This policy clarifies the criteria under which the Chancellor may exercise their limited authority to grant discretionary out-of-boundary transfers to students pursuant to DC Municipal Regulations. Discretionary out-of-boundary transfers will only be considered for extenuating and unique circumstances related to an individual student and family. Families may not use this process to circumvent the My School DC Lottery process.

This policy lays out the extremely narrow circumstances under which a discretionary transfer will be considered; the process for requesting a discretionary transfer; the process by which an advisory committee is established to evaluate a discretionary transfer; the Chancellor’s authority to approve or deny the committee’s recommendation and resolution timeline; and record keeping and reporting requirements.