Golden Rule Charter School

General Eligibility

The board or its designee shall admit into the free public schools of the approved geographic boundary area all persons who are at least five and under 21 years of age on September 1 of any school year in which admission is sought if any of the following conditions exist:

1. The person and either parent reside in the approved geographic boundary area.

2. The person does not reside in the approved geographic boundary area, but one of the parents resides in the approved geographic boundary area and that parent is a joint managing conservator or the sole managing conservator or possessory conservator of the person.

3. The person and his or her guardian or other person having lawful control under an order of a court resides in the approved geographic boundary area.

4. The person is under the age of 18 and has established a separate residence in the approved geographic boundary area apart from his or her parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control under an order of a court and has established that the person's presence in the approved geographic boundary area is not for the primary purpose of participation in extracurricular activities. The board is not required to admit such person, however, if the person has:

a. Engaged in conduct that resulted in removal to an alternative education program or expulsion within the preceding year;

b. Engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision and is on probation or other conditional release for that conduct; or

c. Been convicted of a criminal offense and is on probation or other conditional release.

When admission is sought for a child who has established a separate residence in the approved geographic boundary area from his parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control under an order of a court, the board of trustees or its designee shall determine whether an applicant qualifies as a resident of the Golden Rule Schools.

In order to be in compliance with the Family Education and Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA), the approved geographic boundary area requires documentation to consult with adults responsible for minor students. On or more of the following type of documentation will be acceptable for purposes of consultation concerning educational programming, discipline, special education, emergency medical treatment, access to student records, and other matters relating to the student's educational process:

a. Power of Attorney:

b. Notarized letter sworn affidavit from parent, guardian, or the adult responsible for the minor child;

c. Assignment letter from the Department of Human Services;

d. Juvenile Probation, or other agencies;

e. Death certificate of natural parent(s)

f. Proof of receipt of federal assistance; or

g. Other documentation deemed appropriate by the superintendent or superintendent's designee.

5. The person is a homeless child

a. A child is “homeless”, under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, if the child lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes:

(1.) Children who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;

(2.) Children who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; Children who are living in cars, parks, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and Migratory children living in circumstances described above.

“Migratory child” means a child who is, or whose parent, spouse, or guardian is, a migratory agricultural worker, including a migratory dairy work, or a migratory fisher, and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain, or accompany such parent, spouse, or guardian in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing work:

(a) Has moved from school district to another; or

(b) Resides in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence to engage in a fishing activity;

b. A child is homeless, under the state law, regardless of the residence of the child, either parent, or the child's guardian or other person having lawful control, if:

6. The person resides at a residential facility, as defined in Texas Education Code 5.001, located in the district. For purposes of enrollment, a person who resides in a residential facility is considered a resident of the district in which the facility is located.

7. The person resides in the district and is 18 or older or the person's disabilities of minority have been removed.

8. The person does not reside in the school district but the grandparent of the person:

(A) resides in the school district; and

(B) provides a substantial amount of after-school care for the person as determined by the board.

Proof of Admission Eligibility

The school requires evidence that a person is eligible to attend the public free schools of the school at the time it considers an application for admission of the person.

The board or it designee shall establish minimum proof of occupancy acceptable to the school. When admission is sought under item 4 above, the board shall determine whether an applicant qualifies as living in the approved geographic boundary area and may adopt reasonable guidelines for making that determination as necessary to protect the best interest of the students.

Acceptable documents for verifying address include current utility bills, sales or lease agreements, driver's license, voter registration certificate, or other legal documents.

Expelled from Another District

If a student has been expelled from another school district, the expelling district shall provide to the district a copy of the expulsion order and the referral to the authorized officer of the juvenile court. The district in which the student enrolls may:

1. Continue the expulsion under the terms of the order;

2. Place the student in an alternative education program for the period specified by the expulsion order; or

3. Allow the student to attend regular classes without completing the period of expulsion.