Pattonville School District reverses policy on transfer students : News
Pattonville School District reverses policy on transfer students : News
Pattonville School District reverses policy on transfer students
2013-07-08T17:07:00Z Pattonville School District reverses policy on transfer students stltoday.com
Pattonville Superintendent Mike Fulton notified parents Monday that the school district's policy regarding transfer students from unaccredited districts has changed.
Rather than refuse enrollment unless one year's tuition has been paid upfront, the district will follow guidelines set by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on enrolling students from unaccredited districts. The Missouri Supreme Court upheld last month a law that allows students from an unaccredited district to transfer to another school in the same or an adjoining county.
In June, the Pattonville School Board adopted a policy that required one year's tuition for any transferring student. That decision was in response to “poor payment history for students who transferred to other districts from the former Wellston School District under this same law,” Fulton wrote. “It took several years to finalize payments for the four students who transferred to Pattonville from Wellston.”
Later that week, the state guidelines directed school districts to bill unaccredited districts – Normandy and Riverview Gardens – for tuition only after students were enrolled and attending class.
The Pattonville School Board changed the policy on July 3. State guidelines also say that the Missouri education department would withhold funds from failing school districts and use the money for tuition if those districts fall behind in their bills.
“If tuition isn't received for more than two months and DESE doesn't follow its guarantee, transferring students will no longer be able to attend classes in Pattonville,” Fulton wrote in his letter.
Rather than refuse enrollment unless one year's tuition has been paid upfront, the district will follow guidelines set by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on enrolling students from unaccredited districts. The Missouri Supreme Court upheld last month a law that allows students from an unaccredited district to transfer to another school in the same or an adjoining county.
In June, the Pattonville School Board adopted a policy that required one year's tuition for any transferring student. That decision was in response to “poor payment history for students who transferred to other districts from the former Wellston School District under this same law,” Fulton wrote. “It took several years to finalize payments for the four students who transferred to Pattonville from Wellston.”
Later that week, the state guidelines directed school districts to bill unaccredited districts – Normandy and Riverview Gardens – for tuition only after students were enrolled and attending class.
The Pattonville School Board changed the policy on July 3. State guidelines also say that the Missouri education department would withhold funds from failing school districts and use the money for tuition if those districts fall behind in their bills.
“If tuition isn't received for more than two months and DESE doesn't follow its guarantee, transferring students will no longer be able to attend classes in Pattonville,” Fulton wrote in his letter.