Students can transfer out of ‘D’ schools in Abbeville

Students who attend a “D” or “F” school in Vermilion Parish can transfer to another parish school.
Superintendent Tommy Byler explained to the school board members that the state is now updating the Louisiana Public School of Choice rule.
That means that if a parent or legal guardian wants to transfer their child because they attend a school with a letter grade of D or F, the public school choice law lets that transfer happen.
Three Abbeville schools are D schools. They are Herod Elementary, Eaton Park Elementary, and J.H. Williams Middle School.
On Thursday, the school board is expected to approve the new Louisiana Public School Choice rule. After that happens, the central office will mail out letters to parents with students who attend the three Abbeville schools explaining their choices. After that, they have the month of March to decide if they want to transfer their students out of the D schools.
However, there is a catch.
The student transferring can transfer to schools that have the capacity to handle more students. Byler said the transfer is also by classes. He gave the example that one school has 14 spots for third graders. That means only 14 Herod Elementary students can transfer to that school.
Three middle schools have room for new students. A JHW student can attend Rene Rost Middle School in Kaplan, Forked Island/E. Broussard located south of Kaplan, or Gueydan High School.
The Abbeville elementary students have four elementary schools to select. Seventh Ward Elementary is located south of Abbeville, Rene Rost Middle in Kaplan, Indian Bayou Elementary, and Jesse Owens Elementary in Gueydan.
Byler said the letter the parents will receive will have the list of schools for them to select. Byler also said it would be the parent’s responsibility to get their child to their new school, not the school district.
Another catch the parent and student will have to weigh is that the transfer could only be for a year.
Byler said that if the two elementary schools and JHW make a C grade when the schools retake the state tests, the students who transferred will have to return to the Abbeville schools.
Byler said those who want to transfer would have to meet qualifications. For example, if the student has discipline issues at an Abbeville school, then the student will not be allowed to move to another school.