RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE:

The Cobb County School District (District) provides an Alternative Education Program (AEP) for disruptive students to receive educational services in a setting other than their home school. Administration will establish District procedures consistent with local and state guidelines.

RULE:

A. ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM REFERRAL PROCESS:
    The following procedures apply to students who, as the result of a long-term pattern of
    behaviors, are referred directly to the AEP for assignment consideration.
    1. Entrance Procedures:
        a. Prior to referring a student to the AEP, the home school should have assessed the
            needs of the student and implemented strategies for addressing those needs,
            consistent with District Administrative Rules. The home school will provide the AEP
            with documentation of the strategies it has utilized at the time of the referral.
        b. Prior to the referral for the student to apply to the AEP, the local school
            administrator will schedule a conference with the student and his/her
            parent/guardian to inform them:
            (1) That the school is referring the student to the AEP and the reasons for the
                  referral.
            (2) If the parent/guardian does not agree with the referral, he/she should be
                 informed there will be an AEP Assignment Review to determine the student’s
                 eligibility for a application to attend the AEP. This Review will determine if the
                 recommendation is appropriate for the student under the circumstances of the
                 referral.
            (3) If the parent/guardian agrees with the school recommendation, the
                 recommendation will be reviewed by the AEP Director and District Alternative
                 Program administration to determine if the referral is within guidelines for
                 application to the AEP.
            (4) The decision of the AEP Assignment Review regarding a student’s application to
                 the AEP is final.
        c. The referring administrator shall:
            (1) If the parent/guardian does not agree with the referral, contact the AEP
                 Administrator and secures an Assignment Review date and provide the
                 parent/guardian written notification of the location, time and date of the
                 Review; and
            (2) Completes and submits the AEP Referral Packet.
        d. The Referral Packet (Packet):
            (1) Contains all requested information, including documentation of strategies and
                 interventions utilized by the referring school.
            (2) Is received no less than four school days prior to the date of the assignment
                 review (if a review is necessary). In critical circumstances, the AEP Director may
                 waive the four day requirement.
            (3) Is reviewed by AEP staff upon its receipt. The referring school should be notified
                 of any missing information. This notice will provide sufficient opportunity for the
                 referring school to respond in time to permit the AEP Assignment Review to
                 occur as scheduled.
    2. A student may not attend the AEP until the referral process and the AEP application is
        complete and approved.
    3. Minimum Length of Placement:
        a. Students must attend the AEP for a minimum of one grading period. Students who
            enter the program within a week of the end of one grading period, will remain until
            the end of the next grading period. A grading period is defined as nine weeks for
            both middle and high school students
        b. The minimum length of assignment may be extended by the AEP Director.

B. PARENT/GUARDIAN REQUEST TO ATTEND THE AEP:
    1. If a student in grades 6-10 has demonstrated difficulty with discipline at his/her home
        school, the parent/guardian may request that the student be allowed to apply to the
        AEP for a specific grading period or periods.
    2. The parent/guardian’s request must be approved by the Principal of his/her home
        school before the AEP application may be submitted.
    3. If accepted into the AEP, the student must complete the agreed upon grading period.
        If the parent/guardian withdraws the student from AEP, the student may be required
        to wait until the next grading period before re-enrolling in his/her home school.
    4. To refer a special education student to the AEP, the special education supervisor must
        request a referral packet from the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Special
        Student Services. The Assistant Superintendent or designee will review the referral
        packet. Subsequent to this review, the IEP team will determine if the AEP is the
        appropriate location for the student

C. AEP ASSIGNMENT VIA THE DISCIPLINE PROCESS:
    1. Students from Outside the District:
        If a student placed in an alternative educational program in another school district
        enrolls in the District before the expiration of the period of assignment, the District
        may continue the student’s alternative educational program under the terms of the
        former school district’s order. If the former district’s dismissal period from their
        alternative program does not coincide with the District’s grading period, the student
        must complete a grading period in the District’s AEP.
    2. Schools may recommend that a student attend the alternative school during his/her
        long-term suspension/expulsion. Upon this recommendation or a decision of the
        District Hearing Officer/Tribunal, expelled/long-term suspended students may apply
        to attend AEP pursuant to a contract. The student will remain eligible at the AEP for
        the time period of assignment recommended in the suspension letter or as ordered by
        the District’s Hearing Officer/Tribunal or as agreed upon in a parent/guardian waiver.
        If the student violates the terms of the contract, he/she may forfeit the opportunity to
        attend the AEP during the remainder of his/her expulsion or long-term suspension,
        pursuant to the Order of the Hearing Officer/Tribunal and/or the terms of the contract.
        The student may appeal his/her dismissal from the AEP to the District administrator
        responsible for the supervision of the AEP.
    3. If there are discipline violations while enrolled in the AEP, the student may also
        receive further discipline, in addition to the reinstatement of his/her expulsion or
        long-term suspension.

D. ACADEMIC/BEHAVIOR COMPONENTS:
    1. The AEP focuses on English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Social
        Skills. Course credit is earned in the same manner as other programs.
    2. The services provided include the Georgia Performance Standards Curriculum.

E. STANDARDIZED TESTING:
    All State and/or District required testing for students in the AEP will be conducted by the
    student’s home school. The home school and the AEP Director will coordinate the
    standardized testing schedule and notify the parent/guardian as to when the student
    should be taken to the home school and under what circumstances.

F. PARENT/GUARDIAN INVOLVEMENT:
    Parents/guardians are critical partners in their children’s academic achievement and
    social development. Therefore, it is essential for parents/guardians to participate in the
    development, monitoring and implementation of their child’s academic and behavior
    program.

G. EXIT PROCEDURES:
    1. Students are recommended to return to their home schools at the end of their
        minimum assignment period if they have fulfilled the requirements of their AEP
        contract.
    2. If the student is approved to apply to attend the AEP as a result of a disciplinary
        hearing, or a waived disciplinary hearing, the AEP will abide by that recommendation.
    3. When the student is approved to return to his/her home school, the home school will
        schedule a conference for the student and the parent/guardian to discuss re-entry
        issues.
    4. Notification/Records Exchange:
        a. Home Schools:
            (1) The AEP will provide to the home school all necessary information, including
                 attendance and grades, for all returning students.
            (2) If a student’s home school has changed during his/her assignment at the AEP,
                 the AEP should also provide the new home school a copy of the packet that
                 resulted in the student’s assignment.
        b. The AEP should send a letter to the parent/guardian of students who are returning
            to their home school which should include the procedures they are to follow when
            re-enrolling students. This letter should be mailed with sufficient time for the
            parent/guardian to receive it prior to the student’s withdrawal from the AEP.

H. SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS:
    Nothing in this Rule shall be interpreted to infringe on any right provided to students by
    the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, Section 504 of
    the federal Rehabilitation Act, or the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Adopted: 8/25/05
Revised: 7/1/06; 8/8/07; 7/1/08