GMSD: Board of Education to discuss transfer policy

The Germantown Municipal School District Board of Education will discuss the district’s transfer policy at its meeting Monday.

The board is looking at both residents who transfer within the district and those from outside Germantown who attend Germantown schools.

Currently, students apply to transfer to a Germantown school, and if granted transfer status, they can go to a school for which they are not zoned.

The district administration opens enrollment for students to transfer each year, and parents have 30 days to fill out an application.

Those who apply after the 30-day period are placed on a wait list until the beginning of the school year. The day enrollment opens changes each year and is set by the district.

Under the current policy, students who transfer to another school are allowed to stay until an exit year, fifth or eighth grade.

However, the board is voting on an amendment to the policy. If approved, the policy will state that if staffing issues or capacity issues are a problem, the transfer status could change. The district would notify parents by June 6 each year.

“The addition of this sentence talks about situations in which (students) may not be eligible to stay,” Superintendent Jason Manuel said. “It allows us to re-evaluate.”

Germantown’s open enrollment guidelines are, in order of priority: ❚ GMSD employees’ children ❚ Academy students at Houston High School

❚ Currently enrolled students regardless of zone. Priority is given based on the number of years the students have attended Germantown Schools.

❚ Siblings of current Germantown Schools students

❚ City of Germantown employee’s students who prefer Germantown Schools ❚ Non-residents of Shelby County ❚ Children of residents in state but outside Shelby County

❚ Children of residents outside Tennessee.

Apart from GMSD employees’ children, the district grants transfers so long as they do not exceed the maximum enrollment numbers set by the Board of Education.

Germantown Board of Education’s work session starts at 5 p.m. Monday and the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Germantown City Hall.