Guidelines for enrollment of nonresident students for the 2013-2014 school year at Harlan Independent School District (HISD) were approved during a special called meeting on Monday.
“Currently we have 250 students who are enrolled, along with tuition students, employees’ children and those other groups,” said Superintendent David Johnson. “Next year we have to go down to 225 students. Right now, we are scheduled to graduate 27 students. What that means is, out of 250 take away 27, which leaves you with 223 and a couple of slots open for folks that may be able to get in a slot where they pay $50 tuition. There are only two slots.”
Johnson said one unknown is if the district will have a loss of students from layoffs. He said it will be about two months before those numbers are known.
“We currently have eight students who enrolled as tuition students first semester,” said Johnson. “We currently have enrolled, coming into the district next year, is a sibling of a K-12 student, which will be a priority four. Priority five is Sunshine Pre-school students and we have six of those students currently enrolled. Priority six is tuition students who enrolled second semester, and we have eight of those. We don’t know how many other tuition students will come in yet. If everything were to play out as it is today, using our priorities, we will still have four slots available for tuition students.”
Johnson said the first payment for tuition, in the amount of $500, is scheduled to be paid between July 1 and July 14. If payment is not made, students will lose their spot on the tuition list and then move on down the tuition list to who is listed next.
“This is a whole new situation we have never been in before where we could potentially have to tell people they can’t come to school here,” said Johnson. “In my career, this has never happened. I can see the impact it is having on families and I see their concerns.”
The approved contact reads as follows: Priority one: Up to 225 nonresident students enrolled in grades K-12 in the HISD no later than the date of the contract agreement with the Harlan County School District (HCSD). This number doesn’t include those exceptions for siblings and children of employees as specified in the contract with HCSD. Priority on the 225 slots will be based on enrollment date in HISD. Any students currently enrolled who will exceed the 225 slots in 2013-14 will be charged tuition until a slot is available at which time they will be given an open slot in order of enrollment date as a nonresident student.
Priority two: 2012-13 employees’ children who have parent(s) laid off due to staff reduction will be given first available slot(s). These children are defined as students who were on the $50 tuition list prior to their parent being hired and then were moved to the employee list as a result of their parent’s employment at HISD. This does not include students of parents whose employment with the district is terminated or who make the decision to leave their job. Students of former employees who for reasons other than being laid off due to staff reduction will have the same status as all other nonresident students as described in priority seven.
Priority three: $1,500 tuition paying students who were enrolled by the first day of the second semester of 2012-13. These students must have paid their tuition bill and be in good standing financially.
Priority four: Siblings of students currently enrolled in grades K-12 in HISD other than those covered by the nonresident contract with HCSD. These students must declare their intent by May 3, 2013. After that date no priority will be given.
Priority five: Sunshine Preschool, including those who were enrolled by the first day of the second semester of 2012-13. These students must have paid their tuition bill and be in good standing financially. These students must declare their intent by May 3, 2013. After that date, no priority will be given.
Priority six: Pro-rated K-12 tuition and Sunshine Preschool tuition paying students, who enrolled after the first day of the second semester of 2012-13. These students must have paid their tuition bill and be in good standing financially. These students will be listed in order of their enrollment date in the district.
Priority seven: When all 225 slots are full, up to 25 nonresident students may still choose to enroll if there are open slots and pay the tuition fee of $1,500. Slots that open up during the school year will be offered to non-contract students in order of their registration date and time.
Also listed in the guidelines, “if a resident student moves out of the district in 2013-14, they will become a nonresident student and will have the same status as all other nonresident students. Any nonresident student enrolling prior to May 3, 2013 will be considered within the priorities above. After that date, no priority will be given. A student must be K-12 eligible for the 2013-14 school year to be placed on a list for available open slots. Siblings as specified in priority four are those children who are not siblings of the students included on the commissioner’s list as specified in the nonresident student contract with the HCSD. This document is valid for 2013-14 school year only. Priorities are reviewed and voted on by the Harlan Independent School Board annually and could be subject to change each year.”
Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510, ext. 115, nsizemore@civitasmedia.com
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