This bill amends existing law to allow parents or guardians to transfer their children to other schools within their resident district, provided that the school has the capacity to accommodate the student. The language changes include the removal of the requirement that parents must believe a transfer is in the best interest of the student to initiate a request. Instead, parents can apply for a transfer to another specific public school, public academy, or an approved private school within the district, as well as to schools outside the district. The bill stipulates that applications for transfers must be submitted by July 1 for the upcoming school year unless the student is facing a manifest educational hardship.

Additionally, the bill outlines the process for how superintendents will evaluate transfer requests. The superintendent will consider whether the requested school can accommodate the student based on teacher-to-student ratios and existing capacity. If a transfer is deemed in the best interest of the student, the superintendent will facilitate the transfer to either a school within the district or an approved private school outside the district. The bill also mandates that school boards adopt policies to manage situations where transfer requests exceed available capacity. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 193:3
As Amended by the Senate: 193:3