School Policies

Admission to the school shall be open to any individuals who are entitled to attend school pursuant to section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code in a school district in the State of Ohio.

Academy shall not discriminate in the admission of students to the school based on race, creed, color, handicapping condition or sex;

Upon admission of any handicapped student, Academy will comply with all federal and state laws regarding the education of handicapped students.

The School shall not limit admission to students based on intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability.

The School shall not offer or provide incentives to parents of prospective students per ORC 3313.648.

The School shall not admit students that exceed the capacity of the school’s programs, classes, grade levels or facilities.

If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the school’s programs, classes, grade levels, or facilities, students shall be admitted by lottery from all those submitting applications before May first of each school year, except preference shall be given to students attending the school the previous year, to students who reside in the district in which the school is located, and to siblings of students attending the school the previous year.

When required the lottery will be conducted in the following manner:

1. Each applicant will be assigned a number.
2. The numbers will then be drawn at random by a disinterested third party at a meeting of the Governing Authority that will be open to the public.
3. The first number drawn will be the first new applicant placed on a permanent waiting list and so on until all numbers are drawn;
4. Applicants on a permanent waiting list prior to any lottery will retain their position on the waiting list;
5. The school may separate lottery and waiting lists for each grade or age grouping;
6. Students attending the previous year will have preference for position in the current year, even though they may be in a different age or grade group;
7. Siblings may be given preference for the next open position.

ENROLLMENT AND RESIDENCY POLICY

Although the School has a statewide open enrollment policy permitting enrollment from any school or district in the State of Ohio, it is still necessary to establish a student’s school district of residence before they can be enrolled in the School.  The school district in which a parent or child resides is the location the parent or student has established as the primary residence and where substantial family activity takes place. Residence is a place where important family activity takes place during the significant part of each day; a place where the family eats, sleeps, works, relaxes and plays. It must be a place, in short, which can be called “home”. One cannot establish a residence merely by purchasing/leasing a house or an apartment or even by furnishing such a house or apartment so that it is suitable for the owner’s use. No single factor is determinative; residency will be established by the totality of the circumstances. The following documents can be used to establish proof of residency for verification of a child’s ability to enroll in the School. These items must be current, be in the parent’s name, and include a street address. The School shall require only one form of proof of residency for enrollment.  A post office box address cannot be used to validate residency records:

• Deed or current real property tax bill
• Lease agreement
• Mortgage statement
• Utility statement or receipt of utility installation issued within ninety (90) days of the date of enrollment
• Bank statement
• Current homeowner’s or renter’s insurance declaration
• Paycheck or paystub issued to the parent or student within ninety (90) days of the date of enrollment that includes the address of the parent’s or student’s primary residence
• Any other official document issued to the parent or student that includes the address of the parent’s or student’s primary residence that does not conflict with the guidelines issued by the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Enrollment is defined as the day all paperwork is completed for the child’s entry into school not the first day of school.

All custody or court orders pertaining to the family or student must be turned in when asked, or at admission. If our School and the student’s home district (district of residency) disagree about residency, this policy shall prevail. In such a case, parents may be asked to provide additional information in order to resolve the dispute; however, the school is not obligated to ask for additional information based on other public schools’ policies.

CHILD FIND PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN AND DISTRICT CONFIDENTIALITY LETTER

Horizon Science Academy Lorain South is participating in an ongoing statewide effort to identify, locate, and evaluate children, birth through the age of twenty-one, who have a physical, mental, communicative and/or emotional disability. Early identification of children in need of special education experiences is most important to each child. Furthermore, this information gathered from contacts with parents and other agencies will be used to help determine present and future program needs as progress is made toward the goal of providing a free appropriate public education to all children with a disability.

Information which could identify an individual child will be maintained by this agency and will be provided to other agencies only in accord with the Family Rights and Privacy Act and EHA-B. As a parent, you are guaranteed the right to inspect any such information about your child and to challenge its accuracy. Access to this information is forbidden to any unauthorized person without informed consent.

Please contact Mr. Arif, Assistant Principal and Child Find Contacts for Horizon Science Academy Lorain South, if you know any children who may have a disability call (440) 433-1220 or write Mr. Arif at the following address: Horizon Science Academy Lorain South, 2140 E. 36th St., Lorain, OH 44055.

The Child Find Person implements child identification, location, and evaluation of children 5 to 21 years old who have disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and/or related services. The Child Find Person works with the local Head Starts, Human Services, Health Agencies, as well as local education agencies, physicians, and other individuals to identify and locate children out of school and in school who may be in need of special education services.

Once a referral is made, it is the responsibility of the Child Find Contact Person to insure that the Referral-to Placement Procedures are followed. The Child find Contact Person works with the Local Survey Committee at each school to implement these procedures. The following activities briefly describe the procedures. As a part of Child Study, parents are invited to attend an Intervention Assistance Team Meeting to review a child’s educational record and performance and determine a need for an evaluation. Prior to an evaluation, copies of the Procedural Safeguards are given to the parents. District personnel explain these to the parents and insure that they understand the Procedural Safeguards. This process will be reviewed at each parent meeting. After parental consent for testing is obtained, a nondiscriminatory evaluation is conducted. Students are evaluated in all areas related to the suspected disability by qualified personnel. Parents are invited to attend the Eligibility Determination Conference by the Multidisciplinary Evaluation/Eligibility Team to determine if a disability exists. If the child meets eligibility criteria for special education services and/or related services, an Individualized Education Program is developed and the parents are invited to attend the meeting. Parents must sign permission for placement before a child can receive services. Parents, teachers, and students participate in the process. All students receiving special education services are reassessed at least once a year and reevaluated at least once every three years.

General Notice of Non-Discrimination 

Horizon Science Academy Lorain South complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity). Horizon Science Academy of Lorain does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity).