School zoning

[tornado99]

Do schools still have specific attendance zones, or is it a thing of the past? Is it simply overlooked for a variety of reasons?

 SWVAOG had an old post about re-zoning Washington County and enrollment for context. My current thoughts were mixed between a specific spot in Baptist Valley that divided Richlands and Tazewell when I was in school and what I perceive in the Belfast area of Russell County where it seems you can pick and choose. (These are just my perceptions, so I could be wrong.)

Does anyone know, or does it vary from county to county in SWVA?

 

[1inStripes]

I think it is left up to the school district how they handle it.  Many counties in our area are open I believe at this time.

[tornado99]

Thanks. Does anyone know any county’s policies specifically? 
The John Marshall thread on the basketball side made me wonder this as well, if all or most places were like that.

[VHSLhelper]

Zones are basically used to give you a "home" school and for bus routes.

Any student can go any any public school in the state. The VHSL used to have a rule that you had to "sit" from sports for a year if you transferred after you started 9th grade.

[tornado99]

Thanks for the info. I never really understood it, apparently. I just remember that particular bus stop.

[Weatherman]

14 hours ago, VHSLhelper said:

Zones are basically used to give you a "home" school and for bus routes.

Any student can go any any public school in the state. The VHSL used to have a rule that you had to "sit" from sports for a year if you transferred after you started 9th grade.

Building principals can turn a student away if they don't live in their attendance zone.

[VHSLhelper]

Proof?

 

[Fairlawncat]

29 minutes ago, VHSLhelper said:

Proof?

 

VA Code 22.1-3 and VA Code 22.1-5.  Each school district in Virginia sets its own policies for student enrollment and residency requirements based on VA Code 22.1-5.

[Gridiron60]

6 hours ago, Weatherman said:

Building principals can turn a student away if they don't live in their attendance zone.

This is true! A couple years ago the Graham principal refused to let three 9th graders from another school attend Graham. Technically, they would not have to move to the attendance zone as 9th graders as long as the principal signs off on it. Two of those  students still attend their other school and the 3rd moved into the attendance zone to attend Graham. 

[VHSLhelper]

They were from out of state... right?

[VHSLhelper]

14 hours ago, Fairlawncat said:

VA Code 22.1-3 and VA Code 22.1-5.  Each school district in Virginia sets its own policies for student enrollment and residency requirements based on VA Code 22.1-5.

I see nothing there about building principals turning a student away.

[VHSLhelper]

13 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

This is true! A couple years ago the Graham principal refused to let three 9th graders from another school attend Graham.

Did the principal actually decide, or did they follow the rules set by the county school board?

[Fairlawncat]

33 minutes ago, VHSLhelper said:

Did the principal actually decide, or did they follow the rules set by the county school board?

Don't know about the above situation, but most school board rules are set up to defer or give authority to the Principal of each school to make that decision.

[Gridiron60]

7 hours ago, VHSLhelper said:

Did the principal actually decide, or did they follow the rules set by the county school board?

Yes she did, even went it was addressed with Dr. Stacy & he said it was up to the principal. Cambel Fix came that year & moved to attendance zone, the other two 9th graders stayed in Princeton. (Yes, technically out of state). Principal’s reasoning was enrollment numbers might get too high if she let multiple out of attendance zone 9th graders come to Graham and she’d have to hire another teacher or at an minimum have overcrowded classes is what I was told. The rules in the county are a 9th grader can attend any high school and not live in the attendance zone per principal’s discretion  . After 9th grade, you have move to the attendance zone to be eligible to play. Graham had one player (upperclassman) a few years back whose parents didn’t move into the attendance zone and he transferred and sat out 365 days then he participated. 

[Gridiron60]

1 hour ago, Fairlawncat said:

Don't know about the above situation, but most school board rules are set up to defer or give authority to the Principal of each school to make that decision.

That’s what happened Chris Stacy would not override Young’s decision. 

[Fairlawncat]

1 hour ago, Gridiron60 said:

That’s what happened Chris Stacy would not override Young’s decision. 

Been that way for a while in VA. The VA BOE also has administrative regs (8 VAC 20-11) for having counties setting up policies for entry, denial of entry, etc. In most cases, the School Principal is the decider depending how the county writes its policy. Most county school boards would be overwhelmed if they didn't defer to the individual school Principals. Some counties keep it at county level, especially in Far Eastern VA on Chincoteague area where there aren't tons of students or schools or people moving there so the county can handle it. Try doing that across the bridge in Norfolk and if the county School Boards decided individual cases, they would be overwhelmed. Some county policies are written where the student can challenge/appeal the Principals decision to the County Board and some are written where the Principal is the first and final say so. Even in cases where the student can appeal to the county, the Principals decision usually holds up. 

[Fairlawncat]

4 minutes ago, Fairlawncat said:

Been that way for a while in VA. The VA BOE also has administrative regs (8 VAC 20-11) for having counties setting up policies for entry, denial of entry, etc. In most cases, the School Principal is the decider depending how the county writes its policy. Most county school boards would be overwhelmed if they didn't defer to the individual school Principals. Some counties keep it at county level, especially in Far Eastern VA on Chincoteague area where there aren't tons of students or schools or people moving there so the county can handle it. Try doing that across the bridge in Norfolk and if the county School Boards decided individual cases, they would be overwhelmed. Some county policies are written where the student can challenge/appeal the Principals decision to the County Board and some are written where the Principal is the first and final say so. Even in cases where the student can appeal to the county, the Principals decision usually holds up. 

Other reason for it is the amount of schools and workload. Think about all the elementary, intermediate, middle and HS's in an education jurisdiction. Even for example, Russell County or Tazewell County has a lot. I think Tazewell County has over 10 itself. Think about the School Board having to hear and decide each individual case. That's a lot of schools. Take that to the City of Hampton and think about the military move ins and outs and all the elementary schools. That's why Principals have so much power in these decisions. If there are about 30 or 35 public schools in Hampton, you got 30 or 35 people to do the work (Principals) instead of one School Board. 

Here's the other catch. Most of the people doing the grunt work are the guidance counselors. At Radford, my wife has taught for many years. She says it's the guidance counselors and assistant Principals that actually to the leg work/legal verification/looking over if an exemption/exception is appropriate, and then that decision is given to the Principal who gives the yes or no.

[tornado99]

This is all very interesting. Thanks for all the insight. Certainly, sports is and can be a huge influencing factor in these decisions. 
I took for granted that geography was the only determining factor in the attendance decisions when I was in school. Part of that was influenced and reinforced by my recent re-reading of Friday Night Lights. The part I’m referring to was describing when they closed down Ector High School and were dividing the students between Permian and Odessa. I know it is totally different area and era, but attendance zone was of primary importance. 

[redtiger]

On 3/30/2025 at 9:14 AM, VHSLhelper said:

I see nothing there about building principals turning a student away.

In a previous job I worked at (cant go into details but I worked with disadvantaged children) I had a principal refuse to allow a student to attend his school as the student didn't live in the attendance zone, even though the school we wanted the student to attend would have been beneficial for the student, the family, and the agency I was working for. Their place of residence was maybe a half mile from the line for the different attendance zones and a quarter mile from where the bus for the school we wanted the child to attend turned around on its route.

[Fairlawncat]

That's unfortunate. By law, students with special needs qualify for exemption if the school the student is trying to go to has a better program/special needs for that kids IEP. If the IEP and special needs program at the new school is no better or the same, then the Principal can deny the applying student. It's sad because most Principals in cases of special needs nearly always approve it (count it as an exemption) even if the new schools IEP/special needs program is no better or the same.

[BigWinners]

On 4/1/2025 at 1:00 PM, redtiger said:

In a previous job I worked at (cant go into details but I worked with disadvantaged children) I had a principal refuse to allow a student to attend his school as the student didn't live in the attendance zone, even though the school we wanted the student to attend would have been beneficial for the student, the family, and the agency I was working for. Their place of residence was maybe a half mile from the line for the different attendance zones and a quarter mile from where the bus for the school we wanted the child to attend turned around on its route.

Horrendous, shameful and if there is a hell that’s they’re those people end up.