Student Transfers

(1) Students who transfer among public schools and Category I, II, or III private schools shall be granted credit for completed work. (2) The school which the student leaves must supply a certified transcript showing the student’s record of attendance, achievement, and the units of credit earned. To be certified, a transcript must be sent by the custodian of records at the student’s former school to the requesting school with a signed certification acknowledging the accuracy of the transcript. The parent or guardian of the student shall be notified by the school that the transcript is being sent. However, this rule shall not be construed as to supersede any contractual obligation of parents with the private or church-related school (e.g., withholding of grades until all tuition/fees are paid). (3) Local boards of education and public charter schools shall not prohibit or impede the transfer of a student from a Category IV church-related school, Category V private school, or a home school to a public school of this state. Local boards of education and public charter schools may, however, place students transferring from a Category IV church-related school, Category V private school, or home school to a public school in a grade level and confer credit for courses based upon the student's performance on a test administered by the local board or public charter school for that purpose. If a local board of education or public charter school requires a test for purposes of grade placement or conferring credit, such requirement shall be set forth in the local board of education or public charter school’s policy and shall require notice to parents of a student transferring from a Category IV church-related school, Category V private school, or home school of the testing options and requirements set forth below: (a) If a local board of education or public charter school administers a test to students transferring from a Category IV church-related school, Category V private school, or home school to a public school, students shall be allowed credit only when they have passed comprehensive written examinations approved, administered, and graded by the principal or designee of the public school. If requested by the parent or guardian, the LEA or public charter school shall accept student scores from a nationally standardized achievement test as a substitute for the required comprehensive written examinations in subjects covered by the nationally standardized achievement test for purposes of grade placement and conferring credit. (b) The examination administered to students in grades one through eight (1-8) shall cover only the last grade completed. (c) The examinations administered to students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall cover the individual subjects appearing on the certified transcripts. The examination for graduation requirement subjects shall only cover the last course completed by the student (for example, if a student has completed English I, II, and III, the examination shall only cover English III). (d) The parent of a home school student is authorized to transmit transcripts of a student to any school to which the student transfers or applies for admission when the records are requested by the receiving school.