Student Transfer Application Season Begins February 1

January 20, 2010

Montgomery County parents who wish to request a Change of School Assignment (COSA) for their children from their home school may begin the process during the upcoming transfer season—February 1 through April 1, 2010.

Except for students in the Northeast Consortium (NEC), Downcounty Consortium (DCC), and Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) areas, students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) are assigned to a school on the basis of their place of residence or their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and are expected to attend their home school. Assignment changes for students from one school to another are permitted under the following limited circumstances:

An older sibling attends the requested school in the regular program, absent a boundary change
A continuation in a feeder pattern from middle to high school, except when affected by boundary changes
A documented hardship situation
A student selected for an exempt program

The transfer process begins in the home school, where parents may request the Change of School Assignment Information Booklet that contains the COSA form, describes the process and provides useful information. Beginning the first week of February, the COSA booklets will be available in schools and online at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/transfer.shtm. The booklet will be available in both English and Spanish. Exempt programs that do not fall under the transfer guidelines are listed in the information booklet.

There is a different process to access the elementary language immersion programs. Full information and Immersion Interest Forms are available at all elementary schools and online at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms.

For information about assignments for students residing in the NEC, DCC, or MSMC areas, please contact the Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services at 301-592-2040 or visit the website at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/schoolchoice.

For more information about the transfer process, parents are asked to contact the principal at their home school. Non-English speaking students and parents who may require assistance may contact ASK MCPS to get the information they need by telephone at 301-309-MCPS (6277). Telephone operators who speak English and Spanish are available 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parents who speak languages other than English or Spanish who call the ASK MCPS telephone line and identify their language will have their questions answered through a telephone interpreter.

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