Deadline Approaching for Students to Transfer from “Failing” Schools
Parents can transfer students under the Alabama Accountability Act
If your child is attending a school on the state’s “failing schools” list, you have several options to transfer your student under the Alabama Accountability Act but the deadline is approaching.
The list of failing schools all across the state was released back in November, with 75 school’s performing below Alabama’s standards.
Montgomery Public School parents with children at a failing school can expect a letter in the mail soon that outlines these options:
Option 1: Student may remain enrolled at his/her assigned school
Option 2: Student may transfer to a school within the same local school system*
Option 3: If your child’s school system hasn’t made option 2 available, the student can transfer to a school in another school system.
Option 4: Student may transfer to a qualifying non-public school*
*if there is space, and the school is willing to accept the student.
Last year, 11 MPS schools made the failing list but a spokesperson says that most parents still choose the first option for their students and stay put.
“Some years it’s been as few as 30 or 40 and I think last year we had a little over 100” said Tom Salter of MPS. “The issues are first of all we don’t have a lot of space in a lot of our schools so there is limited as to the number of schools they can transfer into” he explained.
If you transfer to a new school especially outside of your district you will have to provide your own transportation. Which likely plays a big role in why a lot of parents chose not to transfer their student.
In Montgomery, parents who chose the transfer options can pick up the forms at the Chief Academic Office at 307 South Decatur St. All other interested parents should contact their local school board for transfer applications and information.
All forms are due back on the state mandated deadline of March 1st–which is a Sunday, so officials urge parents to return them early.
