Frequently Asked Questions

  

Cedar Falls Community School District

  • Which elementary schools are full, and which grades are full?
    • None of the elementary schools in the Cedar Falls School District are full. All attendance centers have capacity for more students.
  • If parents live in an elementary school area (i.e., Lincoln), and if that school is full, can they select the elementary where their student can go?
    • None of the elementary schools in the Cedar Falls School District are full. All attendance centers have capacity for more students.
  • Can parents select their elementary school in Cedar Falls no matter where they reside?
    • No, but a "Rules Exception" may be granted in extenuating circumstances.
  • Can you provide parents with a date that they will know which elementary their child will attend?
    • Attendance center decisions will be made by May 15th at the latest. Parents will be notified as soon as the decisions are made.
  • What are the maximum class sizes for Cedar Falls School District elementary classes?
    • Class size targets are as follows:
    • K-3: 21-24 students
    • 4-6: 24-27 students
  • Are Peet and Holmes full?
    • All of the school buildings in the Cedar Falls Community School District have capacity for more students.
  • What is the maximum class size at the junior high schools?
    • We do not have maximum class sizes at the junior high level, but class sizes generally range from 18-24 students.
  • Can a student who lives in one junior high area select a junior high that they want to attend no matter where their resident attendance zone is?
    • No, but a "Rules Exception" may be granted in extenuating circumstances.
  • What specific plans are there at each junior high to ease the transition from MPLS to the Cedar Falls School District?
    • All buildings where Malcolm Price Lab students will be transitioning have held open houses. Students have been encourages to attend and shadow current Cedar Falls students for a portion of the school day. There will be continued communication with all families with regard to the opening of the school year. The morning of the first day of school, all students who are new to the Cedar Falls Community School District are invited to a special orientation. Additionally, the Cedar Falls High School offers peer support groups for new and transfer students.
  • What are the deciding factors for who is granted entrance to a specific school?
    • All students are assigned to their neighborhood school.
  • What plans do you have to reduce the anger expressed by the Cedar Falls School District parents about increasing class size and the possible ill feelings toward Malcolm Price Laboratory students from other Cedar Falls students?
    • The Cedar Falls School District does not respond to rumors. If there are instances where specific information can be shared about the parents or students who are making these comments, we will address those on an individual basis.
  • Is there any assurance that can be made that students could transition as groups to one school or another?
    • No.
  • Is a parent signature required to transfer records between school districts?
    • No, once a parent has enrolled their student into the school district, the transfer of records occurs between the schools (i.e., Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Buckley Amendment).
  • Is my open enrollment form a request to attend a specific school district or a specific school building?
    • The open enrollment form is a request to attend a school district, not a building.
  • Do the MPLS parents need to fill out an OE form for MPLS if we intend to keep our kids there if the school stays open next year?
    • No. All students currently attending MPLS are open enrolled. Cedar Falls has a record of all open-enrolled students and students can remain at MPLS should the school be open for Fall 2012. This applies to all families/students currently enrolled at MPLS.
  • If Price Lab School remains open, can MPLS students remain at the Lab School even if they have filed open enrollment with another school district by the April 16th deadline?
    • Yes.