- Byron Public Schools
- Open Enrollment
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Open Enrollment
Statewide enrollment options, informally known as Open Enrollment, is Minnesota’s public school choice option that allows students and parents to have access to schools that are not within their resident district. This program allows student enrollment from one school district into another. The Byron School District welcomes students from multiple Minnesota school districts who call Byron schools home. We welcome their contribution to our high-performing community of learners.
If you live outside Byron Public Schools district boundaries, follow these steps to apply for open enrollment:
Step 1: Complete the open enrollment application form. The statewide application deadline for open enrollment is January 15. Once completed you may mail, fax or email to:
Byron School District Office
Attention: Anne Ludvigsen
630 1st Ave NW
Byron, MN 55920
Fax: 507-775-2385
Email: anne.ludvigsen@byron.k12.mn.us
Step 2: Look for communication on open enrollment approval/denial immediately following the regular January board meeting of your child's status to attend.
Step 3: After receiving approval of your application, families are asked to accept or decline the offer of enrollment by March 1 or 45 days after notification that their application has been approved.
Step 4: Once a student is accepted as an open enrollment student, the student has the right to continue to attend Byron Public Schools through graduation, as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment.
Resources
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Byron Open Enrollment Policy
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Open Enrollment Background Information
The statutes governing open enrollment refer to a student’s “resident district” and the student’s “nonresident district.” As the names suggest, the “resident district” is where the student (and, usually, their parents or guardians) live, and a “nonresident district” is a district where a student does not reside but wishes to open enroll.
Some of the provisions of the statutes governing open enrollment also refer to “an approved achievement and integration program.” Byron has an approved Achievement and Integration plan by the Minnesota Department of Education, as defined by Minn. Stat. §§ 124D.861 and 124D.862.
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Facts and Questions
Do desegregation provisions impact Open-Enrollment?
Yes. Byron receives Achievement and Integration funds. The purpose of this program is to pursue racial and economic integration, increase student achievement, create equitable educational opportunities, and reduce academic disparities based on students' diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds in Minnesota public schools.
What does my Open Enrollment application guarantee?
When you complete the open enrollment application, you are applying to the District. This will be taken into consideration and you will be notified of availability.
I’ve applied/registered. When will my next communication be?
- You will start to receive communications from the District.
- Open enrolled families will be notified by February 1 as to which program and school they will be able to attend.
- For incoming Kindergartners, an invitation to a spring event at the school will be sent out. An email will go out after our spring break (see district calendar)
Once approved for Open Enrollment do I need to reapply every year?
No. Your child will be enrolled from year to year until graduation unless you withdraw from the district. Then the process will start over.
Can there be limitations on the total number of students who can Open Enroll?
Yes. The School Board may adopt a resolution limiting the enrollment of nonresident students, but the limit cannot be less than the lesser of either:
(1) 1% of the total enrollment at each grade level in the district; or
(2) The number of district residents at that grade level who are enrolled in a nonresident district. Minn. Stat. § 124D.03, subd. 2(a). If a district does choose to adopt a resolution that limits the number of nonresident students who can open enroll, the District has to report to the Commissioner of Education how many nonresident students were denied admission due to these limitations by July 15 each year. Id. at subd. 2(b).
When and how do I sign up for classes at Byron High School or Byron Middle School?
Contact the guidance office at 507-775-2301 (BHS) or 507-775-2189 (BMS) to schedule an appointment with a counselor.
My family has moved. Who do I contact?
You may contact Beth Sherden at 507-624-0352 or the office of your student’s school. Be sure to tell them the exact date you will be residing in your new location.
If I move out of the district can I still attend?
Yes, but transportation will be your responsibility. Please contact Beth Sherden at 507-624-0352 or your child’s school office. Let them know the exact date of the move. You will then receive information with any additional paperwork that may be needed to complete.
