School transfer requests total 1,821

Low-income students submitted about one-quarter of the open enrollment applications received by learning community school districts as of Monday's filing deadline.

Districts reported receiving a total of 1,821 applications. Of those, 481 indicated the applicant qualified for federal school lunch subsidies.

Applications had to be hand-delivered or postmarked by Monday at 5 p.m. Officials in the 11 districts expect to receive more applications in the mail this week.

Every district in the learning community received some applications. Millard Public Schools reported receiving the most of any district, 533, of which 85 were for low-income students. Douglas County West Community Schools received the least, 10, half low income.

Omaha Public Schools received 56, with 13 for low-income students.

Unless districts receive a large number of applications by mail, the numbers show that the learning community council will have its work cut out to reach the socioeconomic diversity target for member schools.

Under open enrollment, parents in Douglas and Sarpy Counties may voluntarily apply to send their children to any public elementary, middle or high school in the two counties, if there's room, subject to rules designed to foster socioeconomic diversity.

The goal is to alter enrollment in every learning community school to reflect the overall balance of higher-income and lower-income students in the learning community. This year, the learning community overall has 40 percent low-income students.

Transfers are prioritized. First are siblings of students who will be enrolled as continuing students in the school. Then come students who contribute to the socioeconomic diversity of the school — that is, the mix of affluent and poor kids. Last is everyone else.

Learning community council member Lorraine Chang said her expectations were low for this first year. This year's participation will set the baseline for growing the number of applications in future years, she said.

Because the new education cooperative was still writing rules for the open enrollment plan in December, the council had little time to promote the new transfer system, she said.

“With more lead time, there can be more creativity and more fun,” Chang said.

She said she expects the learning community council to make a more aggressive effort in the coming year to showcase the special programs offered by learning community school districts.

She said the learning community will also have to contend with the reality that parents favor neighborhood schools.

George Conrad, superintendent of the Douglas County West schools, said the remote location of his district may have kept applications down this year, despite what he said are his district's high academic standards and expectations for students.

As of Monday's deadline, the remaining districts reported the following totals: Bennington, 35; Bellevue, 303; Elkhorn, 142; Gretna, 11; Papillion-La Vista, 156; Ralston, 98; South Sarpy, 13; and Westside, 465.

Parents could apply to more than one district, so the number of applications may exceed the number of children actually seeking transfers.

Districts must notify parents whose application has been approved by April 5. Parents must accept the slot by April 25 or lose it.

Contact the writer:

444-1077, joe.dejka@owh.com

« Metro/Region

Share