School Transfers | Video

Kristin Clouston | 1/22/2013

The Bismarck School District plans to have new boundaries finalized in less than a week. Parents are no doubt eager to know if they will be able to transfer their children to other schools. The district posts proposed changes on its website and has sent out emails to parents explaining what`s happening and its policy on transfers. If you`re a Bismarck parent and haven`t gotten anything, check your spam because it may have ended up in your junk mail.

Thirteen of the district`s 16 elementary schools are overcrowded and the superintendent says because of that, the boundaries would have had to be redrawn even if the school bond hadn`t passed. Transfers will be considered on a case by case basis and the district won`t be able to accept transfers until they know a school has room.

"And if we have some, then we are going to start with children that are protected under federal law under an IEP. Now, not everyone with an IEP must stay at a certain school, but lets say a child is blind and knows that school, it seems fair they would stay. If that child has autism and change is incredibly difficult they could stay at that school," said Superintendent Tamara Uselman.

The district stopped open enrollment, registering students who live outside the district, in 2008.

"So we have an existing population of students who are open enrolled in our district. Under the law, they are our children and we are going to serve them," Uselman said.

But they will be assigned a school. Board members say they need to use every inch of available space while fostering a healthy learning environment.

"My primary concern is there is a classroom with a moderate amount of students that a teacher can teach. I don`t like to see overcrowded classrooms and we know there`s going to be some anyway, but we want to minimize that," said school board member Scott Halvorson.

The students who open enrolled prior to 2008 can also request a transfer. The board plans to finalize the boundaries next Monday.

There will be a boundary forum on Thursday at 6:30 at Horizon middle school. If you have questions or concerns it a great opportunity to talk to committee and board members.

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