Student Transfers

A student transfer refers to the process of changing schools, whether in-district or out-of-district, during the academic year or between school years. Students might decide to transfer for various reasons, such as relocation, educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, or a desire for a different learning environment. 

ATTENDANCE AREA EXCEPTIONS: 

In-District Transfers

All students must attend a school in the Attendance Area in which they live unless the Executive Director of Student Services has granted a transfer. The exceptions would include the following:

• • Residence Change: Students legitimately enrolled in a Fort Smith Public School whose parents are in the process of building or renting a new residence within the district may elect to transfer to the school within the new attendance area by providing proof that the new residence will be completed within 60 days after the beginning of the new school year. 
  • A student legitimately enrolled for 20 or more school days may have the option of staying in their present school until the end of that school year if the parents move their residence to another Attendance Area within the Fort Smith School District. 
  • Curriculum: High school students may transfer to a school in an attendance area outside where the student lives to take courses not offered at the school within their home Attendance Area. 
  • Special Education: The Special Education Department assigns disabled students to special classes without regard to the child's attendance area.

SCHOOL CHOICE: 

Guidelines for students who live outside the Fort Smith Public School District

If you wish to attend Fort Smith Schools but live outside the district boundaries, you may complete an Application for Transfer through the provisions of Arkansas Statute 6-18-206, "Arkansas Public School of Choice Act of 2015". A School Choice Application must be submitted to the non-resident district.

If you want your child to attend Fort Smith Schools, please complete and submit a School Choice Application to the Student Services Department. You may email the completed application to Karen Donovan at kdonovan@fortsmithschools.org or submit the completed application in person to the Student Services Department at the FSPS Service Center (3205 Jenny Lind Road, Building C)

Applications must be received by May 1 for the following school year. The School Choice Application must only be submitted once if the student remains enrolled.