School Transfers / Change of Program Eligibility
Transfers during the school year are disruptive for students and schools and will generally not be accepted. Transfers are not permitted after the first week of September except in limited circumstances:
- Change of address
- Disciplinary action
- Safety concerns
- IEP Team-approved transfers (Special Education)
- Other transfers
- Exit/Withdrawal procedures
1. Change of Address
Parents/guardians who move within San Francisco may be allowed to transfer their children to a school closer to the new residence depending on space/program availability and, for special education, depending upon the student’s unique needs as set forth in the student’s IEP. EPC may refer the parent/guardian of the special education student to the student’s IEP Team. (See “IEP Team-Approved Transfers” below.)
Parents/guardians may submit a request for transfer by completing a Change of Address form and submitting it to the Educational Placement Center (EPC) at 555 Franklin Street, Room 100, telephone: (415) 241-6085. A change of address must be submitted within 14 days of a move.
A picture ID of the parent/guardian and proof of the new address must accompany the Change of Address form. The two address proofs must contain the name and address of the parent/guardian and must be dated and current.
Any two of the following are acceptable documents: a utility bill dated within 45 days, or a current automobile insurance policy and vehicle registration, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, property tax statement, lease, Section 8 agreement, pay stubs, voter registration, or a letter mailed to parent/guardian by a governmental agency (e.g. social services) dated within 45 days. These transfers will not be approved after April 15th.
2. Disciplinary Action
Students may be referred to the Student Transfer Panel as a result of an expulsion hearing. If a special education student is transferred as a result of an expulsion hearing, the Student and Family Services Division and the sending school will ensure that a copy of the student’s current IEP is provided to the receiving school and that education records are forwarded promptly to the receiving school. If needed, the sending school will participate in an IEP at the receiving school within 30 days.
3. Safety Transfer Process
Safety transfer requests are warranted under unique and special circumstances that are not common to other students and that involve a continuing and credible threat to the physical safety or emotional stability of the student. Safety Transfers are initiated at the school site by the parent/guardian submitting a written description of the safety issue and the required agency documentation (see below) to the site administrator or designee. Safety transfers will not be allowed for every conflict that may occur with other students or staff.
Bullying & Harassment/School Safety Concerns: The school site will complete an investigation regarding the reported (non-sexual harassment) concern and, if the concern is substantiated and a safety transfer is requested, the school site will forward the request to the Transfer Panel. Every safety transfer request will include:
- A signed and completed Safety Transfer form
- Evidence of the school site investigation (e.g. witness statements, incident reports on Synergy, counseling notes, outcome letters, etc.)
- Bullying or Harassment Letter of Finding (or proposed safety plan)
Sexual Harassment Concerns: The Office of Equity or the school site will either complete a sexual harassment investigation under the District’s Sexual Harassment or Bullying & Harassment policies. When complaints of sexual harassment are made, the reporting student is entitled to voluntary safety transfer regardless of whether the complaint is substantiated. In certain circumstances, the accused student is also entitled to a voluntary transfer under this process. Every safety transfer request will include:
- A signed and completed Safety Transfer form
- Evidence of the school site investigation (e.g. witness statements, incident reports on Synergy, counseling notes, outcome letters, etc.)
- The Title IX Notice of Outcome Letter or Bullying or Harassment Letter of Finding (or proposed safety plan). If the investigation is not complete, the school site must provide a copy of the proposed Safety Plan
Other Safety Concerns: If a parent is concerned about other safety issues with their child, the parent/guardian must submit the following type of agency documentation regarding the harmful or dangerous circumstance. Every safety transfer request will include:
- A signed and completed Safety Transfer form
- Evidence of the school site investigation (e.g. witness statements, incident reports on Synergy, counseling notes, outcome letters, etc.);
- and at least one of the following types of agency documentation:
- A written statement from a representative of the appropriate state or local agency, including, but not necessarily limited to, a law enforcement official or a social worker, or properly licensed or registered professionals, including, but not necessarily limited to, psychiatrists, psychologists, or marriage and family therapists, OR
- A court order, including a temporary restraining order and injunction, issued by a judge, OR
- Copy of the investigation (incident) report completed by the appropriate Law Enforcement Agency.
Steps for Voluntary Safety Transfer Process
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Prior to ever receiving a safety transfer request, best practice is that the school site will have investigated all school-related concerns raised by a student or family. If a family requests a safety transfer prior to the school site having an opportunity to investigate, the site will notify the family that they are in receipt of the complaint and that they are conducting an investigation regarding the reported concern. Based on the investigation, the school site will notify the family of their letter of findings (i.e., Bullying Outcome Letter). The findings will detail the original complaint, the investigation findings on whether the reported safety concern is substantiated or not, and a description of any steps taken by the school to address the safety concern. If the family still wishes to submit a safety transfer request, the site should notify the family who will then submit supporting documentation (court order, Outcome Letter, Title IX notice, etc.) to the school site. |
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Bullying & Harassment Investigations (and other safety concerns)
Title IX Allegations
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Within two weeks, the Transfer Panel will convene a multidisciplinary panel to review the Safety Transfer request which will include the student’s records and overall engagement in school. Transfers are granted on a case by case basis and will not be granted for every conflict between other students or staff. Safety transfer requests are warranted under unique and special circumstances that are not common to other students and that involve a continuing and credible threat to the physical safety or emotional stability of the student. Panel members will include at least 1-2 representatives from the LEAD cohort as applicable, at least one Student & Family Services designee, one Special Education designee, and one Educational Placement Center designee. The goal of the multidisciplinary panel is to ensure calibration and consistency in the approval or denial of safety transfer recommendations. |
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If the transfer is approved by the Safety Transfer Panel, the school site administrator will inform the family that the safety transfer has been approved and refer them to the Education Placement Center to complete the safety transfer process. Education Placement Center staff will:
Receiving LEAD Assistant Superintendent/Director will ask Receiving School Site to:
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If the transfer is NOT approved by Safety Transfer Panel,
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4. IEP Team-Approved Transfers (Special Education)
For special education students, the IEP team determines the student’s placement in the least restrictive environment. A change in school may be needed during the school year if the student’s IEP Team determines that the student’s needs cannot be met at the current site. If a change in school is needed, the new case manager will convene an IEP meeting within 30 days to address how services will be delivered in the new school setting.
5. Other Transfers
A. Change of Program (Language Immersion and Biliteracy Programs). Parents/guardians who wish to change their child into or out of a language program (e.g. change from the Spanish Biliteracy program to the general education program or vice versa), may submit an application to EPC through the appropriate enrollment cycle process. A request for transfer is based on space/program availability, student’s grade level, and student’s language proficiency and/or needs.
For students who are unsuccessful in their language pathway at their current SFUSD school, parents may consult with the school about a Change of Program to transfer out of the language pathway. The Coordinated Care Team will discuss and determine whether such a transfer is appropriate. The Principal must submit evidence to show that the student is not successful in their current pathway. If space is not available in the general education pathway at the child’s current school, the parent can submit a Change of Program request for their student to be transferred to a school with space that can meet their needs.
B. Probation Transfers. Juvenile Probation Department completes a “Request for Student School Placement or School Transfer” form, which is submitted to Student and Family Services by contacting the Student Family School Resource Link at sflink@sfusd.edu, with the exception of probation youth in out of-home (Foster Youth) placement, who will be referred directly to EPC.
6. Exit/Withdrawal Procedures
Any student who will be transferred within SFUSD schools should not be withdrawn by the school site. EPC will enter in all internal SFUSD transfers that involve Special Education students, change of program, inter-district transfers, or change of address.
Transfers for safety or disciplinary action will be determined by Student and Family Services.
Any student who has withdrawn and is requesting re-enrollment into SFUSD within the same semester will be returned to the previous school of enrollment if there are openings and if the openings have not been filled in the enrollment cycle.
See the full Handbook and downloadable, translated PDFs at sfusd.edu/Handbook.
This page was last updated on August 16, 2023