Administrative Procedure 5117 - Early Release During the School Day

I. Purpose

To provide a procedure and specific guidelines for school-based administrators and front office staff, to use when a request is received to release a student to a legal guardian, parent, or to a non-custodial adult during the school day.

II. Information

Student safety is paramount in all Prince George’s County Public Schools. To ensure that students are released to adults with legal or authorized responsibility for a minor child, this procedure MUST be followed.

III. Definitions

1. Custodial Parent - The parent who has legal responsibility for a minor child based on court order, adoption order and is listed as the adult legally responsible for the minor child on the PA 14 (Student Registration Form).
2. Guardianship - A legal appointment granting an adult the legal responsibility for the care and management of a minor child.
3. Joint Custody - Parents listed on a court order as having shared or full legal custody of a minor child.
4. Non-custodial parent - A biological parent who via court order or separation agreement does not have custody of a minor child.
5. Emergency Contact -The person(s) designated by the custodial parent as the contact if they cannot be reached during an emergency. This person MUST be listed on the student’s Emergency Form or Student Registration Form.
6. Non-custodial adult - a person who requests access to a minor child; but who has no legal rights to such access.
7. PA 14 - Student Registration Form.
8. Limited Access Folder (LAF) - Reports of a sensitive nature, such as psychological or psychiatric reports, 504 Plan, court documents (i.e. restraining orders, custody documents, court orders and social histories may be included. If a court custody document has been presented by the parent a notation should be made on the outside of the student’s cumulative folder, (COURT DOCUMENT INSIDE THE LAF).
9. Evidence of school district defined guardianship - Custodial parent’s signature on the PA 14; copy of a Court Order; Adoption Order; Kinship Care Waiver; Court Appointed Foster Care Documentation; Court Appointed Advocate/Case Manager; or other adult appointed by the court as the responsible adult acting on behalf of a child in state-supervised care.

IV. Procedures

The following procedures govern the release of students during the school day. to custodial or non-custodial adults:

1. The school MUST maintain a log for early dismissal. This log will be in
   the front office and must specify the following information:
   
   1. The first and last name of the person requesting access to the student.
   2. The date and time of arrival in the building.
   3. The person must note their relationship to the student.
   4. The reason for the early dismissal (i.e. doctor’s appointment, illness, family emergency, or the removal of the child by a state agency)
   5. The initials of the staff person reviewing the person’s valid photo identification (passport, driver’s license, or state identification card).
   6. The initials of the staff person who has reviewed the cumulative folder or the Family/Emergency Card to determine if the person has legal rights to remove the student from the premises (review of PA 14, the Emergency Card, the cumulative folder and LAF). The staff person MUST also check to see if there are any court documents on file restricting access to the student. This information may also be located in SchoolMax.
   7. If the court order is expired, the custodial parent must be contacted to determine if there is a current court document, and to notify them that a non-custodial parent is seeking access to their child. If there is a more recent document, the parent/legal guardian must be asked to fax the documents to the school. If unavailable, the prior court document should be followed. It is incumbent upon the parent or legal guardian to provide the school with current court documents and to inform the school of the existence of said documents.
   8. The adult requesting to remove the child will be politely requested to have a seat while the school verifies their right to access.
   9. If it is determined that the adult has the right to access and remove the child from the premises, the adult must sign out the exact time of departure.
   10. The school should maintain and update a list of students with court custody orders or other legal documents/special instructions related to removal of the child from the school premise. If students are on a list with special instructions, the list may be used in lieu of the cum file review. Otherwise, the cum file review is essential.
2. If it is determined that the person seeking access to the minor child has no legal rights to access, the following procedure MUST be followed:
   
   1. The person will be politely asked to have a seat in the office to contain the individual and inhibit access to other areas of the school.
   2. The legal guardian(s) specified on the PA 14 will be contacted and informed that the individual is in the school requesting to remove the child from the premises.
   3. The person will be informed that they do not have authorization and they must be asked to leave the premises.
   4. If the person refuses to leave, the police, school security and the Instructional Director will be notified.
   5. If the person becomes irate and out of control, the school will go on Lock Down until such time as the environment has been stabilized and the person has been removed.
3. o verbal authorization to remove a child from the premises will be accepted. Parents must update their emergency contact list annually, or as needed to include all authorized adults who may remove the child from the premises.
4. If the legal guardian of the child is incapacitated, and sends a person who is not authorized to pick the child up from school, the school MUST contact a person who is authorized and on the list of Emergency Contacts. The parent will be contacted and informed that the child will only be released to a person on the list of authorized contacts.
5. The child will ONLY be released to the authorized Emergency Contact or they must remain in the school until the end of the school day.
6. Only authorized persons with valid identification will be allowed to access and remove a student from the school premise.
7. All schools must follow the Safety Precautions listed below:
   
   1. All visitors to the building must be required to sign a visitor’s log and wear a visitor’s badge while in the building.
   2. When a student transfers from one school to another, a new Family Emergency Card must be completed.
   3. A new Family Emergency Card must be completed annually for each student.

V. Related Policies and Procedures

• AP 0500 - School Visitors
• AP 5111 - Registration and Withdrawal of Students

VI. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

This procedure originates with the Office of the General Counsel and the Division of Student Services and will be updated as necessary.

VII. Cancellations and Supersedures

None. This is a new Administrative Procedure.

VIII. Effective Date

Last Revised: August 1, 2012

Documents

• Administrative Procedure 5117 - Early Release During the School Day.pdf
• Administrative Procedure 5117 Attachment 1 - Early Departure Log.pdf
• Administrative Procedure 5117 Attachment 2 - Divorces -Separations.pdf
• Procedimiento Administrativo 5117 - Salida temprana durante el día escolar.pdf
• Procedimiento Administrativo 5117 Anexo 1 - Registro de salida temprana.pdf