The Windsor Unified School District board on Jan. 17 approved a revised board policy (BP 5117) governing interdistrict transfers, removing earlier language tied to the so‑called Allen bill and aligning the district’s language with county practice.

Superintendent Decker told trustees the district currently enrolls about 516 students who live outside Windsor Unified boundaries, with the largest single source being the Santa Rosa City School District. He said the district is advising families to begin the transfer process well before staffing decisions are made and identified May 1 as the practical deadline for transfer paperwork so the district can plan classroom staffing.

Decker explained the key review criteria used by the district when evaluating transfer requests: grades, attendance and discipline, and he described exemptions and special provisions, including specialized‑program protections. He said families may appeal a home‑district denial to the Sonoma County Office of Education and the district will provide a letter explaining its specialized programs to support families’ cases.

The board voted to add the revised BP 5117 to the agenda and later approved the updated policy. Board members noted the change was intended to ensure equity across applicants and to avoid holding some applicants to different standards than others.

Next steps: District staff will publish updated instructions on the district website, continue to support families through the transfer and appeal process and provide the board with any follow‑up data during future staffing cycles.