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Student Release Time From School

MANUAL - Students requesting a partial schedule outside of school for credit-bearing academic study, for specialized training, medical accommodations, or mitigating circumstances need to complete the “Student Enrollment Release” form with the student’s counselor and principal. The reduced schedule and enrollment percentage shall be reflected in Skyward.

After the release is completed and signed, the student shall be withdrawn and re-enrolled (a Skyward "status change") at the lower percentage and marked as part-time in Skyward (make the student "part-time" in the Entity tab and reduce the enrollment percentage with a "status change" in the Entry/Withdrawal tab).  Contact Planning & Enrollment if you need assistance in navigating these changes. The original form is kept in the student's cumulative folder and copies are given to the parent and sent to Planning & Enrollment. The copy in the cumulative folder may be destroyed when the student returns to 100% enrollment, has another enrollment reduction, or after four years, whichever comes first.  

The Student Enrollment Release Form

  • The form and a reduction chart can be found at the bottom of this page or on the Student Services website under “Resources/Forms".  Please download the form when needed instead of making and storing photocopies. Accessing the form online each time allows us to make changes and updates and have them immediately available to you.
  • The form is set up as a fillable PDF and will automatically do the necessary calculations for you. However, if you are using a Mac, the fillable PDF fields do not work well in the default Preview app. You will find more success if you install Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat, download the form, and then right-click (or Command-click, if your mouse doesn't have right-click enabled) and select "Open With", then "Adobe Reader" or "Adobe Acrobat" from the pop-up menu.
  • There are two fields in the top section, "Release Begins" and "Release Ends". These are for dates when the change in enrollment starts and stops. The specific times for the release are not important and/or can be entered in the "Reason for Release" section.

Secondary School Student Release Information:

  • A student may be released for one period each day (no form required) for religious instruction, without reduced funding to the school, if the release is accounted for in the IEP/SEP/SEOP. For example, a student who is released to take seminary IS in public school 7 of the 8 periods each day,  and IS counted in attendance for funding purposes as a full day. Seminary release time is included in the SEOP at registration.
  • If a student is in two traditional classes plus a period of religious release time, the student should be recorded in Skyward as having three classes.
  • A student who is only enrolled in two classes should not be given a schedule with two traditional classes and 5 or 6 "ed-release" classes in order to remain 100% enrolled.

Elementary School Student Release Information:

  • Elementary schools will most frequently use "Option 2 - Change to Hours" on the release form. You will enter the number of hours missed (as a decimal rounded to the nearest quarter-hour or 0.25) in the first box and the number of times per week the release will happen. The form will calculate the percentage enrollment that should be entered in Skyward. If a release will happen less frequently than weekly, contact Planning & Enrollment for guidance.
  • If the percentage enrolled calculates out to 95% or higher, the release is fairly small. The parent may wish to leave the student 100% enrolled and check the student out following established school procedures.

Additional Guidelines:

  • During release time from school, students are not allowed on campus for any reason without prior administrative approval.
  • Parent(s)/guardian(s) assume full responsibility for the student’s transportation and safety as they leave or return from their release time.
  • The school is not responsible for any financial compensation for instruction or services provided to the student during release time; the student is required to pay full fees, if applicable.
  • If the release time is for non-academic reasons, parent(s)/guardian(s) must agree to provide instruction in the curriculum and content areas that are missed when the student is released from school.
  • Parent(s)/guardian(s) and student assume all responsibility for the student’s progress for completing courses taken at locations other than the regular school, particularly if the courses taken are for academic credit.  The student and the parent(s)/guardian(s) are also responsible for reporting earned grades and credits to the school by submitting official school documents for recording on transcripts and tracking for graduation requirements.
  • In order for credit to be granted, the release time schools must be accredited from a nationally accredited body recognized by the Utah State Office of Education. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible to ensure this occurs.
  • Coordination and communication is expected between the home and school to ensure quality instruction when a student is on a release time program.
  • Schools and parent(s)/guardian(s) need to determine if any IEP, SEP, or PCCR revisions need to be made to assure the student’s educational needs are met. The school is allowed to conduct evaluations or testing to monitor the progress of the student as they remain in the release time program.
  • If a secondary student wishes to discontinue release time and return to a full day of school, they may do so only at the beginning of the next quarter.
  • If concerns or problems become apparent regarding the progress and adjustment of the student in the program, it may be necessary to further evaluate, modify, or terminate the student’s release time program.

Forms and Instructions

If the part-time enrollment began on the first day of school, there is no need to do a "Status Change" in the Skyward Entry/Withdrawal tab.  Instead, edit the enrollment record.  The Entity tab will need to be changed in Skyward as well, to reflect the "part-time" enrollment.  Using the "Status Change" button in the Entry/Withdrawal tab is only necessary when a student has already been attending school, and their status changes during the school year.

 

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