Children who are residents of the District community will attend the District without paying tuition.
The residence of a student means the place, abode, or dwelling of the student. Generally, the legal dwelling of minors is the same as their parents. A student may establish a dwelling with someone other than the parents and attend public school in the District without paying tuition if the primary purpose for residing in the District is not for the purpose of obtaining a free public education. Further, students who have reached the age of majority and who are still eligible to attend an Iowa secondary school may declare their residence independent of the residence of the parents.
Each case involving the bona fide residence of a student will be decided upon its individual merits by the Superintendent.
Students who have attained legal age may continue the education program without payment of tuition as long as they are eligible to attend an Iowa public school and are residents of the school District.
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Approved: 11/14/67; 9/17/84 Reviewed: 6/10/19 Revised: 7/14/08; 5/13/13; 7/14/2
Students who are eligible to attend an Iowa public school but who are not legal residents of the District may be admitted into the District at the discretion of the Superintendent upon application and payment of tuition. The tuition rate is the current per-pupil cost of the District as computed by the board secretary and as authorized by the Iowa Department of Education.
Resident students whose families move from the District after the start of a semester and who wish to complete the semester in their former resident District will be permitted to attend without the payment of tuition at the discretion of the Superintendent and approval of the Board. Students who plan to open enroll to their former nonresident district for the next school year may complete the school year without approval of the Superintendent or Board. These students, other than students in grades eleven and twelve, must have the recommendation of the principal.
Students in grades eleven or twelve who are no longer residents of the District, but were residents in the District the preceding school year, may continue to attend school until they graduate without the payment of tuition. These students may be required to identify an adult, who resides in the District, identified for purposes of administration.
Nonresident students who are eligible to attend an Iowa public school and who have evidence they will become legal residents of the District prior to October 1 may be allowed to attend without the payment of tuition.
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Approved: 11/14/67; 9/17/84 |
Reviewed: 6/10/19 |
Revised: 7/14/08; 5/13/13, 7/14/25 |
Qualified international students may be enrolled and attend school without chargewith the permission of building adminstration, if they are recommended by the American Field Service or an approved local organization and reside within the boundaries of this District. Proper I-20 forms and/or any other required papers must be submitted to and processed by the District, the student, and the sponsoring organization before an international student can be formally admitted to school.
The District will allow a maximum of three (3) international students per year. The Superintendent and/or building administration has the right to suspend or cancel the privilege of an international student attending school within the District. Organizations not cooperating or not fulfilling their responsibilities on behalf of the international students could also result in termination of the student’s privilege to attend school.
Programs or activities for which foreign exchange students are not eligible are: Driver Education and National Honor Society. Foreign exchange students are not eligible to be candidates for a Spirit Lake High School diploma.
For those items not specifically mentioned above, a foreign exchange student has the same rights and responsibilities as all other students.
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Approved: 11/14/67; 9/17/84 |
Reviewed: 6/10/19 |
Revised: 7/14/08; 5/13/13; 7/14/25 |
Compulsory Attendance
Parents within the school district who have children over age six and under age sixteen by September 15, in proper physical and mental condition to attend school, will have the children attend the school district at the attendance center designated by the board. Students will attend school the number of days or hours school is in session in accordance with the school calendar. Students of compulsory attendance age will attend school a minimum of 146 days. Students not attending the minimum days or hours must be exempted by this policy as listed below or, referred to the county attorney. Exceptions to this policy include children who:
have completed the requirements for graduation in an accredited school or have obtained a high school equivalency diploma;
are excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge;
are attending religious services or receiving qualifying religious instruction in accordance with relevant laws;
are unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reasons;
has an individualized education program that affects the child’s attendance;
has a plan under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, that affects the child’s attendance;
are attending an approved or probationally approved private college preparatory school;
are attending an accredited nonpublic school;
are receiving independent private instruction;
are receiving competent private instruction;
are a military applicant undergoing military entrance processing;
are engaged in military service;
are traveling to attend a funeral; or
are traveling to attend a wedding.
It is the responsibility of the parent of a child to provide evidence of the child's mental and physical inability to attend school or of the child's qualifications for one of the exceptions listed above.Evidence may be shown in written or verbal communications with the building level administration. Reasonable travel time will be afforded for engaging in the exceptions listed above.
Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy
The district believes that traditional, in-person school attendance leads to the greatest learning opportunities for students. Students who are present in school and engaged active learners take greater ownership over their educational outcomes. For this reason, it is the priority of the district to foster regular student attendance throughout the school year and reduce barriers to regular attendance for students in the district.
Chronic absenteeism/absences means any absence from school for more than ten percent of the days in the academic school year established by the district.
Truant/truancy means a child of compulsory attendance age who is absent from school for any reason for at least twenty percent of the days in the academic school year established by the district.
Chronic absenteeism and truancy do not apply to the following students who:
have completed the requirements for graduation in an accredited school or has obtained a high school equivalency diploma
are excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge;
are attending religious services or receiving qualifying religious instruction in accordance with relevant laws;
are unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reasons;
have an individualized education program than affects the student's attendance;
have a plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, that affects the child's attendance;
are attending a private college preparatory school accredited or probationally accredited;
are excused under Iowa Code §299.22;
are exempt under Iowa Code §299.24;
are a military applicant undergoing military entrance processing;
are engaged in military service;
are traveling to attend a funeral; or
are traveling to attend a wedding.
Evidence may be shown in written or verbal communications with the building level administration. Reasonable travel time will be afforded for engaging in the exceptions listed above. Students are subject to disciplinary action for truancy including suspension and expulsion. It is within the discretion of the principal to determine, in light of the circumstances, whether a student may make up work missed because of truancy.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the designated school officials, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy. The administrative regulations will indicate the disciplinary action to be taken for truancy.
Approved: 7/14/25 Reviewed: Revised:
Daily, punctual attendance is an integral part of the learning experience. The education that goes on in the classroom builds from day to day and absences can cause disruption in the educational progress of the absent student. Irregular attendance or tardiness by students not only limits their own studies, but also interferes with the progress of those students who are regular and prompt in attendance. Attendance is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation and communication among students, parents and the school.
This regulation is divided into two sections: Section I addresses legal requirements related to chronic absenteeism and truancy and Section II addresses additional academic, disciplinary and extracurricular consequences students face due to chronic absenteeism and truancy. It is important for students to recognize that chronic absenteeism and truancy impacts all these facets of their educational experience.
SECTION I – Legal Requirements
Chronic Absenteeism
When a student meets the threshold to be considered chronically absent, the school official will send notice by mail or e-mail to the county attorney where the district’s central office is located. The school official will also notify the student, or if a minor, the student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian via U.S. mail, electronic mail, electronic message or in person delivery that includes information related to the student’s absences from school and the policies and disciplinary processes associated with additional absences.
School Engagement Meeting
If a student is absent from school for at least fifteen percent of the days in the grading period, the school official will attempt to find the cause of the absences. If the school official determines that the child's absences are negatively affecting the child's academic progress, the school official will start and participate in a school engagement meeting. All of the following individuals must participate in the school engagement meeting:
The student;
The student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian if the student is an unemancipated minor; and
A school official.
The purpose of the meeting is to understand the reasons for the student’s absences and attempt to remove barriers to the student’s ongoing absences; and to create and sign an absenteeism prevention plan.
Absenteeism Prevention Plan
The absenteeism prevention plan will identify the causes of the student’s absences and the future responsibilities of each participant. The school official will contact the student and student’s parent/guardian at least once per week for the remainder of the school year to monitor the performance of the student and the student’s parent/guardian under the plan. If the student and student’s parent/guardian do not attend the meeting, do not enter into a plan or violate the terms of the plan, the school official will notify the county attorney.
SECTION II – Academic and Disciplinary Requirements
Students are required to be in attendance, pursuant to board policy, for 146 days per school year unless their absences have been excused by the principal for illness (absences of five or more consecutive days due to illness requires a doctor's note), family emergencies, doctor or dental appointment, recognized religious observances and school sponsored or approved activities. Reasonable excuses may also include family trips or vacations approved by the building principal. Parents are expected to telephone the school office to report a student's absence prior to 9 AM on the day of the absence.
High School: If a student accumulates 12 absences in a class per semester, he or she may lose credit for the class. Notification sequence and communication related to absences, as well as consequences and student placement following loss of credit, is outlined in the high school handbook.
Elementary/Middle School: If a student accumulates 25 absences in an academic school year, he or she may be assigned summer school to close the learning gap. Failure to attend assigned summer school may result in student retention in the current grade. Notification sequence and full details of the attendance policy are outlined in the respective elementary and/or middle school handbook.
Approved: 7/14/25 Reviewed: Revised:
Children in the District community will be allowed to enroll in the District's regular education program beginning at age five. The child must be age five on or prior to September 15 to participate in the District's kindergarten program. The child must be age six on or prior to September 15 to begin the first grade of the education program.
Children will be allowed to enroll in the statewide preschool program beginning at age four. The child must be age four on or prior to September 15 to participate in the statewide preschool program.
The Board will require evidence of age and residency in the form of a birth certificate or other evidence before the student may enroll in the District's education program. It is within the discretion of the Superintendent to determine what is satisfactory evidence for proof of age.
Prior to enrollment, the child must provide the administration with their health and immunization certificate. Failure to provide this information within the time period set by the Superintendent is reason for suspension, expulsion or denying admission to the student. An exception to this would be a homeless student.
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Approved: 11/14/67 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 7/14/08; 5/13/13; 6/10/19; 7/14/25
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A student's parents or a student may transfer the student into the District. Students who transfer into the District must meet the immunization and age requirements set out for students who initially enroll in the District.
The school district will request the student's cumulative records from the previous school district. If the student cannot offer proof of grade level, the Superintendent and/or designee will make the grade level determination. The Superintendent and/or designee may require testing or other information to determine the grade level. Students expelled or suspended from their previous school district will only be enrolled after approval of the Board.
The Superintendent and/or designee shall determine the amount of credits to be transferred. If the student has not previously attended an accredited school, the Superintendent and/or designee may not accept credits. A student not attending grades 9 through 11 at an accredited school shall be unranked for class ranking purposes.
The Board may deny admission if the student is not willing to provide the Board with the required information.
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Approved: 5/13/13 Reviewed: Revised: 6/10/19; 7/14/25
A student's parents or a student may withdraw or transfer the student from school prior to completing and graduating from the education program. The student or parent should notify the building principal in writing as soon as possible of the decision to withdraw or transfer the student from the education program. The notice shall state the student's final day of attendance. The student or parent should present this written notice at the building office and receive instructions regarding the return of textbooks, library books, locker equipment, etc..
If the student is not enrolling in another school district, the District will maintain the student's records in the same manner as the records of students who have graduated from the District.
If the parents wish to have the student's cumulative record sent to the new school district, the parents must notify the building principal in writing. This notice will include the name of the school district and the person at the new school district to whom the student's cumulative records should be sent. If the new school district requests the student's cumulative records, the school district will forward the cumulative records and notify the parents the records have been sent. The notice will inform the parents of their right to review the records sent.
If the student is of compulsory education age and not transferring to another public school district or an accredited nonpublic school, the parents will notify the building principal that the student is receiving competent private instruction and file the necessary competent private instruction reports.
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Approved: 5/13/13 Reviewed: Revised: 6/10/19; 7/14/25
As part of the school district's records, the daily attendance of each students is recorded and maintained on file with the permanent records of the Board Secretary.
It is the responsibility of the principals to ensure that such reports are filed with the Board Secretary or their designee as the custodian of District records.
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Approved: 7/14/25 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: |
Students will be allowed to leave District facilities during school hours only with prior authorization from their parents, unless the parent appears personally at the student's attendance center to arrange for the release of the student during school hours, or with the permission of the principal.
Approved reasons for release of a student during the school day will include, but not be limited to, illness, family emergencies, medical appointments, religious instruction, classes outside the student's attendance center, employment for which the student has been issued a work permit and other reasons determined appropriate by the principal.
Students in grades 9 to 12 may be allowed to leave the school district facilities when they are not scheduled to be in class. Students who violate school rules may have this privilege suspended.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
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Approved: 5/13/13 Reviewed: 6/10/19 Revised: 7/14/25
The District will participate in open enrollment as a sending district. As a sending district, the Board will allow resident students whom meet the requirements to open enroll to another public school district.
Parents requesting open enrollment out of District for their student will notify the sending and receiving school no later than March 1 in the school year preceding the first year desired for open enrollment. The notice shall be made on forms provided by the Iowa Department of Education. The forms are available at the district office.
Parents of children who will begin kindergarten in the District are exempt from the open enrollment March 1 deadline. Parents of children who will begin kindergarten and prekindergarten children enrolled in special education programs and included in the district's basic enrollment will file in the same manner set forth above by September 1. Parents who have good cause as defined by law for failing to meet the March 1 deadline may make an open enrollment request by September 1 unless another deadline applies.
The receiving district will approve or deny open enrollment requests according to the timelines established by law. The parents may withdraw the open enrollment request prior to the start of the school year. The receiving district’s Superintendent will notify the parents and sending school district by mail within five days of the District’s action to approve or deny the open enrollment request.
The Board may approve a student's request to allow the receiving district to enter the District for the purposes of transportation.
An open enrollment request out of the District from parents of a special education student is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The determining factor for approval of such an open enrollment request will be whether the special education program available in the receiving school district is appropriate for the student's needs. The area education agency director of special education serving the receiving district will determine whether the program is appropriate. The special education student will remain in the District until the final determination is made.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to maintain open enrollment request applications and notice forms. It will also be the responsibility of the Superintendent to develop appropriate office procedures and administrative regulations necessary for open enrollment requests.
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Approved: 5/13/13 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 6/10/19; 7/14/25 |
The District will participate in open enrollment as a receiving district. As a receiving district, the Board will allow non-resident students, who meet the legal requirements, to open enroll into the District. The Board will have complete discretion to determine the attendance center of the students attending the District under open enrollment.
The Superintendent will approve timely filed applications by June 1; incoming kindergarten applications; good cause application; or continuation of an educational program application filed by September 1.
The Superintendent will notify the sending school district and parents within five days of the District’s action to approve or deny the open enrollment request.
Open enrollment requests into the District will not be approved if insufficient classroom space exists. Insufficient classroom space exists when conditions adversely affect the implementation of the educational philosophy and program of the Board. The Board shall determine insufficient classroom space on a case-by-case basis. Criteria to be used by the Board in its determination may include, but not be limited to, available personnel, grade level, educational program, instructional method, physical space, equipment and materials available, finances available, facilities either being planned or currently under consideration, sharing agreements in force, and District goals and objectives.
Open enrollment requests into the District will also not be approved for students who have been suspended or expelled by the administration or the board of the school district the student is or was attending until the student has been reinstated into the school district from which the student was suspended or expelled. Once the student is reinstated, the student's open enrollment request will be considered in the same manner as other open enrollment requests provided the required timelines are met. The district reserved the right to deny continued open enrollment to any students who meet the definition of truant. The District will notify the truant student's parent or guardian and district of residence of the decision to deny enrollment in the future in accordance with applicable laws.
Open enrollment requests into the District that, if denied, would result in students from the same nuclear family being enrolled in different school districts, will be given highest priority. The Board, in its discretion, may waive the insufficient classroom space reason for denial for students of the same nuclear family to prevent the division of a nuclear family between two school districts. Other open enrollment requests into the District are considered in the order received by the District with the first open enrollment request given a higher priority than the second open enrollment request and so forth.
Students in grades nine through twelve open enrolling into the District will not be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletics, at the varsity level, in accordance with applicable law. Parents of students whose open enrollment requests are approved by the Board or Superintendent are responsible for providing transportation to and from the receiving school district without reimbursement unless the parents qualify for transportation assistance. Upon a parent's request, the Board may approve transportation into the sending district. (The transportation is limited to within 2 miles of the District boundary/current bus route.) The Board's approval is subject to the sending district's approval.
An open enrollment request into the school district from parents of a special education student is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The determining factors for approval of such an open enrollment request will be whether the special education program available in the District is appropriate for the student's needs and whether the enrollment of the special education student will cause the class size to exceed the maximum allowed. The area education agency director of special education serving the District will determine whether the program is appropriate. The special education student will remain in the sending district until the final determination is made. For children requiring special education, the receiving district will complete and provide the resident district the documentation needed to seek Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services.
The policies of the District will apply to students attending the District under open enrollment.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to develop appropriate office procedures and administrative regulations necessary for open enrollment requests.
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Approved: 5/13/13 |
Reviewed: 6/10/19 |
Revised: 7/14/25 |
The Spirit Lake School District believes all students should have access to a free, appropriate public education. The District will ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as other children and youth.
“Homeless child or youth” is defined as a child or youth from the age of 3 years through 21 years who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence and includes the following:
1. A child or youth who is sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; is living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; is living in an emergency or transitional shelter; or is abandoned in a hospital;
2. A child or youth who has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
3. A child or youth who is living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting; or
4. A migratory child or youth who qualifies as homeless because the child or youth is living in circumstances described above.
To help ensure that homeless children and youth have a full opportunity to enroll, attend, and succeed at school, the Board shall:
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Approved: 3/14/94 |
Reviewed: 7/14/08; 6/10/19 |
Revised: 2/10/03; 5/13/13; 9/16/13; 7/14/25
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