JEC

 

EPSOM SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

MANIFEST EDUCATIONAL HARDSHIP POLICY

 

Resident pupils of the District shall be assigned to a public school within the District by the Superintendent or a designee.

 

The Board recognizes that in unusual and extraordinary circumstances, parent(s) or guardian(s) may wish to request a change of assignment to another public school within the District or a public school in another district.

 

When the parent(s) or guardian(s) believe that the assignment which has been made will result in a manifest educational hardship to the pupil, the Board will consider requests for re-assignment, according to the procedure outlined below.

 

PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF A MANIFEST EDUCATIONAL  HARDSHIP REQUEST

 

The following procedures will be utilized where a parent(s) or guardian(s) seeks a change of assignment within the District, or a waiver of assignment from attending any school in the District based on an assertion that the current assignment constitutes a manifest educational hardship:

 

1.         The parent(s) or guardian(s) shall make a written request, through the Superintendent’s office, detailing the specific reasons why they believe that the current assignment constitutes a manifest educational hardship.  Any such written request shall be made by the parent(s) or guardian(s) within fifteen (15) days of the assignment made by the Superintendent or designee.

 

2.         The Board will schedule a time at a regular or special board meeting held within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written request of the parent(s) or guardian(s) to hear the request.  At such time, the parent(s) or guardian(s) may address the Board.  The Board will hear the parent(s) or guardian(s) request in non-public session, subject to the right of the parent(s) or guardian(s) to have the matter heard in public session under RSA 91-A:3II.(c).

 

3.          The parent(s) or guardian(s) of the pupil may use whatever information they deem is appropriate to support their request.  At a minimum, however, the parent(s) or guardian(s) must submit information demonstrating to the School Board that the current assignment is detrimental or has a negative effect on the pupil.

 

 

 

4.         In determining whether the current assignment of the pupil constitutes a manifest educational hardship, and what the corresponding appropriate action should be (which may include, but not be limited to, assignment to a public school in another district) the Board shall consider all information given it by the parent(s) or guardian(s), the recommendations of the Superintendent, and any other information which the Board deems relevant and useful.  (Criteria which the board may opt to use in determining manifest educational hardship is listed in Appendix JEC-A which follows this policy).

 

5.         The Board reserves the legal right to make a determination on whether a given request constitutes a manifest educational hardship, and what the corresponding action should be, on a case by case basis.

 

6.         The Board will render its decision in writing within fifteen (15) days after the Board meeting at which the parent(s) or guardian(s) addressed the Board, and will forward its written decision to the parents or guardians via US mail.

 

7.         If a parent or guardian is aggrieved by the decision of the Board, he/she may appeal to the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of Ed 200.

 

JEC-A

 

 

 

APPENDIX TO

EPSOM SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

MANIFEST EDUCATIONAL HARDSHIP POLICY

 

 

      The School Board may apply the following criteria or utilize additional or other criteria, at its sole discretion, as a guideline in determining Manifest Educational Hardship:

 

1.      Does the pupil have a very particular, substantiated educational need that cannot be met at the assigned school?

 

2.      Is the pupil’s particular educational need one not commonly found within the assigned school’s student body?

 

3.      Will failure to meet the pupil’s particular educational need likely cause significant impairment of the pupil’s educational progress?

 

4.      Is there a (reasonably available) public school in this or another district which can demonstrably meet the particular educational need of the pupil?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROVED:  October, 1998