Relating to open enrollment and including applicability provisions

This bill relates to open enrollment. Current law authorizes a parent or guardian to enroll the parent’s or guardian’s child in a public school in another school district at any time, subject to certain limited exceptions. The bill establishes that, in order for a parent or guardian to open enroll the parent’s or guardian’s child, the parent or guardian is required to send a notification to that effect to both the district of residence and the receiving district by April of the preceding school year for students entering grades through 12, or by September of the current school year for students entering kindergarten or for prekindergarten students enrolled in special education programs and included in the school district’s basic enrollment. 18(9)(a)(8), exists for failure to meet the April deadline. If good cause does not exist for failure to meet the April deadline, the bill establishes that open enrollment applications are subject to the approval of the board of the resident district and the board of the receiving district and provides for the right to appeal the decision of either board to the state board of education. The bill provides that an application for open enrollment may be granted at any time with approval of the resident and receiving districts. The bill establishes appeal and mediation mechanisms, involving both the department of education and the state board of education, to resolve disputes between school districts related to applications for open enrollment. The bill applies to applications and notifications related to open enrollment submitted on or after the effective date of the bill.