This from the Times Tribune:
Angry Knox County parents are developing an “action plan” to fight the Knox school board’s recent decision to end the reciprocal agreement that allowed county students to attend Corbin schools at no cost. They’ve created a Facebook page — 260 members and growing — and have dubbed themselves Knox Parents for Corbin Schools. But during a Monday planning meeting, parents had varying viewpoints on how they can legally challenge the board’s decision, and some were misinformed on their rights when it comes to school choice.
The meeting was held at Grace on the Hill Church, organized by parents Dr. Paul Cooney and Pat Evans, and publicized by word-of-mouth and text messages. The parents are asking the Knox board to reconsider its repeal of the Corbin reciprocal agreement — a move that means the 169 children in the Knox district who attend Corbin schools will have to pay a $1,200 annual tuition to continue schooling at Corbin.
More than 150 people signed a petition at the meeting Monday opposing Knox’s decision.
“We feel this decision will harm children educationally, socially, and mentally,” the petition reads. “Furthermore, it will have negative ramifications on property values in the west Knox area. We ask you, the Knox County school board, to reconsider this
decision.”
Cooner also gave out school board members’ home and cell phone numbers, and provided sample statements for parents to express their displeasure with the board when they call.
David Cole, public relations director for Knox County schools, said the school board is expecting a large turnout for its 6:30 p.m. Tuesday meeting at the board annex building on Daniel Boone Drive in Barbourville. The district is prepared to relocate to the Knox County Middle School gym, but the move will only take place if too many people crowd the annex; residents should show up at the annex before assuming the
meeting will be moved, Cole said.
Six representatives of Knox Parents for Corbin Schools will have a total of 30 minutes to speak about the reciprocal agreement, Cole said. “They’ll not be taking any additional comments from the floor,” he said, adding that Knox Superintendent Walter T. Hulett was preparing a slideshow presentation explaining the board’s vote.
STATE FUNDING
In an article printed in Saturday’s Times-Tribune, Knox officials cited a six-figure revenue loss for the district in their reasoning for the vote.
For the current school year, the state pays school districts a base amount of $3,866 per-student in SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) funding, though Lisa Gross, spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education, said the actual amount of state money allocated to each district may vary due to how the funding formula works.
The state is paying $4,153 for each Corbin Independent student and $4,913 for each Knox County student, Gross said.
While 32 Corbin students attend Knox schools, 169 Knox students go to Corbin, representing a net loss of 137 students (and the SEEK funding attached to them) for Knox County.
Gross said the SEEK funding follows students when they attend an out-of-district school only when the two districts have a reciprocal agreement.
Without an agreement, Corbin stands to lose $4,153 for each Knox district student attending Corbin schools, gaining only $1,200 in tuition. Knox stands to gain $4,913 for every student who stays in district for the first time...
3 comments:
This entire article dovetails nicely with the Charter school issue.
It seems to me, public school districts are more interested in the money than in education.
Logically, if a district doesn't have to enroll a kid, they shouldn't miss the SEEK money.
Sorry. I don't get the connection.
Are you thinking that parents should be able to pick whatever school they want (charter or otherwise) for their children and the school should have to take them no matter what?
That isn't going to happen in any system - including with charters.
Did you mean something else?
This is a historical problem. For reasons of choice some Corbin families have been allowed to choose Knox Co for their kids while a larger number Knox Co parents chose Corbin. Folks were happy with their choices. Now that the budget is tight the county is rethinking their position. This is upsetting a bunch of folks who may see their children's education disrupted.
In an adequately funded system, the issue would never have come up and parents would have been able to maintain the choice options already permitted in the public system.
"More interested in the money than an education" is a ridiculous notion. It's not like school officials get to spend "profits" on themselves, like say, a for-profit charter school operator might be allowed to do.
I'm not against charters for low performing schools. But some of the rationale being offered in support of them just doesn't make sense. I hope I misunderstood where you were going with this.
Thanks for the comment.
Sorry I wasn't clear. I wasn't trying to make any connections to school choice.
I was saying districts are often against charter schools because they don't want to lose the funding for the child. Just like Knox Co. does not want to lose funding for kids going to Corbin.
But theoretically, if a child isn't in a district, the district doesn't have the expense of teaching that child so they shouldn't miss the money.
"It's not like school officials get to spend "profits" on themselves," -- of course they get chances to spend the "profits" on themselves. Trips to conventions, new computers, new staff positions so they have less work to do. Why else does Knox Co want more enrollment unless they have "profits" left over after educating that new child.
And thank you for the blog.
Post a Comment