DEER PARK ISD LIMITED OPEN ENROLLMENT
FrequentlyAsked Questions
REVISED 12.06.16
WhatisLimitedOpenEnrollment?
LimitedOpenEnrollmentisaprogramthatallowschildrenwhodonotlivewithinDeerParkISD’s boundariestoapplyforenrollmentinDeerPark schools.
WhatgradelevelsareeligibleforLimitedOpen Enrollment?
Studentapplicationswillbeacceptedforkindergartenthrough12thgrades.
HowdoesLimitedOpen Enrollmentwork?
ParentsofachildlivingoutsideDPISDmustcompleteanapplicationformandsubmitittothedistrict.The districtwillestablishanenrollment periodduringwhichalimited numberofapplicationswillbeaccepted. Thedistrictwillalsodesignate programareas,includingthecampusandgradelevel,whereroomis availableforLimitedOpenEnrollment studentstoenroll.Onceanapplication isreceived, anApplication ReviewPanelofadministratorswillevaluateitanddeterminewhetherthestudent’sapplicationwillbe approved.Beforeanapplicationreceivesfinalapproval,itis alsoapprovedbythecampusprincipal.
Isthereatuitioncharge or feefornon-residentstudents?
No.StudentswhoareacceptedthroughtheLimitedOpenEnrollmentprogramwillattendschoolin DPISDatnocharge.[However, pleasenotethatelective courses, labcourses,etc.oftenrequireclass fees,whicharerequiredofanystudent,regardlessofwhetherheorsheis aresidentornot.]
Whenisthe nextLimited OpenEnrollmentperiod?
ApplicationsfortheLimitedOpenEnrollmentprogramareacceptedonApril24-28, 2017.
Where canI get anenrollmentapplicationform?
TheLimitedOpenEnrollmentformisavailableonthedistrict’swebsite(.Formsarealso availableateachschooloffice.Onceaformiscompleted,itshouldbereturnedtotheofficeofStephen Harrell,AssistantSuperintendentforAdministration,whichislocatedattheEducationSupportCenter, 2800TexasAvenueinDeerPark.Theapplicationformmustbesubmittedbytheparentorguardian listedontheform.Mailedformswillnotbeaccepted.Applicationformswillnotbeacceptedbefore 7:30a.m.onApril24,andeachformthatissubmittedwillbestampedwiththedateandtimeofits delivery.
If mychild’sapplication isaccepted,canI choosewhich schoolhe/shewillattend?
Theapplicationformallowstheparent tolistchoices (inorderofpreference)ofschoolsforthestudentto attend.However,thedistrictwillonlyallownon-resident studentstoenrollinschoolswherethereis available spaceandstaffcapacity.Allgradelevelsarenotavailableatallschools.Atthistime,limited spaceisavailableatallschoolsexcepttheEarlyChildhoodCenter, San Jacinto Elementary,DeerParkJuniorHigh,andDeer Park HighSchool-WoltersCampus.
Will district transportation beprovidedformychild?
No.ParentsofchildrenwhoenrollthroughtheLimitedOpenEnrollmentprogramareresponsiblefor transportingtheirchildrentoandfrom schoolin DPISD.
MychildparticipatesinUniversityInterscholasticLeague(U.I.L.)activitiesathiscurrent school. Willhebe eligibleto continueparticipatinginDeerPark?
StudentswhoparticipateinU.I.L.academicandmusiceventssuchasdebate,bandororchestrawillbe immediatelyeligibleto participateinthosesameevents inDPISD(aslong asthestudent iseligibleunder U.I.L.generaleligibilityrequirements).However,non-residentstudentsparticipatinginvarsityathletics mustbeenrolledinDPISDfortheentirepreviouscalendaryearbeforetheymay compete(thisruledoes notapplytojuniorvarsityandlowerteams,whichareconsideredsub-varsityteams).
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OnceastudentisallowedintothedistrictthroughLimitedOpenEnrollment,howlong can he orshestay?
Afterastudentisacceptedandallowedtoenrollinourdistrict,heorsheisconsidered aDPISDstudent andmayremaininourdistrictthroughgraduation,subjecttocompliancewiththetransferagreement.
Aresiblingsofastudentaccepted into the districtthroughLimitedOpenEnrollment automaticallyconsidered forenrollmentinsubsequentyears?
Yes,butthey areheldtothesamecriteriaforenrollment asthefirststudent(i.e.staffandspacecapacity ata school,whetherhe/shehas beenexpelledor placedina disciplinaryalternativeeducationprogram in theprevioustwelvemonths,specializedstaffandspacecapacityifastudenthas specialneeds.)
Whatif astudentwho enrolls through LimitedOpen Enrollmentrepeatedlyviolates districtrules?
BoardPolicy FDA(LOCAL) statesthatstudentswhotransferintothedistrict mayhavetheirenrollment revokediftheydonot“followallrulesandregulationsoftheDistrict,includingthoseforstudentconduct andattendance, andthatviolationoftheDistrict’srulesandregulations mayresultinrevocationofthe transferagreement.”
Whyisthedistrictallowingstudentsfromoutsidethedistricttoattendschoolherefree ofcharge?
Eventhoughtheparents ofstudentswho enrollthroughthisprogrampay noDPISDtaxes,Limited Open Enrollmentmeansmore fundsforourdistrict. The“RobinHood”statefinanceplanrequiresthedistrictto sendmillionsofDeerParktaxfundsoutside thedistricteachyear.Limited OpenEnrollment willbringin morestudents,andforeachadditionalstudentenrolled inourschools,weareabletokeepabout$5,000 thatwewould otherwisehave tosend away.Thus, if200 studentsenrollthroughthisprogram,the district wouldsendaway$1 millionless. Theprogramisalsoawin-win situation,because studentswhoenroll throughLimitedOpenEnrollment areabletobenefitfromDPISD’sexcellentfacilities,exemplary instructionalprogram,anddedicatedteachingandsupportstaff.
Doesn’t the districthave toaddmoreteachersif morestudentsareenrolled?
Insomecases,yes,butinmany cases,no.Weidentifyschoolsandgradelevelsthathavespace availabletoaddmorestudents.Ingradeskindergartenthroughfour,thestateallowsamaximumstudent- teacherratioof22-1.However,thereisnosuch requirementforother gradelevels.Thus, ingrades5-12, limitednumbersofstudentscouldbeaddedin existingclasseswithoutrequiringadditionalteachers.Also, evenif, forexample,thedistrictenrolledanadditional22students in fifthgradeataparticularschool,the approximately$110,000(22studentsatabout$5,000each)inincreasedfundingwouldmorethanpayfor theadditionalteacher’ssalary.
Howlongwill LimitedOpen Enrollmentbecontinued?
Thedistrict’spolicyonLimitedOpenEnrollment [BoardPolicyFDA(LOCAL)]statesthatthe Superintendent“maydesignateanopenenrollmentperiod”eachyear.However,ifthereisnotspace available,thentheSuperintendentcouldsimplychoosetonotdesignatean enrollmentperiod.
Ifyouhavefurtherquestions,contacttheDPISDStudentServicesOfficeat832-668-7070.