NOTICE: Transportation for Students Who Have SINA Transfers
From: Ann Feldmann, Assistant Superintendent
Date: May 10, 2012
Please note the following information regarding transportation for SINA transfer students in 2012-13.
We’ve received questions about busing that is currently being provided to SINA transfer students, given that Iowa has applied for a waiver from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. This is the federal law that mandates School Choice for students in Schools In Need of Assistance (SINA). There is some anticipation that, if the state is exempt from NCLB, this may impact provisions that require transfers out of SINA schools.
Given that:
• We will not know if Iowa has been granted a waiver until very late in the summer, at the earliest
• Even if Iowa receives the waiver, the Iowa Department of Education has not provided information as to how this will impact past SINA transfer obligations
We have determined that we will continue to transport those students already being bused on SINA transfers for 2012-13. Please note that, as of 2011-12, our district exercised our option to place funding toward tutoring of students rather than busing new SINA transfers. As a result, we stopped providing any NEW busing for any NEW SINA transfers beginning in 2011-12. For 2012-13, this means that Kindergardeners or first graders, as well as a student in any other elementary grade, who requests a SINA transfer in 2012-13 will NOT receive transportation.
