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For six years, a thick, black line has separated Papillion-La Vista's two high schools. Students living, generally, on the north side of Papillion Creek became Monarchs. Those living south of the line became Titans.
Transfers across that line were granted “very rarely,” Papillion-La Vista Superintendent Rick Black said.
But a new student-transfer policy would gray that line, allowing for the first time a limited number of voluntary transfers between the district's high schools, junior highs and elementary schools.
The policy change, unveiled Monday night for the school board, is a direct response from Papillion-La Vista to the coming of state-mandated open enrollment, the new school-choice plan that takes effect next year in the learning community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
Under open enrollment, students in the 11 learning community school districts will be allowed to apply to any other school in any learning community district, with free transportation for those who contribute to state targets for socioeconomic diversity. Papillion-La Vista's new transfer policy would extend the same school choices to taxpayers who live within the district's boundaries.
“We're not going to allow it from the outside and then tell our own parents they can't,” said district spokeswoman Annette Eyman.
District officials had feared that without the change, a nonresident student could apply to a particular school, but a student living within the district could not. The school board will formally adopt the new policy in January.
Like all learning community districts, Papillion-La Vista would approve transfers within its own district before considering open-enrollment transfers from other districts. Residents would have to apply for transfers within the district by Feb. 16. The open-enrollment deadline is March 15.
The district would prioritize transfers using the same criteria as open enrollment. First priority would go to the siblings of students already enrolled at a school. Next would be students who help achieve socioeconomic diversity.
After that, a lottery would decide who gets in.
District officials don't expect a rush of transfers between Papillion-La Vista High and Papillion-La Vista South High, but they do expect some students to move.
The district would limit the number of transfers using enrollment capacity at each school, which takes into account future growth and teaching staff. The district currently projects having room for 45 transfer students at Papillion-La Vista High School, 27 at Papillion-La Vista South, 19 at La Vista Junior High and nine at Papillion Junior High. At elementary schools, availability would depend on individual classroom capacity.
The district would not provide transportation for in-district transfers. Only open-enrollment transfers who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch or help meet socioeconomic targets would qualify for transportation. The goal of open enrollment is to mix low-income and affluent students in hopes of improving academic achievement for disadvantaged children.
The learning community council is scheduled to approve final open-enrollment rules Thursday, when it adopts a diversity plan for member school districts.
Contact the writer:
444-1077, joe.dejka@owh.com
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