As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 294

2025-2026

A BILL

To amend section 3313.97 of the Revised Code regarding school district intradistrict open enrollment policies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 3313.97 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3313.97. Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3311.19 and division (D) of section 3311.52 of the Revised Code, this section does not apply to any joint vocational or cooperative education school district.

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Parent" has the same meaning as in section 3313.64 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Alternative school" means a school building other than the one to which a student is assigned by the district superintendent.

(3) "IEP" has the same meaning as in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The board of education of each city, local, and exempted village school district shall adopt an open enrollment policy allowing students entitled to attend school in the district pursuant to section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code to enroll in an alternative school. Each policy shall provide for the following:

(1) Application procedures, including ~~deadlines~~ timelines for application and for notification of students and principals of alternative schools whenever a student's application is accepted. The policy shall require a student to apply only if the student wishes to attend an alternative school.

(2) The establishment of district capacity limits by grade level, and school building~~, and education program;~~ . Each school district shall determine the number of remaining vacancies in each grade level and school building and post the numbers on its web site every twelve weeks.

(3) A requirement that the school district continue to approve applications to enroll in each alternative school that has not reached its capacity limit;

(4) A requirement that students enrolled in a school building or living in any attendance area of the school building established by the superintendent or board be given preference over applicants;

~~(4)~~(5) Procedures to ensure that an appropriate racial balance is maintained in the district schools.

Each policy may permit a student to permanently transfer to an alternative school so that the student need not reapply annually for permission to attend the alternative school.

(C) Except as provided in section 3313.982 of the Revised Code, the procedures for admitting applicants to alternative schools shall not include:

(1) Any requirement of academic ability, or any level of athletic, artistic, or other extracurricular skills;

(2) Limitations on admitting applicants because of disabling conditions, except that a board may require a student receiving services under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code to attend school where the services described in the student's IEP are available;

(3) A requirement that the student be proficient in the English language;

(4) Rejection of any applicant because the student has been subject to disciplinary proceedings, except that if an applicant has been suspended or expelled for ten consecutive days or more in the term for which admission is sought or in the term immediately preceding the term for which admission is sought, the procedures may include a provision denying admission of such applicant to an alternative school;

(5) Rejection of any applicant based on the student's residential address, race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status.

(D)(1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3327. of the Revised Code, and except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, a district board is not required to provide transportation to a nondisabled student enrolled in an alternative school unless such student can be picked up and dropped off at a regular school bus stop designated in accordance with the board's transportation policy or unless the board is required to provide additional transportation to the student in accordance with a court-approved desegregation plan.

(2) A district board shall provide transportation to any student described in 20 U.S.C. 6316(b)(1)(F) to the extent required by division (D) of section 3302.04 of the Revised Code, except that no district board shall be required to provide transportation to any such student after the school in which the student was enrolled immediately prior to enrolling in the alternative school makes adequate yearly progress, as defined in section 3302.01 of the Revised Code, for two consecutive school years.

(E) Each school board shall provide information about the policy adopted under this section and the application procedures and deadlines to the parent of each student in the district and to the general public. Each school board also shall publish the policy on its public web site.

(F) No school board shall impose tuition or fees for a student who enrolls in an alternative school under this section that exceeds the tuition or fees charged to students assigned to the school building by the district superintendent.

(G) A student's parent or guardian may appeal a school district's decision to deny the student's application to open enroll in an alternative school to the department of education and workforce. The department shall respond to an appeal within ninety days of receiving it.

(H) The department ~~of education and workforce~~ shall monitor school districts to ensure compliance with this section and the districts' policies.

(I) Each school district annually shall report to the department all of the following:

(1) The total number of open enrollment applications received under division (B) of this section;

(2) The total number of accepted applications;

(3) The total number of denied applications;

(4) The reason for each denied application.

The department annually shall publish the information reported under this division on its web site.

Section 2. That existing section 3313.97 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.