Resident Students
All children are entitled to an education in the public schools of Iowa free of personal payment of tuition from the age of five (5) until their graduation from an approved public high school or until they reach the age of twenty-one (21). A person is restricted in his/her right to attend school free of tuition to the District residence, unless otherwise provided by statute. The term "residence" means the place, abode, or dwelling of a person.
Ordinarily, the legal dwelling of a minor is the same as that of his/her parents. A child may establish a dwelling with someone other than the parents and attend public school tuition free so long as his/her primary purpose of living in the District is not for the sake of obtaining a free education.
An emancipated minor or individual who has reached the age of eighteen (18) and is still eligible to attend an Iowa secondary school may declare his/her own residence independent of the residence of the parents.
Each case involving the bona fide residence of a student may be decided upon its individual merits by the Board of Directors, subject to appeal to the Iowa Department of Education.
Non-Resident Students
Children who are eligible to attend an Iowa public school but who are not legal residents of the District may be admitted into the District at the discretion of the Superintendent upon application and payment of tuition. The tuition rate is the current per-pupil cost of the District as authorized by the Iowa Department of Education.
Resident students whose families move from the District after the start of a semester and who wish to complete the semester in the District may open enroll and be permitted to attend without the payment of tuition at the discretion of the Superintendent and approval of the Board.
Students in grades eleven (11) or twelve (12) who are no longer residents of the District, but were residents in the preceding school year, may continue to attend school until they graduate without the payment of tuition. These students may be required to identify an adult, who resides in the District, for purposes of administration.
Nonresident students who are eligible to attend an Iowa public school and who have evidence they will become legal residents of the District prior to October 1 may be allowed to attend without the payment of tuition.
International Students
Qualified international students may be enrolled and attend school without charge, if they are recommended by the American Field Service or an approved local organization and reside within the boundaries of this District. The Principal must give final approval before any such student can enroll.
Proper I‑20 forms and other required papers must be processed by the District, the student, and the sponsoring organization before an international student can be formally admitted to school.
Upon enrollment, the following items are provided at no cost to the student, natural parent or host parent: Student Activity Pass. The student must pay for his/her own class ring, hot lunch, cap and gown, and other incidentals.
Before being able to participate in athletics, the student must have on file an approved physical examination. The examination form provided by the IHSAA and IGHSAU must be used.
Programs or activities for which foreign exchange students are not eligible are: Driver Education and National Honor Society.
For those items not specifically mentioned above, a foreign exchange student has the same rights and responsibilities as all other students.
*Revised: 12/13/93
*Reviewed: 04/08/02
*Reviewed: 01/15/07
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 06/13/11
*Revised: 04/09/12
*Reviewed: 06/12/17
*Revised: 06/13/22