Last Updated on August 3, 2022 by Michelle Ball
By Michelle Ball, Sacramento California Expulsion, Special Education, sports/CIF, College, Education and School Attorney/Lawyer for Students since 1995
If a student has entered a new school district on an interdistrict transfer, it may be cause for celebration. However, what if a parent receives a revocation letter? What can a student have their interdistrict transfer revoked for and how sudden can this occur?
Interdistrict Transfer Approvals Depend On Districts
School districts reviewing a request to transfer into their district (the receiving district) are the determiners of which students get in. Usually school districts have interdistrict policies which parents can review which specify the reasons a student may be accepted.
Whether a student may leave their home district is also a factor, as the home district has to allow a student to leave.
Terms of Revocation Depend on Agreement
When a student is accepted for enrollment in a new school district, terms may be set for the student to follow while on the transfer. If terms are not met, the student can have their interdistrict transfer revoked. What these terms are, and if there are any terms at all, depend on the new school district.
Some districts don’t outline any revocation terms, but most include them.
Typical Interdistrict Transfer Terms
Interdistrict transfer terms (if there are any), can include:
- No suspensions or expulsions
- Maintain a certain academic performance level
- Regular attendance
- Follow school rules
Student terms can vary by school district, but are usually pretty straightforward.
How Transfers Are Revoked
Interdistrict transfers may be revoked suddenly or with warnings. Sometimes a student receives a school suspension and their interdistrict transfer is then terminated. The student has to leave the school district.
Other times, schools have hearts and warn a family that the student has breached the terms, or a couple student breaches may occur before an interdistrict school transfer is reversed.
It is also possible, a student breach may occur and a student may only be allowed to attend through the end of that schoolyear, but cannot return the following school year.
When Transfers May Be Revoked
Any time a breach of the interdistrict transfer terms occurs the interdistrict transfer may be cancelled.
What To Do If an Interdistrict Transfer Is Revoked
There is no guaranteed appeal of the termination of an interdistrict transfer, but parents may try to go up the chain of command in the school district. So, for example, if a principal terminates a transfer, parents could try to reach appropriate school district personnel who have the ability to reverse the decision.
It is conceivable that parents could also contact their county board of education, if some unfairness occurred or interdistrict transfer laws or policies were misapplied. There is no guarantee they will review.
If discrimination is suspected, a complaint can also be filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), but this would not result in a quick outcome. In that case, a student would have to attend elsewhere until a resolution was reached.
Student lawyer Michelle Ball assists families with many school difficulties, helping parents in interdistrict transfer appeals, and with other student problems. As a student attorney in Sacramento, California, Michelle Ball assists throughout the state, in Folsom, Modesto, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Roseville, Elk Grove, Lincoln, Rocklin and other locations.
