(20) Describe the rule and procedures concerning admission of students.

BCCS will accept students into its program as provided in O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-2066.  In accordance with the Charter School Act of 1998, BCCS shall enroll any student who resides in the school system in which BCCS is located (Mitchell County) and who submits a timely application as specified in the charter. BCCS shall give enrollment preference to students who reside in the attendance zone (North Mitchell County Attendance Zone).  Should the number of applications exceed the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building, students shall have an equal chance of being admitted through a random selection process. BCCS will advertise its enrollment window for priority students in a variety of ways including but not limited to:      

·        Announcement printed on the City of Baconton water bill

·        Announcement and applications placed in all area churches

·        Announcement and applications placed in local businesses

·        Announcement placed in the local newspaper

·        A community open-house during the enrollment window

The enrollment procedure involves three different phases:

1.      Enrollment of currently enrolled BCCS students and siblings

2.      Random selection process for students in the North Mitchell County  Attendance Zone

3.      Random selection process for students living outside the attendance zone but within the Mitchell County School District

Letters of intent for currently enrolled students and their siblings will be issued during the first two weeks in February.  These letters will be processed to determine the number of available student spaces for the coming year.  The enrollment window to participate in the random selection process will begin on the first Monday in February and continue through the first Saturday in March.  Applications may be submitted through the mail or hand delivered to the school office.  On the first Saturday in March at 12:00 P.M. the enrollment window will close and all applications will be processed.  If more applications have been submitted than available slots allow, a random selection process will immediately be held.  This process will be open to the public for viewing. These students will be properly placed on the class roster or on a waiting list by order of the random selection process.   Priority enrollment will be given to employee’s children, siblings of currently enrolled students and to students residing in the attendance zone.