Breaking Boundaries: Kansas will be offering open enrollment to all students starting June 2024

Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2567 on May 16 which included funding for Kansas public schools and an open enrollment policy being put into place in the 2024-25 school year. 

The policy would allow students grades K-12 to attend any school within Kansas. This includes being able to attend East from anywhere in the state. 

“We haven’t gone over it extensively as a district or as a staff yet, so we don’t have a lot of information,” Principal Jason Peres said.

Currently, all Kansas public school districts state that if a student lives within the boundaries of the district they have to attend the assigned public school in their area unless they officially transfer to another school within the district. 

However, with the new open district policy, students will be able to attend any public school they’re accepted into regardless of where they live.

According to the Kansas City Star, each school district is expected to limit the number of kids they can take from outside the district with siblings of current or former transfer students and those already in the district being prioritized over newly-enrolled students. 

Students looking to transfer must fill out all necessary forms and paperwork before the beginning of the 2024 school year and continue attending their current school until they get accepted, according to the Kansas City Star. 

Districts will also be required to hold public meetings notifying local families and potential transfers of their policies, capacity and any other relevant information. All meeting information will also be uploaded to the district websites for easy access and reference. 

Once transfer students are accepted into a given school, they can expect to remain there until graduation unless any issues with attendance, suspension or expulsion arise. 

The bill specifically states that districts can’t judge students based on “ethnicity, national origin, gender, income level, disabling condition, proficiency in the English language, measure of achievement, aptitude and athletic ability.” 

However, this doesn’t bar students from attending a school for a certain program or sports team specific to that school. Districts also aren’t allowed to accept or deny students based on any learning disabilities or mental health issues — a growing concern for parents and larger school districts. 

If a student applies and is not accepted, they will receive a letter outlining why they were not accepted. This could be because the school has reached their capacity or the student’s past records.

Once admitted into a transfer school, students will be expected to coordinate their own transportation because schools are not required to provide transportation to and from school to any location outside the district. 

While some parents are happy with the new bill and the potential for their student to receive an education at a school more fitted for them, SMSD’s Chief Communications Officer Dave Smith has openly opposed the decision.

Smith’s concerns include additional administrative responsibilities and a general lack of need for the bill. He has also expressed concern about funding for more students and service costs. 

Sophomore Maren Dickerson has been a transfer student since kindergarten. Originally allotted to attend Shawnee Mission North, she now attends East. 

“I really like being a transfer student because East has so many opportunities and for someone from another district to also have access to those opportunities is great,” Maren said. 

There is also concern from local residents about a potential tax increase. Residents are worried that with increasing student populations, taxes will rise due to the strain on school resources.

Districts including SMSD, Olathe, Kansas City, Kansas and Blue Valley are all opposed to the new bill according to KMBC news, but many smaller districts support it.

More information specific to each school will be released after the public meeting is held on a to-be-determined date.