Discretionary Admission/Release Application

The 2024-2025 Discretionary Admission/Release open enrollments begins February 1 and the deadline for submission is June 8, 2024. Late fees will be charged for applications received after June 8th. Please contact schools directly to obtain information on how they are accepting applications for the upcoming year. 

Students who reside outside Buncombe County will be required to pay tuition.

Tuition must be paid upfront, in a lump sum, at the time the Discretionary Admission Release process is completed. Out of County Tuition Payers need to contact student.services@bcsemail.org directly to obtain information for the 2024-2025 school year and to schedule a tuition appointment.

**OUT OF COUNTY DAR applicants are subject to pay an Out-of-County Tuition fee and should contact student.services@bcsemail.org or 828-255-5918 for more information**

Applications - please click on your preferred language to view or print the application below.

Discretionary Admission/Release application is open from February 1st - June 8th.

An application must be completed for each student, every year. This process is completed at the school level and involves approving signatures from both the releasing and receiving schools' administrators. 

The application fee for DARs is $20 non-refundable fee required per student per year.  

*If you are being released from a Buncombe County School to attend Asheville City Schools or another school district you will have the releasing Buncombe County School sign releasing and an approval signature is not required.

Please refer to Asheville City Schools Student Services for their specific requirements for Discretionary Admission:
Asheville City School - Discretionary Admission Release Process

Important Information and Reminders

Complete the Discretionary Admission/Release Application in its entirety.  Incomplete applications will not be processed – they will be returned to you for completion.  Discretionary admissions/releases will not be considered on the basis of a disagreement with school staff regarding school decisions such as grades, homework, discipline, retention, or class assignment.

Students who reside outside Buncombe County will be required to pay tuition.

Tuition must be paid upfront, in a lump sum, at the time the Discretionary Admission Release process is completed. 

Discretionary admission/release applications received in Student Services will be submitted for approval at the next Board of Education meeting. Applicants will be contacted within 10 business days of receipt of the application if there is any issue impacting approval.  Notifications will only be made if the application is denied by the Board. Confirmation letters of approvals WILL NOT be mailed. Release from another school, release from another district, or a discretionary admission/release application approval in a prior year does not automatically mean that the current application will be approved.

NOTE:  Court documents cannot designate that a student must be enrolled in a school in the middle of two parents' residences.  The court system may not specify to a School Board where a student will be enrolled.  As clearly stated in Policy 4120, Domicile or Residence Requirements (excerpt below) students can only be enrolled in the district where a parent or legal guardian lives, unless there are other criteria for a discretionary admission/release:

"For the purposes of school enrollment, the law requires Buncombe County Schools to consider only the address of the student’s permanent domicile. The domicile refers to the permanent home of the parent/legal guardian with whom the child lives with the majority of the school year.... Under no circumstances can a student have more than one domicile for the purposes of attendance."

Click HERE to learn about School District Assignment.