July 31, 2008
Richmond Public Schools Considers Changes to Open Enrollment Policy
The Richmond School Board is proposing changing open enrollment procedures and out-of-zone enrollment for all Richmond Public Schools. The new proposal actually allows principals to pull a student out of their existing school with 5 days notice! Without regard to how long the child has been enrolled at the school, and they may have been there for years. Why would this happen? In a school like Mary Munford in the Near West End, each year students try to get in from their home school through a lottery. But if the neighborhood suddenly has an influx of children of a certain age, and there is a shortage of spaces, the in zone kids would get priority. What are your thoughts?
Check out the discussion over at the North Richmond News. School Board reps Carol Wolf and Kim Bridges have weighed in on the matter, and they are looking for feedback from parents who might be affected by the changes.
Carol Wolf mentions, this policy would add a huge amount if instability to a school system that needs as much stability as possible.
Jonah,
Regarding school choice, check out the discussion here http://chpn.net/news/2008/07/30/west-joins-school-choice-organization/ .
West just joined a group of extremists wanting to dismantle public education.
Because of the high taxes living in the city, I would be shocked if an out of district student took a spot my child should have. I don’t think kids who have been in a school for years should be removed, but at the same time I can’t imagine a student in zone not having space to attend the school they are closest to. A lot of people choose homes close to the schools they want to utilize and it would be unfair to deny them a spot in favor of a child in another district. I wish Henrico county schools were more open to out of district students for junior high and high school like Richmond is for elementary.
I don’t think anyone is talking about keeping an in-zone child out of a school that is their neighborhood school. That would never happen.
The question is, could schools let out-of-zone kids who they don’t have room for anymore know during the summer months if they cannot return due to lack of space? And, if there are extra students who move in-zone mid-year, can the schools manage the extra few pupils until then end of the school year.
Absolutely. The short notice is absurd.
Anneli & Jonah_H,
I share your concerns and will vigorously make them known to the full SB Committee and Board. For the sake of clarity, the entire City of Richmond constitutes “the district.” The various school zones and megazones are lines that are determined by the school board.
Jonah,
The 5 day provision is NOT a change–that’s what’s been on the out of zone and special permission application forms this year and in past years. So far, we haven’t heard negative reports from the past from either principals or out of zone families. My speculation is that principals have been able to manage last minute enrollment projections so that they haven’t had space issues that late in the process. BUT if the short time frame has been problematic, this is exactly when we can fix it.
The biggest change in the proposed policy is the elimination of megazones so that there is no preference for out of zone students based on geography. A student from the East End would have an equal chance for Munford admission as one from the Northside and so on. Input on that change is welcome and we’ll have principal responses to inform the discussion at my next committee meeting–parents welcome too of course–on 8/28 at 11:30.
Sorry, shouldn’t say “my” committee. I’m the chair of the Legal, Legislation, Policy and Communications committee that’s been working on the open enrollment issue since last December but that mouthful of a committee certainly isn’t mine alone! The committee hopes to have the process finalized for the school board to approve in September. Any changes would be reflected in out of zone applications for the 2009/2010 school year.
Erasing megazone lines is a move in the right direction. Thank you. This will encourage the lower and middle classes to stay put and help blighted communities flourish.