School Board / 5133.1 - Tuition Student and Waiver of Tuition

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109

POLICY

TUITION STUDENTS AND WAIVER OF TUITION

I. Susquehanna Township School District will provide a free education for every individual of school age who as a matter of law is entitled to a free education in the Susquehanna Township School District.

Students who are not entitled by law to a free public education in the Susquehanna Township School District may be admitted as non-resident students on a tuition basis at the discretion of the school board whenever such admissions are recommended by the superintendent, and whenever the school board determines that the admission of such students is not contrary to the best interests of those students lawfully entitled to attend the township schools.

II. Administrative Procedures for Enrolling Tuition Students

1. A written request to enroll a tuition student must be submitted to the building principal on a form to be provided by the school district. The request must be signed by both of the student’s parents unless satisfactory evidence is produced that one of the parents is unavailable. If there is a court appointed guardian for the student, the request shall be signed by the guardian instead of the parents. The person or persons signing the request shall be fully liable for all tuition charges.

2. The building principal will:

a. determine if there is room in an appropriate classroom.

b. contact the previous school for information on conduct and achievement.

c. meet with the student and parents to discuss the tuition policy, proper conduct and scholastic achievement.

d. inform parent at this time that the school may request that the student withdraw if conduct is not appropriate, if enrollment exceeds capacity or if tuition has not been paid.

e. decide whether to recommend that the student be accepted as a tuition student to the superintendent or to inform the parent in writing that the request has been denied.

3. The superintendent will process the request upon the principal’s written recommendation by submitting it to the school board for approval.

III. Tuition rates shall be determined in accordance with the criteria established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The tuition for the first month of attendance is payable before the student is admitted to school, and thereafter the tuition payments for each subsequent month will be due fifteen (15) days prior to the first day of the month to which the payment is applicable. The superintendent or his or her designed is authorized and directed without further action of the board to remove from attendance any tuition student for whom tuition payments have not been timely received.

IV. Exceptions to the Requirement for Payment of Tuition

1. The school board may, at is discretion, admit on a non-tuition basis a foreign national who is visiting the country as an exchange student and who lives within the school district.

2. A student otherwise ineligible for attendance whose parents or court appointed guardian with whom the student resides has executed a contract to buy, build or rent a residence within the school district for occupancy within sixty (60) calendar days of the opening of school, may be admitted if the parent or guardian submits a written request accompanied by documentary evidence of the arrangements which have been made for future residency. If the building principal is satisfied that actual residency within the township will occur within sixty (60) days of the opening of school, the principal shall forward the request for enrollment to the superintendent’s office for approval. If approved, the student shall be enrolled as a tuition student in accordance with the requirements of this policy relating to tuition students. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to advise the building principal and the business office of the date when actual residency within the township commences, and if that date is verified to be within sixty (60) days of the opening of school, all tuition payments will be refunded. A parent or guardian who fails to commence to residency within the period of time required by this policy shall notify the superintendent of that fact on or before sixty (60) after the opening of school. The superintendent shall be authorized to grant a sixty (60) calendar day extension to a parent or guardian, provided that the parent or guardian has notified the superintendent in accordance with this policy, has provided documentary evidence of arrangements to commence residency in the township within the sixty (60) calendar day extension, and otherwise complies with the requirements of policies pertaining to the payment of tuition. A parent or guardian granted a sixty (60) calendar day extension under this policy, shall advise the superintendent of the date when actual residency within the township commences, and if that date is verified to be within the sixty (60) calendar day extension, two (2) months’ tuition payments will be refunded. If actual residency in the township does not occur within sixty (60) calendar days or any extension thereof, the student must be withdrawn form school unless continued attendance is authorized in accordance with the criteria of this policy pertaining to tuition students. Initial admission in accordance with this paragraph of the policy cannot be used to circumvent the tuition application procedures and review.

3. A student whose parent or court appointed guardian with whom the student lives moves out of the school district during the school year may be permitted to complete the school year on a non-tuition basis if the move occurs within sixty (60) calendar days of the end of the student school year. Where investigation discloses that the parent or guardian of a student has moved from the school district more than sixty (60) days prior to the end of the student school year, tuition will be charged for the entire period from the date the parent or guardian moved from the district to the time that the student withdraws form enrollment or graduates.

Approved by the School Board – August 8, 1988

Amended by the School Board – March 27, 1989