Enrollment Packet Policies

Last Revised: April 29, 2025

Parents/students agree to all terms and conditions posted at opened.co. as well as the detailed policies posted in Parent Link. All program requirements may change without prior notice. Except on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age, we reserve the right to be selective of the students who participate in our specialized program. All changes will be communicated to parents through announcements.

Disclosure Agreement for Non-Diploma Seeking Students:

"By selecting an OpenEd Diploma program, I understand that my student will not be receiving course credit towards a state-accredited high school diploma requirements.  I also acknowledge that my student's School of Enrollment strongly encourages every student to pursue a state-accredited high school diploma.

Additionally, I understand that all OpenEd Diploma seeking students will be withdrawn from their school of enrollment near the end of their senior year and transitioned to homeschool / direct to college or career status." 

Repayment Policy for Early Withdrawal or Lack of Participation:

“I acknowledge my student will remain enrolled full-time as a home-based, distance education student with OpenEd's Partner School for the entire school year and will not simultaneously enroll in another public school unless explicitly approved.

If my student withdraws before the school year ends or does not actively participate in the approved educational plan—including required testing or opt-out procedures—I agree to repay the prorated cost of all curriculum, kits, software, devices, equipment, and technology received from OpenEd or reimbursed through the program. Repayment is calculated based on the total cost of resources multiplied by the percentage of the school year remaining at the time of withdrawal.”

Technology Device Policy:

Computers, Chromebooks, or tablets purchased new remain school property for three years. If my student withdraws after year one or two, I will repay its depreciated value.

Open Choice Enrollment

The parent understands that the student is requesting a school choice opportunity and is attending a school that may or may not be in the local boundary school / district of residence.

Residency must be maintained throughout the entire school year:

Any student in our operating states are eligible to enroll, but they must be able to show proof of state residency within the last 90 days. State residency will depend on whether the custodial parent or legal guardian is considered to be a resident of the state. If the person is deemed to be a “resident,” then the student will be eligible to participate. Students planning to temporarily leave the state may still enroll as long as residency is maintained. As defined by state policy, a domicile, once established, is not lost until all of the following three elements are met:

  • A specific intent to abandon the former domicile;
  • The actual physical presence in a new domicile; and
  • The intent to remain in the new domicile permanently

Reporting Race and Ethnicity:

The parent understands that the school is required to report student Race / Ethnicity for all students. By marking “Undeclared”, the parent understands that school personnel will do their best to determine/report the child’s race.

Notification to Parents and Students of Their Rights Under FERPA

Some state laws require documentation of immunizations for school attendance. Many state health departments maintain voluntary, confidential record systems to help parents/guardians, health care providers, and schools keep track of student immunizations. Allowing your child’s school to share immunization records with your state’s immunization registry can help you, your child’s provider, and the school determine which immunizations your child has received and which may still be needed. You may opt out of this sharing through the online enrollment form.

OpenEd is committed to safeguarding the privacy of student records and the company fully complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is a federal law that affords parents the right to access and review their child's educational records, request the amendment of inaccurate or misleading information, and control the disclosure of certain personal information from those records. All official student records are stored, controlled, and maintained by the student’s school of enrollment, not OpenEd.

Right to Review: As a parent or guardian, you have the right to review your child's educational records from the student’s school of enrollment. Digital copies of certain files received by OpenEd during the application and enrollment process as required by the student’s school of enrollment are stored in InfoCenter for reference, but do not constitute the student’s official record.

Consent for Disclosure: OpenEd may not disclose personally identifiable information from a student's educational records without the written consent of the parent or eligible student, except as permitted by law. There are specific exceptions outlined in FERPA where disclosure without consent is allowed, such as to school officials with legitimate educational interests or in response to a court order or subpoena.

OpenEd defines a school official as a person employed by the company in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom OpenEd has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or consultant); or a person employed by local and state education agencies.

OpenEd defines legitimate educational interest as a justifiable need for access to student records in order to fulfill professional responsibilities and perform appropriate tasks related to the education or support of the student, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Official Role: Access to copies of student digital documents is permitted for individuals holding official positions within OpenEd, like teachers, parent support specialists, IT administrators, and other staff members.
  • Purposeful Access: Access to copies of student digital documents must have specific, job-related purposes within the company and be directly linked to the individual's professional responsibilities.
  • Student Welfare: Access to copies of student digital documents contribute to educational or support services for students, covering areas such as academic advising and educational planning.
  • Privacy Protection: Those accessing copies of student digital documents maintain confidentiality, using the information solely for educational purposes and safeguarding the privacy of the students.
  • Amendment of Records: If you believe that information contained in your child's educational records is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the child's privacy rights, you have the right to request the amendment of such records. OpenEd will forward your request to the student’s school of enrollment and, if warranted, the school can make appropriate changes.
  • Directory Information: OpenEd may disclose certain directory information without consent unless the parent or eligible student has opted out.
  • Right to File a Complaint: Parents and eligible students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe OpenEd is not complying with FERPA regulations.

Please also review detailed Data and Security Policies posted here.

Accommodations for students with disabilities:

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (“504”) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), schools will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Students, parents or employees needing accommodations should contact their school ADA/504 Coordinator. In compliance with the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is also typical public policy to provide alternative language services to limited English Proficient (LEP) students so that students with language barriers have a meaningful opportunity to participate in different educational programs. Other providers may be used for English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and other effective services to students who are identified as LEP by means of a thorough evaluation process. Parents or guardians who want to request alternative language services for their child should contact the school directly.

Equal Educational and Employment Opportunity:

It is public policy to provide equal educational and employment opportunity for all individuals prohibiting all discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or veteran’s status. This policy extends to all aspects of all programs.

Civil Rights Grievance Procedure:

Permission to request a transfer of records from prior school (see sample letter):

{Student Name} has enrolled in {Public School of Enrollment}. Your school has been identified as the student’s last school of attendance. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) [34 CFR §99.31], which governs the transfer of student records upon student enrollment, we request that a certified copy of this student’s records—including the cumulative file (CUM), transcript, discipline history, state testing information, Individualized Education Program (IEP) and associated evaluations, as well as any 504 plan—be sent to us at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your cooperation in supporting the continued delivery of appropriate educational services.

‍

Parent responsible and liable for student safety and supervision:

In alignment with best practices and applicable state laws, OpenEd requires all non-licensed employees, contract employees, and volunteers with significant unsupervised access to students to undergo a criminal background check and ongoing monitoring as a condition of employment, appointment, or assignment.

Furthermore, OpenEd affirms the foundational role of parents in directing their children’s education. Consistent with the mission of our home-centered, school-supported, and personalized distance education program, each parent is fully responsible and liable at all times for their child’s safety and supervision. Parents agree not to permit any individual to have significant unsupervised access to their child without first ensuring that the individual has passed a comprehensive background check.

Additionally, as a condition of enrollment or participation in this specialized educational program, each parent agrees to the following terms waiving liability and holding OpenEd and their child(ren)’s school of enrollment harmless:

“As a parent, I agree to hold harmless and to indemnify OpenEd, its district and school partners, and all teachers, staff, owners, partners, educational providers, tutors, and mentors (collectively ‘Providers’) for any injury to person or property sustained by the student or by any person, firm, or corporation employed directly or indirectly by Providers or participating in connection with them, however caused. I also agree to indemnify Providers for any injury to person or property sustained by any individual, firm, or corporation, caused by any act, neglect, or omission of those employed by or associated with Providers in connection with the program or related services.”

Liability Waiver and Image/Video Release Form:

By participating in a Club, MeetUp, Field Trip, Showcase, or any similar event, I hereby authorize OpenEd, Inc. ("Program") to use the likeness of me and/or my child(ren) in any photograph, image or video recording (collectively, “Images”) obtained by Program for any reason, including at in-person events, virtual sessions, course assignments/projects, etc., in any of its media, including printed and digital publications, public or private, for promotional and commercial purposes, without any remuneration to me. I assign all rights, title and interest I may have in or to any and all Images and related material. I am fully aware that the Images may appear in materials available to students, parents, faculty or staff of Program, and individuals outside of the Program community. I waive any right to inspect or approve the finished Images. Upon request, a parent may opt-out of this specific section of the waiver by sending an email to help@opened.co.

I release the Program and those acting under its authority from any liability related to the alteration, intentional or otherwise, that may occur in connection with the processing, editing, transmission, display or publication of the Images, and understand that Images may be cropped or altered for purposes of illustration. I understand that all Images and related files, films, etc., are the exclusive property of Program and I grant to Program the unrestricted right to copyright, publish and republish the Images.

I authorize my and/or my child(ren) to be invited to participate in Club communication platforms (i.e. Google Classroom, Discord, and others approved by Club Advisors) and I release the Program from all liability or damages arising out of such sharing.

Parent Contract:

  • I understand that my student is expected to complete all coursework and exams by the course end date. Failure to complete course work may result in a failed grade.
  • I understand that plagiarism or cheating of any kind could result in termination.
  • I understand that my student is required to participate in state testing. This may require some traveling to reach a testing site. A state testing opt-out form is available upon request.
  • I understand that I and/or my student must maintain and check an email account at least once a week.
  • I understand that any IEP or special education needs for students will be met and maintained through the school of enrollment.
  • I understand that stable, high-speed internet and adequate computer access is required and is the family’s responsibility.
  • I understand that I should plan on spending 5-7 hours a day supporting and/or guiding my student through his/her education.
  • I understand that students who do not demonstrate active participation may be withdrawn.
  • I understand submitting or providing false or misleading information will result in being removed from the program.
  • I understand that attendance is tracked by student progress (see details in Parent Link). Students who are behind are subject to the truancy and/or withdrawal process.
  • I understand that if my student withdraws I am responsible to complete a withdrawal form and return or repay any resources received. If I fail to respond, I agree to let the school process the withdrawal form on my behalf.
  • I understand that internet safety and monitoring for my student(s), including any optional filtering, are my responsibility to meet online safety requirements and not the responsibility of OpenEd or its partner schools.

Informed Consent Form:

School provides a School Counselor to aid in the education plans and achievement of graduation goals of your student. There may be times a student shares information with the counselor which the student wishes to be kept confidential. Students have the right to confidentiality unless the information shared communicates a risk of harm to self or others. You hereby acknowledge that you are the legal guardian of the minor child, and do consent to the provision of counseling services by the school guidance counselor. You understand that while counseling is generally confidential, where there is risk of harm to self or others child abuse, or other legal requirements, the counselor may be required to release information to protect clients or others. You understand that in order to provide service in accord with the highest ethical and legal guidelines and to insure the highest quality of service, the above information complies with state law, federal privacy acts, and professional ethical standards.

All other school policies can be found on the individual school’s website, including, but not limited to:

  • Athlete and Student Concussion and Traumatic Head Injury
  • Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy
  • Prohibition of Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, Hazing and Retaliation
  • School of Enrollment Policies:

For students in Utah:

For students in Oregon:

‍

Overview of Support Services available:

  • Education services are provided virtually—there are no residential services provided in person.
  • Education services include instruction and interventions, testing and evaluations, and limited support services (e.g. OT/PT, psych, speech, etc.)
  • Support services gather and address data related to services needed to succeed in the academic setting only.
  • Testing for referral and re-evaluation must be in person at the School of Enrollment location.
  • Students may be required to take additional evaluative testing recommended by School of Enrollment staff in order to complete referrals, eligibility, and student goals.
  • All students/parents should provide an appropriate environment for virtual services. Quiet, distraction-free settings aid student learning.
  • Missing support service sessions is akin to missing class and can lead to truancy.
  • If a student needs specific interventions not provided in the virtual setting, a recommendation will be made for the student to attend their neighborhood school.