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Under House Bill 251, a new state law enacted in 2009, a parent or legal guardian of a kindergarten through twelfth grade student in Troup County Schools may request to transfer the child to another Troup County Public School for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year. Before the transfer is allowed, the school district must determine that classroom space is available, that teacher allocations at the school are appropriate and all assigned students have been enrolled and scheduled. Upon approval to transfer a child to another school in the district, the law requires the parent or legal guardian to assume all costs and responsibilities related to the transportation as long as the student remains at that school. The district’s list of schools with current available classroom space for the upcoming school year is posted on the Troup County School System website along with the form and directions necessary to complete the application process. Applications will be accepted from July 1 through July 16, 2009.
DIRECTIONS AND INFORMATION In order to process a transfer request, a parent or legal guardian must complete and submit the attached “School Transfer Application” form. Requests for transfers will be accepted beginning July 1 until the close of business on July 16, 2009. Completed forms should be delivered to the Troup County Schools Office of Student Assignment at 100 North Davis Road, between July 1 and the end of business on July 16, 2009. Office hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm. To be eligible for a transfer under this new law, a student must have been enrolled in their assigned school for at least one full year immediately prior to the request.In the event a particular school has available space and the number of transfer requests exceeds the remaining available capacity, transfer requests will be reviewed and approved or denied on the basis of a lottery. Once available classroom space is reached at a school, no more transfers will be accepted at that school. As it is possible that a first choice may not be approved or available, three choices may be requested on the attached Transfer Request Form. Information may also be obtained by calling the Troup County Schools Office of Student Assignment at (706) 812-7900. Special Limitations - For the purposes of this process, available classroom space is determined for a school based on established health and safety provisions and class-size capacity by grade and subject, based on State law and rule.
- Final determinations of transfer requests will not be considered or made for grades kindergarten through five until the Troup County Student Assignment Policy and Administrative Regulations have been applied.
- Transfer eligibility cannot be determined for middle school or high school until the normal scheduling process is complete and based upon required subjects, staff allocations, and anticipated growth and enrollment.
- A transferring student who completes all grades available at the receiving school shall not automatically receive enrollment preference to the feeder school. The Troup County School District has discretion to determine the appropriate school for enrollment.
- Prior to applying for a transfer, the student should expect to remain in the school for which the transfer application is made for every grade served by that school. Only in the case of hardship, as defined by Troup County Regulations, shall a student be permitted to attend any other school until one school year has been completed in the requested school.
- Any student transferring under this law shall be subject to the eligibility requirements of the Georgia High School Association. Students involved in competitive sports or activities governed by the Georgia High School Athletic Association (GHSA) are cautioned that a student’s eligibility for such activities may be affected by a transfer to a different middle or high school. According to GHSA:
A student who uses the provision of this legislation to transfer from one GSHA school to another GHSA school after having begun the ninth grade will be considered a “migrant student.” This means that the student may practice and may compete on the sub-varsity level, but may not compete in the varsity level for one calendar year after transferring to the new school. - If a parent requests a transfer to a school that does not have the services required by the current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP), Troup County is not required to develop those services as long as the services are available within the school district.
- Any provision in this law or state board rules pursuant of this law shall not override federal requirements. Students eligible for transfer under the unsafe school choice option (USCO) and students in Needs Improvement (NI) schools that must offer public school choice under No Child Left Behind must get first priority for available seats at those schools in the district that are not in needs improvement.
- The law will be construed in accordance with existing student assignment law and existing Troup County Student Assignment Policy and regulations (i.e., same school assignment of twins, sibling assignment and employee child assignment).
- No transfer to or from The HOPE Academy shall be considered or approved.
- This law does not apply to newly opened schools for a period of four years from the date a school opens, therefore no transfer to or from Callaway Elementary School will be considered or approved until the 2012-2013 school year.
- Consideration and notification of transfer request will be made as promptly as possible but may be made after the beginning of the school year when final enrollment has been calculated along with proximity zone assignment and requests, class size and teacher allocation. Until a determination is made the student should attend their currently assigned school.
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