For fourth year, 4J will accept students from other districts under Oregon’s open enrollment law
The Eugene School Board has approved plans to enroll out-of-district students in Eugene School District 4J in 2015–16.
Under Oregon’s open enrollment law, passed by the 2011 Legislature, school districts may accept transfer requests from out-of-district students without consent from the student’s resident school district, and state school funding follows the student to the district in which they enroll. Before each new school year, school boards must decide whether to accept such transfers of new out-of-district students, how many, and where.
To be accepted under the open enrollment provisions, students must apply by April 1 at 5 p.m. After the open enrollment period ends, out-of-district students may still seek enrollment in 4J, but their resident school district will need to consent to the transfer.
This is the fourth consecutive year that the Eugene School Board has approved opening enrollment to out-of-district students within certain limits. As in previous years, the board set a high cap on the number of students that could be accepted at each grade level, much higher than the number expected to apply.
In each of the previous three years that the open enrollment law has been in effect, the Eugene School District has seen a net gain of students from open enrollment, with more students transferring to 4J from other school districts than vice versa. Because state school funding follows the students, the district receives additional resources to support staff and services for all students.
Out-of-district students may request to transfer to the Eugene School District and request to enroll at any 4J school with the following exceptions:
- Students entering grade 12
- Roosevelt Middle School, all grades
- Sheldon High School and Eugene International High School at Sheldon, grades 10 and 11
- South Eugene High School and Eugene International High School at South, all grades
- Early College & Career Options (ECCO) High School
Roosevelt, South Eugene, and grades 10 and 11 at Sheldon are not open to requests from out-of-district residents because they are expected to be unable to accommodate all of the 4J residents who wish to attend. Placement at ECCO is by referral only and is not open to school choice requests from either district residents or non-residents. Placement into certain special education programs, including comprehensive learning centers, also is by referral only.
Students who reside in 4J will continue to be able to enroll at their neighborhood school at any time and will continue to have the first opportunity to enroll at any other 4J school. The district’s enrollment caps for alternative schools and in-district transfer limits for middle and high schools, which help balance enrollment and resources among schools, also will remain in place.
Application period
Monday, March 2–Wednesday, April 1, 5 p.m.
More information
www.4j.lane.edu/choice
