The Goodrich School Board voted 4 to 3 on Wednesday night to continue their participation in the Genesee Intermediate School District collaborative schools of choice program rather than change to the section 105 state program.
Trustees Bertrand, Tetmeyer and Engelman voted for the change to the state program. Trustees Jackson, Thorp, and Zirnhelt along with Board President Tripp voted against the change.
The current county-wide schools of choice program 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.
If the board would have approved the state 105 program, Goodrich could accept students from anywhere and would also allow the district to have more schools of choice students.
‘The motion lacks community support,? Tripp said. ‘There are real tax issues.?
‘The advantages are a removal of the limitations on number of students and increased revenue.?
‘The disadvantage is you are bringing in students rom 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.?
The issue of schools of choice was discussed at the March 23 board meeting, boardmembers chose to table the subject until a future meeting to give themselves more time to examine the issue.
Since that time, boardmembers received an array of comments from residents. Many locals were concerned about the estimated 100 forclosed homes in the district prompting a decline in school enrollment thus making room in the district.
Trustee James Bertrand who voted for the change said the issue of schools of choice come up each has come up year after year.
‘We are all being hypocritical. We have 119 schools of choice students right now,? said Bertrand. ‘Those students mean $860,000 for the district. We have an opportunity to move our economics forward. 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??
Bertrand said that while these students? parents wouldn’t be helping with the bond, the per-pupil funding they would provide 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 Carman-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.