
If the parent or legal guardian of a CPS student lives outside the City of Chicago in violation of the residency requirement, that child’s parent will be charged tuition as calculated by the Board’s Department of Revenue, in compliance with Board Rule 5-12 Non-Resident Pupils – Tuition.

J. Enrollment Options for High Schools That Have a Disproportionately Large Number of Students with Disabilities

Where a school has a 9^th grade membership of 25% or more students with disabilities, the ODLSS must offer other enrollment options to incoming 9^th graders with disabilities. The special education enrollment options must comply with the Guidelines issued by the ODLSS.

K. Enrollment of Eighth Graders Into Ninth Grade

Elementary or middle school principals must ensure that all eighth graders in their schools have submitted an application for 9th grade to the Office of Access and Enrollment by the annual deadline.
Students will be projected to their assigned school in the student information system by the end of May or other date as determined by the Office of Access and Enrollment.
Eighth graders who have not been accepted into a high school by the end of May or other date as determined by the Office of Access and Enrollment must be projected to their attendance area high school.

L. Application and Admission to Open Enrollment, Magnet and Selective Enrollment Schools and Programs

Students seeking to enroll in an Open Enrollment, Magnet, or Selective Enrollment school or program outside of their attendance area must apply following the Board’s Admission Policy for Magnet, Selective Enrollment and Other Options for Knowledge Schools and Programs, and the annual Elementary and High School Guide issued by the Office of Access and Enrollment and the OAE Guidelines to Address Potential Barriers for STLS Students in Navigating the Application Process (for homeless students and unaccompanied youth only).

II. Transfer of Students

As a general rule, children become students of the school in which they are enrolled (“home school”), and should not be unilaterally transferred or withdrawn by the school principal. Where the school principal does transfer or withdraw a student, they must comply with the procedures of this Policy and all other relevant CPS policies, in particular the withdrawal/removal from enrollment requirements in the Board’s Absenteeism and Truancy Policy, Section 703.1(VII). In the interest of continuity of educational programming, it is the Board’s policy to limit transfers of students in the Chicago Public Schools to times in which both the students’ and schools’ disruptions will be minimized. The following procedures apply to student transfers.

A. Student Transfer Following a Change in Residence

Absent extenuating circumstances, transfers of elementary and middle school students, whose parents/guardians change their place of residence to a new attendance area, should be made at the end of the school year, provided the distance factor does not adversely influence the students’ safety, attendance, and academic progress.
Parents who immediately want to transfer their children to an attendance area school after moving from one attendance area to another must be allowed to do so.
Seventh and Eighth grade students whose parents change their place of residence may remain in the school until graduation if the distance factor does not adversely influence the students’ safety, attendance, or academic progress.

Transfers of tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade high school students within CPS, whose parents or guardians change their place of residence to a new attendance area, should be made at the end of the current semester, absent extenuating circumstances.
High school students whose parents change their place of residence may remain in the school until graduation if the distance factor does not adversely influence the students’ safety, attendance, or academic progress.
Ninth grade transfers must comply with the guidelines located in the Options for Knowledge Guide.

Students must reside within the limits of the City of Chicago to attend a Chicago Public School. Students whose parents or guardians move outside the City of Chicago during the school year may remain at the CPS school they were attending at the time of the move for the balance of the current school year without paying tuition. Thereafter, the student is no longer eligible to attend a Chicago Public School. Students found in violation of the residency requirement are subject to the penalties described in Board Rule 5-12 Non-Resident Pupils – Tuition.

B. Transfers Into An Attendance Area School

Students attending a school outside their attendance area who wish to transfer to their attendance area school must be enrolled as provided in section I.A. of this policy. If the school is a controlled enrollment school, transfer applicants must be placed on the waiting list and offered enrollment as seats become available as described in the Board’s Controlled Enrollment of Elementary and High Schools Policy.

C. Other Transfers

Transfers from a student’s home school should be granted at the request of a parent or guardian, when the student has been accepted for enrollment at another school. Also, transfers from a student’s home school may be granted when it is clearly in the student’s best educational interest as determined by the Network Chief. Any disputes regarding proposed best interest transfers should be referred to the appropriate Network Chief or other designated oversight office for resolution.

If a student transfers to a school which does not offer a bilingual education program aligned with the child’s English language proficiency, the student must be given the option to transfer to the nearest school offering an appropriate program. Pending identification and transfer to an appropriate school or, if the child opts to remain in the current school, the student must be provided the most appropriate bilingual education services possible consistent with the student’s bilingual instructional needs.

Any student who has been fraudulently registered in a school as a result of falsification of address may be subject to immediate transfer to the proper attendance area school, after notice and opportunity to respond have been given to the parent or legal guardian or emancipated youth. Any appeals of fraudulent registration decisions may be made to the appropriate Network Office or other designated oversight office.

School transfers that result from a student’s homelessness are subject to the CPS Policy and Procedures on Education of Homeless Children and Youth. Under the CPS Homeless Education Policy schools must not deny or delay transfer of any homeless or unaccompanied child or youth who is unable to produce school, medical, residency, or other records. The receiving school must immediately enroll the child and then immediately contact the school last attended by the child to obtain the appropriate transfer documentation including academic, medical and/or other records. The school may require parents or guardians of a homeless child to submit an address or such other contact information as the school may require from parents or guardians of permanently housed children. A homeless child or youth is entitled to immediate enrollment at any of the following:

the school in which the student was enrolled when permanently housed, including a preschool (school of origin as defined under McKinney-Vento and IEHCA);
the school in which the student was last enrolled, including a preschool (school of origin as defined under McKinney-Vento and IEHCA); or
any public school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the homeless child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend.

Students are subject to transfer for disciplinary reasons to another CPS school.
Transfers must be made in compliance with the Board’s Student Code of Conduct (“SCC”) provisions regarding Disciplinary Reassignment, provided there is available space.
- Disciplinary Reassignments are listed in the range of disciplinary actions available under the SCC for disciplining students and may be issued either in conjunction with, or as alternative to, suspension for certain infractions of the SCC.
- Disciplinary Reassignments are reserved only for students who have been determined under the SCC to have engaged in continually disruptive or very serious acts of misconduct.
- All Disciplinary Reassignments must be approved and facilitated by the Network Chief or their designee. Among the factors which a Network Chief may consider are:
  1. the safety of the victim involved in the SCC infraction and
  2. whether the student subject to transfer would likely cease their disruptive behavior if placed in another setting.

Students enrolled in a Board-designated military academy may be subject to an administrative transfer due to non-compliance with the military standards as described in the Military Academy Guidelines.
Students enrolled in a Board-designated dual credit high school may be subject to an administrative transfer due to a student’s failure to comply with, or meet the requirements of, the student’s school participation agreement.
To the extent required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, in the event a parent or guardian with a disability is unable to access their child’s school building, the student may be transferred to the nearest school that meets the parent’s accessibility needs, offers the same program and for which the student meets any applicable enrollment criteria. All such transfer requests must be submitted to the Board’s ADA Director for consideration.

A student may be transferred to another CPS school if the student’s and/or other students’ safety and/or well-being are jeopardized by remaining at the home school. All safety transfers must be approved, facilitated, and implemented by the Network Chief(s) or their designee(s) or the district’s Title IX Coordinator in compliance with the safety transfer guidelines issued by the Chief Education Officer or designee. For matters falling under Title IX, the district’s Title IX Coordinator, in consultation with the Network Chief or designee, will make the final determination regarding safety transfers.

For students who are not engaged and on track and in a traditional high school, despite proactive and supportive interventions from the school, and for whom another traditional high school will not provide adequate support; the district offers a portfolio of Options Schools. All transfers to Options Schools must be made in accordance with the provisions of the Guidelines for High School Transfers.

Policy References

Amends/Rescinds	Amends 17-0426-PO1
Cross References	10-0623-PO1; 08-0827-PO2; 05-0824-PO3; 04-0526-PO2; 03-0122-PO01; 02-0828-PO03; 96-0327-PO3; 96-0327-PO2; 95-0524-PO2
Legal References	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, P.L. 108-446, as amended; Corey H. v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago, 92 C 3409; Salazar v. Board of Education 92 CH 5703; McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act P.L. 100-77, as amended; and Sections 5/2-3.13a(a)-(b), 10-20.12, 10-20.12a, 10-22.6(g), 14-1 et seq., 14C-1 et seq., 26-1 et seq., 34-18, 34-18.2, 34-18(7) 34-18.24 and 45-1 et seq. of the Illinois School Code; 325 ILCS 50/5 and 325 ILCS 55/5. Illinois Missing Children’s Records Act (325 ILCS 50 et seq.); Department of State Police, Missing Person Birth Records and School Registration, School Enrollment Identification and Reports (20 Ill. Admin. Code 1290.60)
Public Comment	Pursuant to Board Rule 2-6 this Policy was subject to Public Comment from 5/19/21 to 6/18/21.

Requirement became effective for students with an enrollment date of February 2, 2015 or later. ISBE has identified the certified copy of the enrolling student’s birth certificate as the only document a school shall accept to fulfill the Missing Children’s Act student school enrollment requirement.