How to Fill Out and Submit the OCPS Student Withdrawal Form

To withdraw your child from an Orange County school, complete the OCPS student withdrawal form — officially the Withdrawal Checklist and Changing Schools Registration Form — available for download in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole on the district’s Changing OCPS Schools page, or in paper form at your school’s front office.1Orange County Public Schools. Changing OCPS Schools Call the school’s registrar before you go. Some campuses require a parent to come in and sign in person; others handle the entire withdrawal electronically and ask parents not to come to the office at all.2Innovation High School. Student Withdrawal

The same checklist covers most situations: moving within Orange County, transferring to a private school or Florida Virtual School, moving out of district or out of state, activating an approved transfer, or returning to a zoned school from OCVS or home education. Only the surrounding steps differ. If you’re activating a transfer, the approval letter you received by email includes specific instructions. If you’re returning from OCVS or home ed, notify that program first, then complete the form at the zoned school.1Orange County Public Schools. Changing OCPS Schools

What to Bring

Only a parent or legal guardian can withdraw a student, and it must be the same person who enrolled the child.3University High School. University High – Enrollment and Withdrawal Information Have these ready:

What the Form Asks For

The form collects your child’s full legal name, student ID, and the last day of physical attendance. You also enter the name and mailing address of the receiving school so OCPS can forward transcripts and health records. Florida law requires schools to transfer a student’s records within three school days of a transfer, which is why the address field matters.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 1003.25 – Procedures for Maintenance and Transfer of Student Records

Giving an accurate next placement also keeps your child off the district’s truancy radar. Florida requires regular school attendance for children ages six through fifteen, and a student with no documented next school can trigger an attendance inquiry.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 1003.26 – Enforcement of School Attendance If you’re starting home education instead of enrolling somewhere, say so on the form so the registrar codes the withdrawal correctly.

You sign and date the form to authorize the withdrawal. The registrar checks your ID against the enrollment record to confirm you have authority to remove the student.

Check the Withdrawal Code Before You Leave

Every Florida student withdrawal gets a standardized code from the state’s Automated Student Information System, incorporated by reference in Florida Administrative Code 6A-1.0014.8Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code 6A-1.0014 – Comprehensive Management Information System The registrar picks the code from what you tell them. The common ones:

  • W01 — transferred to another attendance reporting unit within the same school.
  • W02 — transferred to another school within Orange County.
  • W3A — withdrew to attend a public school in a different Florida district.
  • W3B — withdrew to attend a public school out of state or out of the country.
  • W04 — withdrew to attend a nonpublic school, in Florida or elsewhere.9Florida Department of Education. FDOE Information Database Requirements – Appendix A

Glance at the code on your paperwork before you leave the office. A mismatch between the code and your child’s actual path can create questions later if the student re-enrolls somewhere in Florida. If it’s wrong, ask the registrar to fix it before the record is finalized.

Returning Devices and Clearing Balances

OCPS requires students to return every district-issued device before leaving the school. The Family Technology Handbook is explicit: the laptop or tablet, its charger, and accessories must come back before the student departs.5Orange County Public Schools. Family Technology Handbook Damage or loss can mean a fine, and parents receive an email if a fee applies.

Textbooks, library materials, and any outstanding balances for cafeteria charges or lost items need to be cleared too. Some schools won’t release the withdrawal packet until every obligation is settled; one campus tells parents the packet is available 48 hours after everything clears.10Horizon High School. Enrollment and Withdrawal Don’t count on walking out the same day with everything in hand.

What Happens to Records After You Submit

Once processed, your child’s status changes to withdrawn in the district database and the school assembles a withdrawal packet that usually includes recent report cards, transcripts, and other items from the student’s file.4Dr. Phillips High School. Dr. Phillips High – Student Withdrawal Process The new school uses these for grade placement and scheduling until official records arrive.

The sending school has three school days under Florida law to transfer the official records, which can include behavior reports and, where applicable, psychological evaluations.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 1003.25 – Procedures for Maintenance and Transfer of Student Records Under FERPA, schools may send education records to another school where the student is enrolling without a separate written consent; the enrollment itself satisfies the exception.11eCFR. 34 CFR 99.31 – Under What Conditions Is Prior Consent Not Required If the new school hasn’t received records within two weeks, call both schools.

If Your Child Has an IEP

If your child receives special education services, make sure the full IEP goes to the new school along with the standard records. The new school must provide comparable services while it reviews the file and decides whether to adopt the existing IEP or write a new one. Bring your own copy of the current IEP to registration so services don’t lapse while paperwork is in transit.

If You’re Switching to Home Education

Starting a home education program in Florida means an extra filing beyond the school withdrawal form. Within 30 days of starting, send a written notice to the Orange County superintendent, signed by the parent, that includes the full legal names, addresses, and birthdates of every child in the program.12The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 1002.41 – Home Education Programs

Once the program is running, you must keep a portfolio of educational activities and work samples for two years, make it available for the superintendent to inspect with 15 days’ written notice, and file an annual evaluation. Acceptable evaluations include a review by a Florida-certified teacher, a nationally normed achievement test, a state assessment, an evaluation by a licensed psychologist, or another tool agreed on with the superintendent.13Florida Senate. Florida Code 1002.41 – Home Education Programs If you later end the program, file a written termination notice with the superintendent within 30 days.

If Your Child Is 16 or Older

Compulsory attendance in Florida ends at 16. A student who has turned 16 may withdraw by filing a formal declaration of intent to terminate enrollment with the district school board. Both the student and the parent sign it, and the declaration must acknowledge that leaving school is likely to reduce the student’s earning potential.14The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 1003.21 – School Attendance

Before it’s finalized, a certified school counselor conducts an exit interview to walk through alternatives such as adult education, high school equivalency prep, or the Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Program. The student also fills out a state-prescribed survey about why they’re leaving. This process runs alongside the standard withdrawal form and involves additional paperwork at the district level.