Seattle Public Schools

3132 Non-Standard School Assignments

It is the policy of the Seattle School Board that resident students have a designated school assignment pursuant to school boundaries and policies approved by the School Board. There are specified reasons why a student may be assigned to a school other than the designated attendance area school, including:

  1. School Choice – Assignments consistent with the school choice provisions of the student assignment plan.
  2. Transition Plan – Assignments pursuant to a Transition Plan approved by the School Board during implementation of the student assignment plan.
  3. “504” Accommodations – Students may  be assigned administratively to meet requirements of a 504 Plan pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  4. Service Needs – There will continue to be a limited number of programs or services that are unique enough, and that serve such a limited population, that they cannot be offered in every service area or high school attendance area. In those cases, students will be assigned administratively based upon individual service needs as determined by the District.
  5. Discipline – There are situations of exceptional student misconduct, harassment, or involvement in the court system for certain offenses that will result in some students being assigned to attend a school other than the designated attendance area school.
  6. The District may assign and/or transfer students administratively due to disciplinary issues in accordance with District policy and state law.
  7. Cross Enrollment – A student who attends a Seattle Public School and takes one to three courses at another Seattle Public School at the same time is a “cross-enrolled” student. The assigned school is the “home school” and the school attended part-time is the cross-enrolled school. 
  8. Part-Time Enrollment – Home-Based Instruction (HBI) and private school students may attend Seattle Public Schools as part-time students. They enroll under standard assignment rules and timelines, and the school adjusts the student’s FTE as appropriate. 
  9. A parent or guardian may appeal a student’s assignment and request reassignment to another school. Such requests may be granted administratively in the case of extraordinary circumstances.

Non-standard school assignments shall be subject to the procedures outlined in Superintendent Procedure 3130SP and pursuant to state law regarding disciplinary/administrative transfers.