Section 600.120  Annual Admission Process

A nonresident student or his or her parent, an SEA, an LEA, or other state agency requesting enrollment of a nonresident student in the School shall follow the process set forth in this Section.

a)         The person or entity seeking admission of the nonresident student shall submit an application to the Executive Director of the School that addresses, at a minimum, basic information about the student and his or her family, including the student's name and address; a description of his or her disability and/or severity of his or her needs; grade level in which the student is enrolled at the time application is made; the student's date of birth; the student's resident district; and the funding source for the student's placement at the School.  Applications shall be addressed to:

Executive Director

Philip J. Rock School and Center

818 DuPage Boulevard

Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

b)         Following receipt of the application, the Executive Director of the School shall determine whether the nonresident student meets the criteria for admission specified in Section 600.110 and whether there is space available at the School to serve the student.  If the student meets the admission criteria and space is available, the School shall schedule a pre-admission meeting to review the student's educational and health records; meet with the student and his/her family; and determine the student's medical, educational and other needs. 

1)         The pre-admission meeting shall be held no later than 30 school days following the receipt of the application and shall at least include the parent of the nonresident student and the funding source.

2)         The meeting may be held on-site or through teleconference or video‑conferencing at a time agreeable to all parties.  Any costs for travel and lodging associated with attendance at the meeting shall be the responsibility of the person or entity seeking admission of the nonresident student to the School.

3)         No later than 30 school days after the pre-admission meeting, the Executive Director shall send written notification to the person or entity requesting admission as to whether the nonresident student:

A)        meets the admission criteria and may enroll in the School; this notification shall include at least a registration packet, an enrollment agreement (see Section 600.140) and other information about the process for enrollment;

B)        meets the admission criteria and may be admitted provisionally pursuant to Section 600.130; this notification shall include at least the items listed in subsection (b)(3)(A); or

C)        did not meet the admission criteria.

4)         The decision to deny admission to a nonresident student or to admit the student provisionally rests with the Executive Director of the School and is not subject to appeal.

c)         If the nonresident student's SEA or LEA is the funding source for the nonresident student, the School shall contact (either in writing or by telephone) the director of special education of the student's resident district to determine a plan for the enrollment of the student and his or her transition to the School.  The plan will provide for:

1)         the direct transfer of the nonresident student to the School;

2)         the provisional enrollment of the student in accordance with the provisions of Section 600.130; or

3)         a meeting to review the nonresident student's IEP, in accordance with 34 CFR 300.320 and 300.324 (July 2014), by the student's resident district and staff of the School prior to the student being enrolled at the School.

d)         The nonresident student's resident district shall transfer all relevant student school records or educational records, as these terms are defined in the Illinois School Student Records Act [105 ILCS 110], 23 Ill. Adm. Code 375 (Student Records), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 USC 1232g; 34 CFR 99 (2015)).

e)         Continued attendance of a nonresident student after the initial year shall be contingent upon the outcome of the annual admission process set forth in this Section (also see Section 600.140(a)(3)).