Student Assignment
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The Union County Board of Education is committed to the ideal that each child should have an opportunity for an excellent education, regardless of which school attendance area is assigned. All schools shall provide equitable opportunities for learning.
Criteria for Pupil Assignments
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In the elementary, middle, and high schools, pupil assignment will provide choice and promote equitable access to varied programmatic options for all students, maximize the utilization of facilities, transportation, and other resources, travel time from home, efficient operation of buses, maintain the continuity of attendance lines and neighborhoods and otherwise as required by law.
Students are eligible to attend school within the district and are assigned to home schools based on the domicile of the student’s parent. A domicile may be changed only in the event that the parent has abandoned the former domicile with no intention of returning to it, established actual domicile in another location, and evidenced an intention to remain in the new location indefinitely. A minor may not select, acquire, or change his/her domicile other than that of the minor’s parent, except for the following: a married student, emancipated student, or a student living in a group home, foster home, or pre-adoptive home.
Student Transfers
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Student transfer will be allowed for the following reasons:
- Educational Need
- Change of Residence
- Home Construction
- Children of Employees
- Medical Necessity
- Extreme Hardship
- Schools Exceeding Capacity
- Unsafe School Choice under Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- Sibling
- Homeless Students
- Students in Foster Care
Learn more about petitioning for transfer outside of your assigned area.
Foreign Exchange Student Application Guidelines
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Responsibilities of the Sponsoring Organization
Students will be accepted for placement in Union County Public Schools only if the exchange organization has met the standards established by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET).
The sponsoring organization will:
- Show evidence that the organization has a representative based in Union County.
- Show evidence that the prospective exchange student has fulfilled the requirements for entry into the United States on a J-1 visa.
- Assume financial responsibility for the exchange student.
- Inform the student of the policies of Union County Public Schools by the time of the student’s acceptance by the foreign exchange agency.
- Recruit and orient the host family. UCPS will not be responsible for recruiting host families.
- Prior to the student’s entry into the United States, secure written permission through the Office of School Assignment for the student to enroll in Union County Public Schools.
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Requirements for Acceptance
- The exchange organization must meet CSIET standards.
- The student application must be submitted between March 1 and June 30 to be considered for placement for the next school year.
- The student must meet eligibility requirements for enrollment in a North Carolina public school as set forth in G.S. 115C-364.
- The student must be eligible for enrollment in 12th grade and be between 16-19 years old and not have graduated in their own country.
- The student must be a minimum of 16 years of age.
- The student must be proficient in English and require no special language assistance.
- Program placement must be for a complete semester within a single school year.
- The student will not be eligible to participate in commencement, graduate, or receive a diploma from UCPS.
- The student must agree to abide by UCPS rules, policies, and regulations that govern other students.
- The student must present documentation of:
- Acceptable academic achievement.
- Accident and medical insurance.
- A recent physical exam.
- Required immunizations.
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Placement of Students
The Office of School Assignment will deny or accept an exchange student for placement at a UCPS school based on the following criteria:
- The address of the host family.
- The availability of space in the school (five seats per traditional high school).
- The number of exchange students assigned to the school.
- The student cannot transfer from the assigned school.
- Foreign exchange placement decisions made by the Office of School Assignment are final and not subject to appeal.
Student Assignment Forms
Contact Us
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- Dr. Stacey Barber, Director of Student Assignment
- 704-296-1005, ext. 4090
- stacey.barber@ucps.k12.nc.us
