In France, as in other countries, students wishing to enroll in a public school, of the National Education, are allocated an establishment according to their place of residence. If this assignment is not suitable, for personal, professional or medical reasons, parents can request a school exemption in order to enroll their child in the establishment of their choice. But under certain conditions.

A little history

It was in 1963 that this “school card” was put in place in France by Christian Fouchet, then Minister of Education. The country was then in a strong dynamic of construction and this map allowed the National Education to distribute the schools equitably according to the number of students, their ages and the means of teaching necessary on the territory.

The school map originally had no function linked to social or educational mix and other countries such as Japan, Sweden or Finland did the same.

The objective was binary:

• access to education for all children in the territory;
• the distribution of teaching posts.

This sectorization also allows the National Education to plan the opening and closing of classes according to the expected number of students. Some departments, such as Loire Atlantique, have seen their school population increase while, in other departments, it is a demographic decline that is taking place. The school map therefore changes from year to year.

When did social and educational diversity appear?

This question appeared soon after because some families, noting the differences in exam success depending on the establishment, or wishing their children to stay in their close social environment, quickly asked for exemptions to choose their establishment.

Equal access to education was therefore very real, but in fact the establishments themselves have become signs of social success. For example, the Sorbonne University is known the world over. And on a CV, that’s already an asset.

Until 2008, the reasons for requesting an exemption were:

• professional obligations of parents;
• medical reasons;
• prolongation of schooling in the same establishment, after a move;
• enrollment in an establishment in the city where a brother or sister is already attending school.

The diversion of these grounds were quickly found by the families:

• purchase of housing in the desired area;
• domiciling their child with a family member residing in the area of ​​affection of the chosen establishment;
• choice of a rare option (Chinese, Russian) present only in certain establishments.

The law also indicates that schools must first accommodate students who reside in their sector and second requests for exemption.

Housing located in areas in high demand, have seen their prices soar. This is the case, for example, of the 5th arrondissement which thus has a premium due to the presence of the Henri-IV college.

Today, the reasons for exemptions and the necessary supporting documents are:

• pupil with a disability – Decision of the Commission for Rights and Autonomy (notification sent by the MDPH);
• pupil benefiting from significant medical care near the requested establishment – Medical certificate;
• student likely to be a scholarship holder – Last notice of taxation or non-taxation and certificate from CAF;
• reunification of siblings – Certificate of education;
• student whose home, at the edge of the service area, is close to the desired establishment – Family mail, 
• council tax notice, tax notice or non-taxation notice;
• in the event of a recent or future move: notarial deeds of real estate purchase or vehicle registration document indicating the new address or CAF service statement indicating the new address;
• pupil who must follow a particular educational path;
• other reasons – Family mail.

Depending on the age of the student, the request will be made to:

• in nursery and primary schools: municipal councils (L212-7 of the education code) when municipalities have several schools;
• at the college: the General Council (L213-1 of the education code);
• in high school: the Dasen, Academic Director of the National Education Services.

This request must be made before registering the child in the desired establishment.

The dedicated document is called ” School card flexibility form “. It is to be collected from the direction of the departmental services of national education of the place of residence.

Parents should contact the establishment chosen because, depending on the case, this request is submitted to the pupil’s school or to the direction of the departmental services of national education of the place of residence.

In some departments, the request is made directly online on the website of the departmental services of national education.