2024-25 Family Handbook
Registration/Enrollment
Residence Requirements
A student must be a resident of the District in order to be enrolled in the district.
Parents/guardians register their students online. Kindergarten children must present proof of birth, proof of residency, and an up-to-date immunization certificate when enrolling. New students to the district must present proof of residency and show a birth certificate and immunization when enrolling.
Annual Fees
The school district charges fees for certain items, such as textbook rental. Students whose families meet the income guidelines for free and reduced price lunch, the Family Investment Program (FIP), or students who are homeless or in foster care are eligible to have their student fees waived or partially waived. Students whose families are experiencing a temporary financial difficulty may be eligible for a temporary waiver of student fees. Parents or students who believe they may qualify for temporary financial hardship should apply annually for the fee waiver, please access the application through Parent Portal - select “More” - “Meal Benefits”. This waiver does not carry over from year to year and must be completed annually. Information regarding student fees and fee waivers are available on the district website.
In certain cases, an elementary school may not be able to accommodate all the children at a certain grade level and remain within class-size guidelines established by the Board of Education (K - 22 students, 1st-3rd - 24 students, 4th-5th - 25 students). In order to maintain these guidelines, children from one school are transferred to another elementary school within the district - one that has space available in the grade needed.
All Bettendorf elementary students are assigned a home elementary school. Students may attend another school of their "Choice" in certain circumstances under the District's open enrollment policy. Permission to choice enroll is based on several factors: the reason for the request, the availability of space in the school to which the transfer is requested, and whether or not the child's grade level is near maximum enrollment at the present school.
The Bettendorf Community School District provides resources and information for parents/guardians who would like to educate their children at home or through private instruction.
Iowa Open Enrollment law allows parents/guardians to enroll their child in a district other than their district of residence by completing an open enrollment application. Parents/guardians may apply for open enrollment at any time without the need for good cause. The receiving district may deny an open enrollment request if one of the following applies:
The application violates the district’s insufficient classroom space policy,
The district does not have the appropriate special education program,
The application would adversely affect the district’s implementation of a court-ordered desegregation plan, or
The student has been expelled or suspended.
Students who are eligible to attend public school but who are not legal residents of the school district may be admitted into the school district at the discretion of the superintendent upon application and payment of tuition. The tuition rate is the current per-pupil cost of the school district as authorized by the Iowa Department of Education.
Tuition payments shall be made either quarterly, by the semester, or yearly prior to the first day of the selected payment period.