1) List of each HCPSS school and the number of students associated with each of the 3 Reassignment categories in Policy 9000 and that do not take into account the school enrollment numbers before reassignment,
2) List of each HPCSS schools and number of students for the "Other" category, and
3) Definition and selection criteria for each "other" category,
4) The total number and per county number of out-of-County foster students for which the HCPSS is supposed to receive reimbursement/payment from the student's/guardian's County of residents
5) Which counties are "paid in full"/current on their obligation for Out-of-County student enrollement
6) The current enrollment number of requests that use the building/leasing category to get their students in the HCPSS that never move to that location and what schools they are assigned to
7) The cost to HCPSS for each corresponding category number of out of county and "other" reassignment students, per school, and include specifics re: IEP and/or 504 services.
Our Reassignment Office indicates there are no responsive records containing number of requests that use the buying/building/leasing category to get their students in HCPSS that never then move to that location.
Additionally, your specific request for the per county number of out-of-county foster students for which HCPSS is supposed to receive reimbursement from the guardian’s county of residence, has the potential to reveal confidential student information due to small counts from many of the counties. As such, HCPSS is following the National Center for Education Statistics’ federal guidelines for protecting student privacy in public reporting. Under both the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which restricts access to student records, and MPIA GP § 4-313, which prevents disclosure of school district records pertaining to individual students, we are providing FY2017 numbers below rather than lists of students as reported to HCPSS by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) which would reveal numbers even when redacted:
- Anne Arundel County – Less than 10 students
- Frederick County – Less than 10 students
- Montgomery County – Less than 10 students
- Prince George’s County – Less than 10 students
- St. Mary’s County – Less than 10 students
- Washington County – Less than 10 students
- Baltimore City – 19 students
In total, there were 30 out-of-county foster students placed in HCPSS during FY2017. Our Accounting Office indicates billing for these students is done one time at the end of each school year based on the lists provided to HCPSS by MSDE, and for FY2017 all counties have paid in full.
Lastly, per our conversation regarding costs incurred by HCPSS for categories of reassignment students clarified as costs from “special exceptions from "Other" category classification that do not meet policy criteria,” students granted reassignment under the “other” category for unique hardships are not subject to tuition. Per Policy 9000 “A student who is reassigned at the request of parents, and who does not meet expectations described in the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct (including, but not limited to attending regularly, showing academic commitment, and following behavioral expectations), may be returned to the student’s designated school at any time during the school year.” Please note, for reassignment categories under Policy 9000 where parents and/or employees pay tuition to enroll students out of district, payments are made upfront or through automatic payroll deductions, with enrollment ending when payment ends.