STUDENT TRANSFERS

A Message from Supt. Miller

Thank you for visiting our website to learn more about our district’s student transfer policy. We appreciate your interest in Bixby Schools, where we strive to be a place where all students are empowered to learn, excel, and own their future.

BPS makes decisions about student transfers in accordance with district policy and existing state law. You can download our comprehensive district policy below; however, we are providing the following information for your convenience.

We do our best to welcome additional students to our district whenever it is possible. Yet, it is important to note that Bixby is a rapidly-growing district with an average annual enrollment growth of 3 to 4 percent over the past decade. During the current school year, the district has experienced an unprecedented growth of over 600 students, or a nearly nine percent increase from the end of last year.

Due to our rapid growth, we are limited in our ability to accept transfers from outside of Bixby. This is the result of two primary factors - staffing and classroom availability. At several of our elementary and intermediate schools, every available classroom is currently assigned to a teacher with students. Our bonding capacity for capital projects limits how quickly we can add new buildings and classrooms. The statewide teacher shortage also makes it difficult to find and retain high quality educators to serve our students. Because of these factors, many of our classrooms are already well above the capacity limits set by the Bixby Board of Education.

To accept a transfer, enrollment in the grade the parent requests must be under the district-established capacity. For grades PK through grade 6, student capacity is set at 20 students per classroom. These class size limits are set in accordance with 70 O.S. § 18-113.1. The district will multiply those limits times the number of classroom teachers employed by the school district at each grade level for each school site. At this time, all regular education classrooms in these grade levels are above capacity, meaning that the district does not currently have any openings for out-of-district transfers in our elementary grades.

For grades 7-12, capacity is set based on the total number of students who are enrolled for in-person instruction for at least one period a day. To be able to plan for in-district growth, provide adequate staffing and ensure that teachers do not exceed class size limits set forth in 70 O.S. § 18-113.3, the current capacity of students per grade level is set at 500 students per grade.

In addition to these capacity limitations, it is also important that we are able to manage the size of individual classrooms at the secondary level. If creating a schedule for a potential transfer student would result in a core class exceeding 28 students, the application may be denied.

The Oklahoma Department of Education requires that the form linked below be completed to apply for a transfer. Parents who need access to technology to print or complete the form can visit the district enrollment center at 7 East Dawes in downtown Bixby. Paper copies of the form can also be picked up at this location.

Mid-year transfer requests will be considered within five days of the district receiving the application. Decisions about transfers for future school years will be made by August 1, after the Board sets new capacity limits on July 1. We will contact parents directly about the approval status of their child’s transfer.

New transfers are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who attended the district on a transfer during the 2021-22 school year will be automatically accepted pending approval from the district. The law also gives preference to children of active-duty military personnel.

It is also important to note:

Special education transfer laws have not changed as a result of the new legislation. Please read BOE Policy 2108 for more information on how these requests are handled.
Transfers may be denied based on capacity, attendance and discipline issues.
Transfers for siblings must be considered separately.
If the grade a student requests is over capacity, he/she will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list.
Transfer students must abide by eligibility requirements established by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) for OSSAA-sanctioned activities.
Transfer decisions may be appealed as outlined in BOE Policy 2108.

If you have any questions about the transfer process, please contact us via email at transfers@bixbyps.org.

Rob Miller

Superintendent

Capacity Dashboard

Latest update: October 2022

*Updated Quarterly*

These capacity limits should be reviewed carefully prior to submitting an application for open transfer.

Elementary Sites

Intermediate Sites

Secondary Sites

*excludes full time virtual students

Transfer Application

Click here to access the open transfer application form.

Application Requirements:

The district will begin accepting applications for future school years beginning January 1st of that calendar year.
All fillable fields must be filled out correctly and completely in order for applications to be processed.
Applications should be completed and submitted electronically on the Oklahoma State Department of Education website using this link, Student Transfers.
If assistance is needed, please visit the BPS Enrollment Center.

Important Dates:

School Year:	Processing Begins:	Notification of Status:
2021-2022	January 1st, 2022	Within 5 business days of receipt, starting January 1st, 2022
2022-2023	July 1st, 2022	No later than August 1st, 2022 Beginning August 1st, within 5 business days of receipt

Transfer Process

Steps:

Families should review the capacity limits above carefully before applying for an open transfer. If there is no capacity, applications will be denied unless an exemption is applicable (active-duty military, etc. - see below).
Transfer applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
Transfer applications for the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 school year will be accepted beginning January 1, 2022.
Applications must be submitted on an official SDE form, submitted via email to transfers@bixbyps.org
Current school year transfer applications will stay on file until the end of the current school year.
Denials will be automatically placed on a wait list.
Should spots become available, they will be offered to families based on application submission time stamp.
Transfer applications for the following school year will open on January 1st of each year.
Review of all transfer applications will begin on July 1 prior to the upcoming school year.
Families will be notified of final decisions by August 1st.
Transfer applications received after the application school year has started will be processed within 5 business days.

Upon approval open transfers can be revoked based on allowable reasons:
- Violation of a school regulation
- Possession of an intoxicating beverage, low-point beer, as defined by Section 163.2 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or
- Missing or stolen property if the property is reasonably suspected to have been taken from a student, a school employee, or the school during school activities
- Possession of a dangerous weapon or a controlled dangerous substance while on or within two thousand (2,000) feet of public school property, or at a school event, as defined in the Uniform
  Controlled Dangerous Substances Act

Capacity:

Upon establishing the current enrollment at each grade level and school site, the number of available transfer slots will be established for each school year.
Capacity will be determined based on the following criteria:
- Grades PK-6: 20 students per class
- Grades 7-9: 500 students per grade
- Grades 10-12: 500 students per grade

Other Considerations:

Students with disabilities: Special education transfer rules have NOT changed as a result of the new transfer law. Prior to the approval of the transfer of a child on an individualized education program (IEP), a joint IEP conference must be conducted between the district of residence and the receiving district. The receiving district must establish the availability of the appropriate staff, and services prior to approving the transfer.
Military dependent students: A student who applies for a transfer and whose parent/guardian is an active member of the military or a member of the military reserve on active duty cannot be denied a transfer because of capacity limitations.
- At least one parent of the student has a Department of Defense issued identification card; AND
- At least one parent can provide evidence that he or she will be on active-duty status or active-duty orders, meaning the parent will be temporarily transferred in compliance with official orders to another location in support of combat, contingency operation or a national disaster requiring the use of orders for more than thirty (30) consecutive days.
Students of BPS staff: A child of a parent/legal guardian employed by the district may transfer into that district regardless of capacity.
Students in foster care: Any student in foster care currently placed in the home of another student enrolled in a district may transfer to said district regardless of capacity. Additionally, students in foster care many complete any number of transfers in a given school year and are not subject to the two-transfer limit.
Spartan Connection Academy: A transfer application for Spartan Connection Academy (virtual school) may be considered IF the student attends at least one period per day in person. No student on an open transfer can attend full-time virtual school.
Siblings: Siblings from the same family must apply separately for a transfer and will be considered if the district has capacity in the grade level r
equested and there is not a reason for denial as listed in item one above.

Bixby Public Schools