More than 100 students living outside Denton school district boundaries have registered to attend classes here since the district’s new open enrollment policy took effect this fall.

The schools seeing the most transfers are those offering International Baccalaureate programs — Newton Rayzor Elementary School, Calhoun Middle School and Denton High School — district spokeswoman Sharon Cox said.

Newton Rayzor and Denton High each have enrolled 15 nondistrict students; Calhoun Middle School has six.

Of the 107 total student transfers recorded at district schools under the open enrollment policy, and excluding those participating in IB programs, about five to six students have registered for classes at each of the campuses throughout the district, Cox said.

The enrollment figures do not include the 146 part-time out-of-district students attending classes at the LaGrone Advanced Technology Complex, she said.

School board members in May modified the district’s admissions policy to allow nondistrict students to attend Denton schools tuition-free where space is available — a move that school officials say will generate additional state funding for the district.

Board members will revisit the policy annually to decide if the tuition-free transfer policy remains viable, school officials said.

Students transferring into the district under the new policy must reapply for enrollment annually and are being considered for transfer based on disciplinary and attendance history as well as academic standing.

Under the policy, the district allows students currently living in the district who move out of district boundaries during the course of a semester to complete the semester. They would then have the option to apply as a transfer student.

Prior to the May approval, Denton only accepted tuition-free transfer students who were children of employees or who were enrolled in special programs such as the ATC, deaf education and the IB program.

Cox said there is no predetermined number of students the district will accept from outside school boundaries and that district officials will continue to track the number of students transferring to Denton.

“We just wanted to make our programs available to students where space is available,” she said. “I think we’re pleased with these early numbers that show a lot of students from our outlying districts are interested in coming to school here.”

BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com.