School Transfers
Our Board of Education endorses the neighborhood public school concept. A neighborhood school is assigned to students within the school's attendance boundaries. However, the Board recognizes that parents/guardians may wish to choose a school of attendance other than the neighborhood school. The Board of Education believes parent choice in our schools is integral to a well-rounded educational environment.
Zone Transfer (within CVESD)
Neighborhood school attendance areas are established to optimize the use of school facilities and to avoid crowded conditions. Parents/guardians, however, may request zone transfers to schools within our district or interdistrict transfers to schools in other school districts. Transfer requests are generally approved as long as space is available in the school of choice.
- Applications for new zone transfers may be submitted electronically; contact your neighborhood school.
- Renewal of zone transfers may be submitted from January 24 through February 14, 2023, at the CVESD school of choice that your child currently attends.
How to Apply for Zone Transfers (within CVESD)
- Obtain a zone transfer link from your neighborhood school. Complete it in its entirety. An incomplete application could delay its consideration.
- Submit your zone transfer request within the applicable application period shown above. Applications will be processed according to space availability.
Students must attend their neighborhood school until parents/guardians are notified by the Student Placement Office that space is available at the school of choice. Completing a transfer application does not mean that a student will automatically be allowed to attend a school of choice. Students are admitted to schools in accordance with school district-established priorities.
When a priority category contains more applicants than available space, students’ names are placed on a waiting list at the school for space availability. Zone transfers are reviewed annually for continued placement.
* Due to continued growth in Chula Vista, no new transfers will be approved for the following schools:
- Arroyo Vista
- Discovery
- Heritage
- Thurgood Marshall
- Olympic View
- Wolf Canyon
- Camarena
- EastLake
- Fahari L. Jeffers
- McMillin
- Salt Creek
- Casillas
- Hedenkamp
- Liberty
- Muraoka
- Veterans
Waiting Lists for Zone Transfer Requests
Schools maintain waiting lists for zone transfer requests. Waiting lists are prioritized by the date of application within a school year calendar. When two zone transfer application dates are the same, applicants with siblings at the school of choice are given placement priority. The Student Placement Office or staff at neighborhood schools can discuss other options with applicants when transfers have been denied or if applicants have been placed on a waiting list.
Interdistrict Transfer Information
Verification of Employment may include the following:
- Payroll stub with employee name, company address, and current date
- Employee I.D. Badge, with company address and displaying current date
- Letter from employer on company letterhead. The letter must include a statement certifying the employee is employed and include the current date, name, and full address of business (not a P.O. Box), the employee's name, supervisor title and signature, and phone number where a supervisor can be reached.
- Interdistrict Transfer Applications will be processed when a district-to-district agreement is in place.
For Renewal and New Interdistrict Transfer Applications:
- District of residence staff must sign the document manually or electronically, authorizing the application to be processed by CVESD. Applications without a signature cannot be processed.
- Completed Interdistrict Transfer applications may be mailed or submitted in person to the Student Placement Office service window located at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista.
- The parent/guardian will be notified regarding the outcome of the transfer by email or US Mail of the final decision of the Interdistrict Attendance Permit from the district of proposed attendance.
- School assignment will be at the discretion of the receiving district and contingent upon space availability.
- Should the student's home address change, the parent must reapply for an Interdistrict Attendance Permit to reflect the new address and submit it to the district of residence.
- Once a new transfer is approved, the parent/guardian may register with the school. RENEWAL transfers do not need to re-enroll.
- Interdistrict Transfers are not eligible for waitlist status.
- No transportation is provided for Interdistrict transfer placements.
For Outgoing CVESD Applications:
- Applications may be mailed or brought to the Student Placement Office service window at 84 East J Street in Chula Vista.
- Student Placement staff will sign your application while you wait. Once signed, you may submit the transfer to your desired attendance district.
Interdistrict Attendance Permit Request Timelines
- The parent/guardian will be notified regarding the outcome of the transfer by email or US Mail of the final decision of the Interdistrict Attendance Permit from the district of proposed attendance.
- Education Code 46601 provides the following timeframes for notification:
- For requests submitted during the regular school year, districts shall respond within 30 days of submitting the request.
- For requests submitted for admission in the subsequent school year up to 30 days before the start of the subsequent school year, districts shall respond within 14 calendar days after the start of the school year.
- While your application is pending, the student must attend school in the district of residence, a charter school, a private school, or another option complying with the California compulsory education requirement.
- The failure of a parent/guardian to meet any timelines established by the school district shall be deemed an abandonment of the request. [Ed Code 46600.2]
- If an Interdistrict Attendance Permit is denied, a parent/guardian has the right to appeal, in writing, to the Senior Director of Student, Family, Community, and Instruction within 30 days of the denial. If that appeal is denied, a parent/guardian has the right to an appeal meeting with the Senior Director. If the appeal is again denied, a parent has 30 calendar days to appeal to the County Board of Education.
Interdistrict Attendance Permit Approvals
CVESD may approve an interdistrict attendance permit for a student for any of the following reasons:
- When a parent/guardian is employed within the district's boundaries of desired attendance, employment verification must be submitted with the application.
- When the student has been determined by staff of either the district of residence or district of proposed attendance to be a victim of an act of bullying as defined by Education Code 48900.
- To meet the childcare needs of the student. Such a student may be allowed to attend district schools only if he/she continues using a childcare provider within district boundaries. Verification by the childcare needs to be submitted with the application.
- When the student has a sibling attending school in the receiving district, to avoid splitting the family's attendance.
- To allow the student to complete a school year when his/her parents/guardians have moved out of the district during the school year.
- To allow the student to remain with a class graduating that year from an elementary school.
- When the parent/guardian provides written evidence that the family will be moving into the district immediately and would like the student to start the year in the district.
- When the student will be living out of the district for one year or less.
- When there is valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the district of residence.
- To provide a change in a school environment for personal and social adjustment reasons.
An Interdistrict Attendance Permit is valid only while the permit conditions are maintained. The permit may be revoked by the granting district for failure to comply with the expectations of attendance and positive behavior (e.g. chronic absenteeism, disciplinary events).
Transportation
The district may provide transportation for students whose residence is beyond the designated walking distance of their neighborhood school. Transportation must be provided by parents/guardians for students approved to attend a school outside their neighborhood school attendance area.
Transfer Back To The Neighborhood School
Students approved for zone or interdistrict transfer shall abide by school rules and procedures. Students may be returned to their neighborhood school or to the district in which they live for any of the following reasons:
- Continual disruption of the educational program at the school or inappropriate behavior on the bus.
- Poor attendance, excessive tardiness, or children not picked up after school in a timely manner.
- Failure to participate in the program for which the transfer was approved.
- A student's return to the neighborhood school may take place at any time during the year upon request by the parent/guardian when space is available.