In response to the boundary change decision made by the Fairfax County School Board, FairfaxCAPS is providing a summary of the information we have collected from Fairfax County Public Schools regarding their current positions on pupil placement.

The first section of this document consists of Q&A. The second section addresses outstanding issues not yet fully addressed or where answers seem to be in conflict.

We encourage readers to contact FCPS directly with any questions and to carefully document and confirm all communications to ensure that any expectations with respect to pupil placement are met for your family.

Questions & Answers

Q. What if the International Baccalaureate Program at South Lakes High School is not the best option for your family?

A: A high school curricular transfer request is a possible option for students seeking
initial enrollment in the Advanced Placement program or the International Baccalaureate
program or in foreign language or sequential courses not available at the base school.

As FCPS Superintendent Dr. Jack Dale wrote to FairfaxCAPS, “I would like to make sure everyone knows that we have a long standing policy to let students attend the closest AP or IB high school. This ensures we don't force anyone into either program, but allow students/families the choice of what best fits their needs. Our IB schools are spread throughout the county to make sure those who wish to enroll have a school nearby.”

Families are encouraged to submit their requests as soon as possible after the School Board votes on this proposal. The pupil placement form is available at http://www.fcps.edu/ss/student-transfer/index.htm.

Q: What is the pupil placement application process?

A: Application requests with documentation are submitted to the base school principal for review and recommendation. The application is then routed to the requested school principal. The student transfer office notifies the parent/guardian of the transfer decision in writing for initial (new) requests. Principals notify parents in writing for high school curricular and renewal (returning) requests. The request must meet one of the criteria in regulation 2230.

FCPS also tells us that if “the school is closed for capacity and the application is filed within the application timeline an option to reapply to another school may be offered.” When asked about student transfer deadlines, FairfaxCAPS was told, “the deadline for a new application for student transfer is April 15th; renewals are April 1.”

Q: What are the acceptable/allowable reasons for student transfer within and into FCPS?

A: Intra-county students (within Fairfax County Public Schools) may transfer for the following reasons:
1. Family relocation *
2. Child care hardship (elementary only) *
3. Medical, emotional, social, or family adjustment hardship *
4. FCPS parent employee working 20+ hours/week
5. High School Curricular program
* Regulation 2230 (www.fcps.edu/Directives/R2230.pdf) requires that applicants must provide specific documentation to support the transfer request.
Children of FCPS employees and students who complete their junior year in FCPS and wish to attend for their senior year do not have to meet these criteria.

Q: What grade level will be grandfathered? Will there be any exceptions to allow siblings to attend as rising 9th graders if they have family already at their previous school?

The proposed boundary change, if approved, will be implemented starting with rising ninth graders in the school year 2008-09. The school assignments of current high school students would not change. They are the only ones that we have been told will be grandfathered. At this time we are not aware of any exceptions. The current policies for transfers from a student’s base school to another school will continue to be applicable.

Q: Is AP academic transfer a guarantee to an AP School? If the closest school is at capacity can the student attend another AP school or is transfer denied?

A: The program must not exist at the base school to make the request. If the school is closed for capacity and the application is filed within the application timeline an option to reapply to another school may be offered.

Please note: FCPS Regulation 7103.5 (Effective 02-23-04) states, in part, that “students enrolled in elective or designated special programs not located within their base school boundaries may be provided school bus transportation.” Regarding Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Pupil Placements, the document states that “transportation is not provided, but students may ride existing school buses if they can safely access an existing bus stop and if space is available. An Exception To Ride form must be completed by the parents or guardian and approved annually by transportation services.”

Q: If South Lakes adds some AP courses, does that mean we can no longer pupil-place to an AP high school?

A: Dr. Dale wrote: “To clarify, the intent of allowing students to transfer to either an IB school or an AP school is to allow access to the full spectrum of either AP or IB offerings. So, in South Lakes case, one would not be denied transfer to an AP school just because SL had some AP courses offered.”

Q: Are the criteria for academic transfer different than any other transfer in the county? Is this criterion new? How long has it been in affect? Have there ever been any exceptions made to this where students can place into a school that is not their closest?

A: Yes, academic transfer requests are based on a request for a specific sequential high school curricular program such as AP/IB that is not offered at the base school. Only high school curricular transfer requests require that the student attend the program closest to the student’s residence or base school with space available. This policy has been in effect since 2004. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances.

Q: What measurable criteria are used when prioritizing different pupil placement requests? If different requested are handled in different offices how is this coordinated to offer fair access to everyone?

The reason for the request must meet requirements and space must be available at the requested school. School principals handle high school curricular and renewal (returning) student applications. The Office of Student Services handles all other transfer requests governed by Regulation 2230.

Q: How can we appeal a decision?

A: The parent, guardian, or student 18 years old or older may appeal, in writing, a denial or termination of a request for a student transfer to the director of Social Work and Support Services or his or her designee. An appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the receipt of notification of the decision to deny a student transfer. The appeal decision, made in collaboration with the appropriate cluster assistant superintendent, shall be final.

Q: How will the capacity of each school be measured each year? If WHS has a capacity of 3,100 and 200 students are redistricted does WHS become under capacity to allow transfers back in? Will other schools in the county have to meet this new projected capacity goal or will it only apply to the schools that are affected by the recent boundary study?

Typically, high school capacities remain the same year to year unless modifications, modular buildings, or other additions are made to the building. Westfield High Schools accepts transfers now; the principal of Westfield will continue to have the authority to accept or deny the transfer of students from other schools based on capacity and unique needs of the student.

Pursuant to a consultant study on school capacity, the Department of Facilities and Transportation will be modifying the methodology used to calculate the capacity which will be applied to determine capacity for every school in the system. The capacity for each high school is determined based on the design capacity of the building and the master class and program schedules.

Q: How are athletics affected with student transfer? (i.e. FCPS states that athletic eligibility may be affected for the first year of transfer) Does this relate to those who transfer in at the freshman level or all years?

A: The Virginia High School League (VHSL) establishes and governs athletic eligibility rules. Eligibility is established in the 9th grade year for the purpose of Fairfax County Public Schools. This means a student who enrolls in a school and starts in School A as a 9th grader will be eligible to compete for that school for the next 8 semesters (provided they meet all other eligibility requirements). A student can not, after establishing eligibility in School A, transfer to School B and be eligible without a corresponding move of residence. Eligibility would be granted after 365 days. There are several exceptions to this rule.

As Jack Dale stated, “we regularly approve transfers for AP and IB programs from 9th grade on and there is no loss of eligibility as I can waive that provision according to VHSL rules.”

Outstanding Issues

One big issue remains uncertain: The FCPS written policy that governs inter-high school transfers for curricular reasons, 2230.8, states in part, “The student intends to enroll and remain for the year in a sequential curricular program from the standard course offering, which is not offered at the base high school.”

How and when is “intent to enroll in and remain … in a sequential curricular program " indicated? In an IB school, it may be easy to identify “IB Diploma Candidates”—but who qualifies as an “AP Student”? Must a student take any specific courses in any specified grade to continue to stay in an AP school?

Three points stand out:

Much of the current policy for curricular transfer appears to be under the discretion of the principals.
The below mentioned "two AP courses as a junior” and "five AP courses over their high school career" rule is NOT current policy and will NOT affect students this upcoming year.
FCPS AP classes rarely have "honors" or “pre-AP" classes listed as prerequisites, so no specific courses should be required of any ninth or tenth graders who transfer into an AP school for the AP curriculum.

When Fairfax CAPS asked repeatedly for clarification of this issue, FCPS staff responded in different messages. These are examples from staff communications with FairfaxCAPS:

“When transferring for AP or IB, the student is expected to pursue that program; 9th and 10th grade students should pursue those classes that prepare them for advanced academic courses in 11th and 12th grade, and AP students should take 5 AP courses over their high school career…”
Students should be taking a course sequence that will lead them to AP or IB in 11th and 12th grade, including some Pre-AP/Pre-IB or honors classes. Starting in their junior year, students MUST be enrolled in at least two AP courses; otherwise, they will need to return to the base school. Although students can take AP over the four years, they are not required to take an AP course until they are juniors.”
“Each school has a capacity number, and principals can take student transfers as long as they are under capacity. It is the principal's discretion. We are clarifying the procedure and the expectations with the boundary change. As stated previously, students should be taking courses in 9th and 10th grade to prepare them to take AP courses in 11th and 12th grade. The Office of Advanced Academic Programs will work with the directors of student services and AP coordinators in counseling students about the appropriate courses that lead to AP/IB in 11th and 12th grade.”
“The regulation for transfer for academic programs is 2230.8, and we will be following that regulation for this school year, including any students involved in the boundary change. … FCPS regulations are reviewed yearly and we reserve the right to refine the regulations in future years.”
“Each year the Office of Instructional Services reviews the title of courses; however, all course, whether they are labeled “honors,” “Pre-AP,” or Pre-IB,” will be inclusive with an open enrollment policy.”

So, how is policy set and changed? And do students have to participate in an interview process before transferring? This was the response offered by Ellie Barnes, Director, Office of Student Services at FCPS:

“In response to your question to me regarding policy, the School Board sets policy and staff develops regulations to support and operationalize policies. Policies and regulations are reviewed at least every five years; however, changes can be made within that five year timeframe as necessary. All changes in regulations are reviewed and approved by the Superintendent; similarly, any changes in policy must be approved by the School Board.

“In response to the questions you asked of Dr. Dale, we encourage parents and students to make an appointment with coordinators or principals to that they understand the program and its expectations. This occurs primarily for students entering an IB school. Interviews are not required, however for either IB or AP programs.

“Some schools suggest that students maintain a 3.0 GPA (for example, Robinson) which is used to help monitor a student’s progress. As for any transfer, the student must maintain appropriate behavior, attend school regularly, and demonstrate academic progress. Failure to do so could result in a revocation of the transfer.”

Contact FCPS and Confirm

FairfaxCAPS provides this information in the hope that it will help you and your family in assessing the opportunities and restrictions on pupil placement should it be advantageous to you in the event of a redistricting. It is not meant to be complete or comprehensive and we cannot guarantee that the pupil placement policies expressed to us will be in force at the time of your family’s application. We therefore encourage readers to contact FCPS directly with any questions and to carefully document and confirm all communications to ensure that any expectations with respect to pupil placement are met for your family.

As of the date of this writing, the pupil placement form is available at http://www.fcps.edu/ss/student-transfer/index.htm

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