5.11 NON-RESIDENT STUDENT ADMITTANCE/ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS
A student whose parent/legal guardian resides outside the jurisdiction of the Saraland Board of Education may be eligible to attend a Saraland school. To be considered for initial enrollment in Saraland City Schools, the parent/legal guardian of a nonresident student shall submit written application to the Superintendent for consideration.
No student shall be denied enrollment on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin.
The following factors shall be considered and used by the Superintendent as the basis for granting permission for a non-resident student to enroll/continue enrollment in Saraland City Schools:
• The availability of an instructional program that meets the education, physical and emotional needs of the student;
• The impact of the decision to enroll the student on a federal court desegregation order/consent decree on the student’s resident school system or on the Saraland City School System;
• The ability to accommodate the applicant without placing undue financial burden on Saraland City Schools;
• The availability of space at the grade level and school;
• The student’s previous attendance record;
• The student’s academic performance at the average or above average level as determined through a review of grades,
academic records, and standardized test results;
• The student’s satisfactory history of behavior as determined by a review of discipline records;
• The student’s satisfactory record of payment of school financial obligations and/or tuition;
• Parent/Legal guardian agreement to pay an annual tuition determined by the Saraland Board of Education. Student enrollment, if approved, will not become active until tuition is received;
• Parent/Legal guardian and student agreement to follow the rules, regulations, and codes of student conduct established by Saraland City Schools and the various schools within the school system. Failure to comply with the rules and regulations may be cause for expulsion, the withdrawal of permission to attend a Saraland school, and forfeiture of tuition paid;
• Parent/Legal guardian agreement to provide transportation for the student. Saraland City Schools does not provide transportation for non-resident students; and,
• Parent/Legal guardian acknowledgment/understanding that the non-resident student is subject to athletic eligibility requirements as defined by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA).
Saraland City Schools has the right to revoke enrollment of any non-resident student based on any of the following conditions:
• Inappropriate behavior or poor disciplinary record;
• Excessive tardiness to school or poor school attendance;
• Unsatisfactory academic performance;
• Falsifying school/or legal documents;
• Late tuition payments, if applicable;
• An attempt to circumvent the policies/procedures of the school and/or the school system; and,
• Any other good and sufficient reason.
If, during the school year, it becomes evident that the guardianship/residency of a student has been misrepresented in order to avoid tuition and that the student actually resides outside of Saraland City Schools’ jurisdiction, tuition and a penalty fee (in an
amount established by the Saraland Board of Education) will become due immediately. If tuition including the applicable penalty fee is not forthcoming, the student will be withdrawn. Such a student shall fall under the admission criteria for non-resident
students. When requesting enrollment, proof of guardianship and/or legal custody must be provided along with proof of residency for both parents/legal guardians. Saraland City Schools accepts only legal guardianship/custody documents as authorized by a court of law. Notarized affidavits, educational guardianship records, or other types of statements are not acceptable as proof of guardianship/custody. When divorced parents share legal custody, the residence of the primary, physical custodial parent shall
be used to determine the resident/non-resident status of the enrolling student in Saraland City Schools.
Tuition Information: Non-resident student tuition shall be paid annually prior to registration and enrollment. The annually set tuition shall be paid in addition to any eligible amount as defined by Alabama’s CHOOSE ACT, Education Savings Account (ESA) or any other approved State Law. Certain students may be exempt from the annually set tuition fee as provided herein; however, they must applyfor and obtain any eligible State funding. Failure to pay tuition according to the established payment date(s) will cause the student(s) to be withdrawn from Saraland City Schools.
Non-resident students who enroll at times other than the beginning of a semester shall pay tuition on a prorated basis for the balance of the school year/semester of attendance.
A student whose parent/legal guardian resides outside the jurisdiction of the Saraland Board of Education may be eligible to attend a Saraland school as a special circumstance, non-resident student in the following categories:
• When parent/legal guardian of a current resident student establishes residence outside Saraland city limits during the academic year, the parent/legal guardian may request child(ren) be allowed to complete the current semester by submission and approval of a non-resident enrollment application and payment of appropriate pro-rated tuition. However, Saraland City Schools is not obligated to provide transportation for the student(s) under such circumstances.
• Business owners who own the business property on which their business is located within jurisdiction of Saraland City Schools but live outside Saraland city limits may request enrollment for their child(ren) in Saraland City Schools by following all non-resident student procedures. Tuition may be waived for such approved non-resident students, with the
authority to grant such waivers delegated by the Board to the Superintendent.
• Employees of the Saraland Board of Education who live outside Saraland city limits may request enrollment for their child(ren) in Saraland City Schools by following all non-resident student procedures. Tuition may be waived for such approved non-resident students, with the authority to grant such waivers delegated by the Board to the Superintendent.
• Employees of the City of Saraland who live outside Saraland city limits may request enrollment for their child(ren) in Saraland City Schools by following all non-resident student procedures. Tuition may be waived for such approved nonresident students, with the authority to grant such waivers delegated by the Board to the Superintendent.
Homeless Students: Nothing in this policy shall interfere with the implementation and application of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001.
