The Goodrich School Board is considering a change in the schools of choice program it participates in.
During the March 23 board meeting, boardmembers chose to table the subject until the April 20 meeting to give themselves more time to examine whether they want to continue their participation in the Genesee Intermediate School District collaborative schools of choice program or change to the section 105 state program.
Acting Superintendent Larry Allen recommended approving remaining with the GISD collaborative, a county-wide schools of choice program which limits the number of students accepted to 1 percent of the total student population per year, as well as how many students are released, protecting districts from losing 5 percent of their populations to neighboring districts.
Allen questioned how opting out of the current program to the state 105 program would change the demographics of the district.
‘We’re not prepared for the political aspect of the schools of choice program… and the effect of open enrollment,? he said. ‘There is a possibility that as the population changes, we would not be an icon anymore. I want to make sure you’re aware of all the consequences.?
Trustee James Bertrand noted the issue has come up year after year.
‘The revenue (from schools of choice students) has made a tremendous impact and we would be wrong to ignore it,? he said. ‘All we’re talking about is, do we want to limit it to 1 percent or open it to other districts??
The state 105 program, said Board President Michael Tripp, would allow Goodrich to accept students from anywhere and would also allow the district to have more schools of choice students.
‘The advantages are a removal of the limitations on number of students and increased revenue,? Tripp said. ‘The disadvantage is you are bringing in students from out of the area. Local taxpayers through the bonding process have built the facilities and now you’re bringing non-local students to utilize these facilities.?
Bertrand said that while these students? parents wouldn’t be helping with the bond, the per-pupil funding they would bring would help pay for the heat in the buildings, as well as teachers in those buildings.
Currently, Goodrich has 75 students enrolled through the GISD schools of choice program? 32 from Grand Blanc, 22 from Davison, nine from Lakeville, six from Atherton, three from Carmen-Ainsworth, two from Bendle and one from Lake Fenton. In 2009-10, the district will accept 22 more students through this program. Additionally, Goodrich participates in the section 105c program, which allows them to accept schools of choice students from any intermediate school district contiguous to Genesee County. In the 105c program, there are 43 schools of choice students? 17 from Brandon, 17 from Lapeer, eight from Holly, and one from Avondale.
Schools of choice is lucrative? Goodrich receives $7,316 in per pupil funding from the state, equating to $863,288 in revenue for the entire district from these students this year.