West Contra Costa Unified School District

Board policy No. BP 5116

Regarding School Attendance Assignments

July 29, 2002

The Governing Board shall regularly review school attendance assignments, taking into account school capacities and enrollment data, geographic features, student safety and transportation, racial and ethnic balance and educational programs such as magnet schools that may impact classroom loading. Assignment revisions may be recommended as a result of this review. A committee of parents and site personnel shall advise the board regarding proposed changes.

The Superintendent or her designee may place some students in a school outside of their attendance area in order to alleviate overcrowding.

The following school size guidelines will serve as a goal for optimum programs at the school sites:

Special Education numbers, but not preschool enrollment, will be counted as part of the maximum and minimum enrollment.

The following criteria will be used in establishing assignments:

1. Whenever possible, students should be assigned to the schools closest to their home. Convenient and safe access to each school should be encouraged.
2. Schools should be loaded equitably in filling capacity district-wide.
3. At impacted schools, an attempt should be made to reserve space to prevent students from being displaced from their neighborhood school in accordance with our transfer policy.
4. Logical assignments, not necessarily contiguous with city limits, should be drawn with both sides of the street assigned to the same school.
5. There shall be no enclaves.
6. In the redistricting process, the district will comply with all state and federal mandates regarding racial and ethnic balance.

When revisions are considered, the process for adopting assignment changes will include the following:

1. The Superintendent will assign a working team to review and recommend revision options. The committee membership will be as follows: Parents/guardians who are resident of the district, and who represent a balance of elementary, middle and high school enrollment as well as a cross section of the school district by geography and race/ethnicity. Staff members will serve as advisors.
2. A public hearing will be conducted to hear the proposed revisions.
3. The school board will vote on the proposed revisions.

Legal reference:

EDUCATION CODE

35160 Authority of governing boards

35160.1 Broad authority of school districts

35160.5 District policies; rules and regulations

35291 Rules

35350 Transportation of students

35351 Assignment of students to schools

GOVERNMENT CODE

53312.7 Establishment of community facilities district; goals and policies

ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS

29 Ops. Atty. Gen. 63

COURT DECISIONS

Crawford v. Board of Education (1976) 17 Cal.3d 280

Jackson v. Pasadena City School District (1963) 59 Cal. 2^nd 876, 879