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Parent urges policy change, warns time-based enrollment disadvantages marginalized families
Summary
During public comment, Nicholas Negrete told the board that Regulation 5116's time-based home enrollment risks disadvantaging families with limited access to paperwork, transportation or flexible work hours and urged the district to adopt sibling priority followed by random selection in line with interdistrict rules.
At the Aug. 7 meeting, parent Nicholas (Nick) Negrete told the board that the district's Regulation 5116 for home-based enrollment can create inequities and urged the board to align it with the district’s interdistrict open-enrollment policy.
Negrete, who said he has children in Ellis and Bishop programs, argued that time-based registration advantages families with easier access to technology, transportation and flexible work schedules and can have a disproportionate impact on racial and marginalized groups. "Home based enrollment is based on registration order, while your interdistrict enrollment first prioritizes siblings then requires a random unbiased method," he said, asking "why not align both policies?" He requested the district prioritize keeping siblings together and then use a random, unbiased selection method.
Negrete said he has not yet received transportation or bell-time details and that the timing left his family uncertain about whether to relocate or manage staggered pick-ups 11 days before school starts. The superintendent (S4) acknowledged his concerns and said staff would follow up directly.
The comment drew no immediate policy change on the floor; the parent asked the board to consider updating Regulation 5116 to reduce barriers ahead of the new school year.
