Schools nix tuition in light of tax change

Jul 26, 2010 — Kokomo Tribune

Danielle Rush

Jul. 23, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- KOKOMO -- Before this school year, parents either sent their children to the school district they lived in, or paid hefty tuition for them to attend a different school.

However, once school funding was removed from property taxes in January 2010, it opened the door for students to attend schools outside their own district.

In Howard County, Eastern, Kokomo, Northwestern and Taylor schools have eliminated transfer tuition fees for students who enroll before the official student count day in September, while Western has dropped tuition to $100 per semester. All hope to attract more students, and more state money, by eliminating or reducing the fees.

Most schools require transferring students be on grade level, have a good attendance record at the previous school and have no serious discipline problems.

There are few rules limiting what factors schools can consider in admitting out of district students, according to Lauren Auld, press secretary for the Indiana Department of Education.

She said, though, the district could not discriminate against potential students based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability or other protected classes. Other than that, criteria for admission to students who live outside the district is a local decision.

"There's no entitlement to attend a school other than in the school corporation of legal settlement," she said.

She said a parent whose child is denied admission to another school based on its criteria for admission, depending on its nature, "might have an actionable claim, but it would all be fact-sensitive."

Schools receive state funding based on the number of students attending on Sept. 17, the official count day, so students who transfer to another district after that time would still have to pay tuition.

Since eliminating or reducing tuition, school superintendents have reported approximately 180 students have applied to transfer to Eastern, Northwestern and Western school corporations, and the superintendents say the majority are leaving Kokomo-Center Schools.

David Barnes, Kokomo-Center Schools public relations consultant, said the corporation has not seen a significant number of its students leaving to attend other public schools. He said true numbers of those leaving and those who enroll from outside the district won't be known until after school starts.

Kokomo Superintendent Jeff Hauswald said he's had inquiries from people interested in enrolling their children in the Kokomo schools. He said the district needs to do a better job communicating its successes to the community and parents, to let them know good things are happening in the district.

He said, for example, that people need to know that not only does Kokomo High School have a large number of Advanced Placement classes, but that students are earning AP Scholars honors for their outstanding AP test scores.

He said any student who applies to attend Kokomo-Center Schools will be admitted, and he will not permit any recruiting from other schools. He hopes leaders in the other area districts will do the same.

Hauswald said he thinks parents will be attracted to the district by its diversity and its outstanding programs, including the AP classes, career center, and gifted-and-talented education program. He said there will be new, unique programs coming soon as part of the reorganization that he thinks will bring in even more new students.

Barnes said Kokomo-Center Schools "are very competitive because we offer a quality public education with diverse opportunities for all students."

He said officials have not seen a significant number of students living in the Kokomo district while attending other public schools.

"In the long run, we believe Kokomo-Center Schools will benefit from the elimination of transfer tuition for all students."

Western Superintendent Peter O'Rourke thinks Kokomo's consolidation may be driving some parents out of that district.

"I think a lot of people are worried about these closings of schools and all those things Kokomo has done. They're more worried than they need to be. People get afraid of changing, of a long bus ride or a different school, and they panic. We're getting a lot of applications from Kokomo for that reason."

He said Western officials have received about 60 applications so far for transfer students, and have approved some at the high school, where enrollment tends to be steadier.

He said other grade-level decisions won't be made until after fall registration, to avoid bringing in too many students and overcrowding classrooms.

O'Rourke said when principals determine which students to accept, they look at the students' report cards, attendance records, deportment records and ISTEP scores. Each one is stamped with a date received, and students are placed in order received.

Taylor and Eastern both have put up billboards and advertised their schools since eliminating transfer tuition, while Western has also purchased newspaper advertising.

Northwestern Superintendent Ryan Snoddy said the board has approved more than 70 transfer students for the upcoming school year, but "we have not advertised, put up billboards, or poached students in any manner."

He said the students come from area schools, and their reasons for transferring are "extremely varied and diverse."

Snoddy said principals look at a child's prior academic record, including test scores, when considering students for admission.

Eastern has received 55 requests, Superintendent Tracy Caddell said, up 24 from last year. He said transfer students must be in good standing, on grade level or earning credits to graduate, and have no significant discipline referrals.

"Other than that, they qualify, as long as class sizes are not too large," he said, adding that each class averages around 100 students.

Taylor Superintendent John Magers said he won't see the results of opening up to transfer students until school starts Aug. 12, though he may see early indicators during registration Aug. 4 and 5.

He said principals review academic and discipline background of students before admitting them, but "that is not to say that a child who does not initially meet our expectations will be denied a transfer, because there are some students who recommit themselves to excellence and deserve a second chance. The bottom line is that Taylor is interested in students who meet our expectations and high standards."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0280-47275149