After receiving several questions and concerns over students who missed the Aug. 1 transfer deadline, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary education has released revised guidelines for parents.
Per DESE’s guidelines, if a student missed the Aug. 1 deadline, parents have been instructed to complete the transfer packet in their home district and notify the district they want to transfer to.
DESE spokeswoman Sarah Potter says that the transfer process has gone relatively well.
“For the amount of time that the districts have had to comply with the new law, it really is amazing what they’ve been able to accomplish, and we’re pleased to see that they’re focused on what’s in the best interest of the students,” she says.
Nearly 1,200 students chose to leave the Normandy School District, and about 1,400 students chose to transfer from Riverview Gardens.
Potter adds that they’ve also been keeping a close eye on each school’s financial situation, since the unaccredited districts are being billed for each student who chose to attend a different school.
“We want to make sure that they are able to finish out the school year, that the students in the unaccredited districts are still getting a quality education and that those students who are transferring are also able to finish out the school year in the school that they have transferred to,” she says.
For those who missed the initial deadline, the earliest a student could transfer would be January 2014.
If classes are at capacity, then districts have been advised to start a transfer list for the next school year.
Follow Erin Williams on Twitter: @STLPR_Erin
