The open enrollment process in school districts will remain the same next year after the defeat of a bill placing a specific prohibition on the option.

 

Representatives voted 17-52 to defeat House Bill 1173, which prohibits a school board from denying an application for open enrollment from certain students. ASBSD opposes the bill.

 

An amendment to the bill on the floor added a fourth criteria and all told those included:

• In the preceding school year, was a resident student and enrolled in the school district;
• In the preceding school year, was determined to have a level four disability or a level five disability with at least one disability being a level four disability;
• Does not require an assignment to an out of district special education residential or tuition day program; and
• Does not require transportation as a related service under the terms of the student’s individualized education program.

Rep. Jon Hansen, the bill’s prime sponsor, said it would “provide some assurance” to parents and students and added that “schools want the ability to deny” open enrollment in certain instances, but they could only do so for capacity issues, not “financial reasons.”

 

Rep. Ray Ring countered “the capacity question is always a financial question.”

 

For updates from the 2020 legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.