Residency and Enrollment Policies
You can find ISD regulations and policies related to residency, enrollment and registration below. Decisions concerning enrollment are made using these guidelines.
If you have questions about our district enrollment and residency policies, please contact the ISD Admissions Center at 816-521-5588.
Admission and Withdrawal
The admission of all students shall be under the direction of the superintendent, subject to the approval of the Board of Education. All persons seeking admission to the district and its instructional programs must satisfactorily meet all residency, academic, age, immunization, health and other eligibility prerequisites as established by board policies, rules and regulations, and by state law. Students entering the school district will be required to present a birth certificate or some other acceptable proof of age.
Students who are entering kindergarten or first grade are encouraged to pre-register in the spring prior to the fall semester in which they are to begin attendance.
Entrance Requirements
Entrance Age for Kindergarten
Pupils shall be eligible for kindergarten upon attaining their fifth birthday before August 1.
Students whose fifth birthday falls on August 1 or after that date, will not be eligible to enroll until the following year. Pupils shall be eligible for first grade upon attaining their sixth birthday by August 1. Proof of age will be required.
Entrance Age for First Grade
To be admitted to first grade a student must be six (6) years old before August 1st preceding entrance. However, students who have completed an accredited kindergarten program will be considered for enrollment in the first grade regardless of the August 1st cut-off date. Proof of age will be required.
Admission of Resident Students
All students, five to twenty-one (5-21) years of age, who reside within the boundaries of the district may attend district schools tuition free. In order to “reside” within the district, the student must be physically domiciled within district boundaries. The domicile of a minor child is the domicile of a parent, military guardian pursuant to a military issued guardianship, or court-appointed legal guardian. A student may only register in the district if the student provides proof of residency or if the student or parent/guardian requests a waiver from the Board of Education on the basis of hardship or good cause. An online residency form will be completed at the time of enrollment. If the superintendent has reason to suspect that the admission of a student will create an immediate danger to the safety of others, a hearing will be convened. At the hearing, the district will determine whether the student may enroll.
Waiver
Students or parents/guardians seeking a waiver of the district’s residency requirement must complete and submit to the Superintendent/Designee a Request for Waiver of Proof of Residency (Form S-100-P) stating the reasons for which the waiver is requested. If a waiver is requested, the Board of Education must convene a hearing no later than forty-five (45) days after the request for waiver is filed with the superintendent/designee. If the district fails to convene a timely hearing, the request for waiver is automatically granted. Following the hearing, the Board will provide written notice of its decision and the reasons for its approval or denial of the waiver request.
Records Review
Within two (2) business days of enrolling a new student, the Superintendent/designee will request copies of the new student’s transfer and discipline records from all schools in which the new student attended at any time within a twelve (12) month period preceding enrollment in the district. In addition, parents/guardians of students new to the district will be required to complete and sign the Affidavit regarding prior discipline informing the district of suspensions or expulsions incurred at schools previously attended.
Exceptions
The residency provisions of this policy are not applicable to homeless students, wards of the state, students placed in residential care facility due to a mental illness or developmental disability, a student placed in a residential facility by a juvenile court, or students attending regional or cooperative alternative education programs. The exemptions are expressly established by state law and entitle such students to tuition free school attendance.
Admission and Tuition – Non-Resident Students
Nonresident students may be permitted to attend the district schools upon payment of tuition provided the student is not barred from enrollment by provisions of the Safe Schools Act. Tuition rates will be determined annually by the Board of Education on the basis of the per-pupil cost for the preceding year including operation, maintenance, and debt service of the schools. Within two (2) business days of enrollment in the district by state officials of a nonresident student pursuant to state statute, the superintendent/designee will request the student’s transfer and discipline records from all schools or facilities previously attended and from other state agencies and entities involved in the placement of the student within the twenty-four (24) month period preceding enrollment. The superintendent/designee is authorized to share relevant portions of such student’s transfer and discipline records with district employees who, based upon their duties, have a need to know such information. Such records will be maintained in confidence for purposes of maintaining discipline and for assistance to the student.
Transfer Students
All students entering the district from other educational settings are required to submit evidence of their achievement in the last grade attended. Grade placement of a student may be adjusted on the basis of examination of the student’s previous record, achievement tests administered, or other factors that the principal and staff believe are appropriate under the circumstances. A transcript of all entering secondary school students is required before enrollment can be completed. However, a student may be permitted to enroll temporarily until a full transcript is obtained.
Transfers from Unaccredited Schools
Parents/guardians should be advised that if they choose to transfer their student to the public school from an unaccredited school, the student will not be guaranteed comparable placement in the public schools. Students transferring will be assigned an appropriate grade level and class assignment based on their educational and developmental level as determined by the principal through assessment of student’s age, educational experience, achievement tests and consultation with parent/guardian and personnel from the student’s former school.
In-District Transfers
The superintendent may authorize the transfer of a student from one district school to another.
Reasons for the transfer may include, but are not limited to:
- Student of a district teacher or 25 hour/benefitted employee
- Transportation due to before/after school child care (Kindergarten through 5th grade)
- Non-school related hardship (application must contain letter outlining hardship situation)
The request for transfer may be initiated by the building principal and/or the parent/guardian. The request shall outline the reasons for the transfer, the positive and negative impact upon the student, and any differences of opinion about the transfer. A request for a student transfer will be submitted to the Admissions Center for review by the Director of Student Data Management/Residency.
HomeSchooling Your Student
Home schooling is one of the options available for meeting the state’s compulsory attendance law, Section 167 .031 RSMo. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does NOT regulate or monitor homeschooling in Missouri. Neither the State Board of Education nor the Department has the authority to issue regulations or guidelines concerning homeschooling. Below is a packet intended to provide information regarding homeschooling in Missouri and various online platforms that parents may choose to use for curriculum.