Inter-District Transfers

We will begin accepting Applications for the 2024-2025 School Year January 8, 2023

***Applications will be processed by Saddleback Valley Unified School District as they are received, but will not be forwarded to the requested District until their application window opens for Inter-District Transfers.

The Inter-District Transfer Request process is necessary for any student who would like to attend a school in another school district outside of their District of Residency.

While students traditionally attend a school assigned within their District of Residency, there is a process for applying to an outside district. These Inter-District Transfer requests are ANNUAL, and they must be approved by both districts. This two-district process begins with the District of Residency and are valid for one year only and must be renewed annually. An approved Inter-District Transfer must be in effect between both districts before a student can attend the desired school.

To begin this process, start by determining which section applies to your family

FIRST TIME request for a transfer into SVUSD from an outside district

If you are wishing to attend a school within SVUSD but live outside of the SVUSD boundaries, you must begin this request process at your District of Residency (DOR). Please contact the Inter-District Transfer department within your DOR to learn the steps required by them.

If your student is released by your DOR, the original application is sent to us for our review. Additional documents will be required by the Coordinator of Student Services. You will be asked to supply the following documentation:

Current attendance record
Current transcript
Complete Discipline record
If applicable, most recent IEP or 504 plan (must be complete with signatures)

Feel free to contact Elisa Gonzalez-Marquez for questions at Student.transfers@svusd.org or call her at 949-580-3492

RENEWAL request to continue attending SVUSD from an outside district

If you are wishing to renew your application in order to continue attending a school within SVUSD (but live outside of the SVUSD boundaries), you must apply annually. Please submit your application at your District of Residency (DOR) and select "continuing enrollment" as your rationale for staying at SVUSD.

If your student is released by your DOR, the original application is sent to us for our review.

REQUEST (first time or renewals) to transfer to a district outside of SVUSD

If you live within SVUSD boundaries and are wishing to attend a school outside of SVUSD, you must begin by completing the Inter-District Transfer Application 2023-2024 and submitting it to the SVUSD Student Services office along with required documentation to support your request. The application and required supporting documentation must be emailed to Student.transfers@svusd.org or dropped off to the SVUSD reception office at 25631 Peter A. Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. Failure to include the supporting documentation will delay processing the application or result in a possible denial.

If submitting applications for multiple students, a copy of the documentation must be included with each application.

Possible Supporting Documentation Based on Your Rationale for Transfer

PARENT EMPLOYMENT:

This is for parents who work for the school district in which they are requesting to transfer their child. The following documentation is required:

Copy of a redacted pay stub
Copy of Employee badge

CHILD CARE:

Requests based upon childcare needs (K-6) will require the following documentation:

Documentation verifying SVUSD childcare is not an option as well as documentation verifying childcare is necessary outside of SVUSD.

CHANGE OF RESIDENCY:

Requests based upon a change of residence, will require documentation that verifies the new address and the request to remain at a school outside of SVUSD. Please provide:

Current utility bill
Current lease or mortgage

SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS:

Requests based upon a specialized program will require documentation that verifies any previous participation or acceptance in such program:

Transcripts verifying previous participation or correspondence from current school confirming continuing enrollment in the requested specialized program
Letter from specialized program indicating acceptance

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

Requests based upon health and safety will require documentation that verifies a health and/or safety reason. Some examples include:

School records verifying the issue
Letter/email from current school explaining the interventions that have been attempted
Restraining Order / Police Report
Doctor's Note

2023-2024 Schools closed to applications are:

Foothill Ranch Elementary
Melinda Heights Elementary
Portola Hills Elementary

Please complete the INTER District Transfer Request and drop it off in the receptionist area of the SVUSD Office or email Student.transfers@svusd.org

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to working with you.

Inter-District Transfer Conditions:

When a students' residence is changed, the parent or guardian shall notify the school of the change in residence.
Transportation if needed shall be the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Childcare, if needed, shall be the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Students admitted to SVUSD under the Inter-District Transfer process shall be assigned to schools where space is available at the discretion and determination of SVUSD administration.
All students and schools are subject to all California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) athletic eligibility rules and regulations. Approved transfers should not be understood to mean that any CIF rules or regulations have been waived.
A student, parent, or guardian found to have given a false address and/or other pertinent data as a basis for enrollment in any school in the district shall have the transfer revoked. The revocation shall be immediate and notice promptly given to the student and parent/guardian.
If an INTER District transfer request is denied, you have the opportunity to appeal the decision to OCDE within 30 calendar days.
The transfer committee will consider transfer requests based on the date the request was submitted and the reasons given for requesting the transfer. If the transfer is denied, the parent will receive a denial letter from Student Services.
Transfers will be granted based on space availability. Students requesting specific program, not available at their resident school, will be given priority as will students who are in good standing academics and conduct.
SVUSD reserves the right to deny transfer requests or release students for the following reasons: adverse impact on ethnic balance; insufficient state aid; lack of documentation concerning employment within the identified district; lack of facilities either district wide or in a specific attendance/school; lack of suitable or impacted special education programs; student history of unsatisfactory attendance; scholarship.

Financial Conditions:

INTER District attendance agreements shall be non-tuition unless Federal Impact Aid is involved. Under a non-tuition agreement, the financial apportionment for regular education students shall be credited to the district of attendance and not the district of residence.

Special Education Students:

With regard to Inter-District transfer of special education programs, funding agreements between districts shall be in accordance with the AB 602 funding model. This transfer does not authorize release of special education funds to the receiving district from SVUSD.

Inter-District Transfers

The Inter-District Transfer Request process is necessary for any student who would like to attend a school in another school district outside of their District of Residency.

Inter-District Transfer Conditions:

Financial Conditions:

Special Education Students:

Board Policies: