Post by doctorwho on Dec 6, 2009 9:54:30 GMT -6
"Our class sizes should only be getting bigger because of our community," Popp said.
what a load of hooey -- if class sizes are going up here it'sbecause they're cutting classes - because the population has been DECLINING for a few years now..Why does this admin continue to ignore that in public ( we know they know it's true because it is on their own official documents) - and try and convince people we are somehow still growing.
204 ought to be be happy 203 is investigating as they might get some population growth from this - more than a few people squirming now that live in parts of 204 sending their kids to 203 schools.
December 6, 2009
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
Officials in school districts 203 and 204 know they have among the best schools in Illinois.
Not only did a recent Chicago Sun-Times ranking of the top 100 schools in the state confirm that, officials are finding a growing number of parents in other school districts illegally sending their children to 203 and 204 schools.
PAYING THE PIPER
Parents caught sending their children to an out-of-district school are billed for tuition. In District 203, that is $56.26 per child per day attending classes in the district. That amount is based on the cost to educate a pupil in the district. To educate a pupil for the year, it costs the district $9,790. The daily tuition is the amount divided by 174 school days. To help with an increase of such cases, administrators in Naperville School District 203 recently told the school board they will be using a private investigator to verify residency.
"It's the first time we've done so on a wide scale," said Melanie Raczkiewicz, associate superintendent for operations.
Right now, District 203 has six cases with National Investigations, Inc, and is investigating another six on its own. During the last few years, the number of cases has increased, Raczkiewicz said.
"Once it gets out there in the community that (we're investigating), it kind of spreads like wildfire, and you get more anonymous tips," she added.
Those attending the school illegally -- it's a misdemeanor to falsify residency -- come from the surrounding area. The farthest anyone has traveled is about 15 miles, Raczkiewicz said.
School officials cite a variety of reasons people fake their residency. There might have been a change in family status. The student might have played on a summer baseball team with kids who attend Naperville schools and wanted to be with friends. Maybe the district is close to the parent's work or the student's day care.
But in most cases, it's all about quality of education.
"It's the things Naperville 203 offers," Raczkiewicz said. "I've never been told anything other than that."
In Indian Prairie District 204, officials last year used a private investigator for 12 cases, said Mike Popp, school improvement and planning director.
"Actually, we've been using a private investigator for many years, going back to when I was principal at Neuqua," he said. "I would call the board office and ask that they get a particular student's name on the list for the private eye."
So far this year, he has investigated about a half a dozen cases, but none has required the assistance of a P.I.
The district has seen a variety of methods used by parents to falsify residency, but school officials declined to offer examples so as not to give anyone tips.
"The bottom line is, it's falsifying your residency for the purpose of accessing an educational program," Raczkiewicz said. "It takes away from the taxpayers."
Officials also declined to specify how they catch those perpetuating the falsehood. In District 203, the private investigator -- who charges $65 an hour -- uses surveillance and searches databases the district cannot access.
Districts are alerted to cases in a variety of ways, from returned mail to tips from taxpayers. Falsifying residency not only cheats taxpayers, it can affect the classroom environment.
"Our class sizes should only be getting bigger because of our community," Popp said.
It's also a matter of fairness.
"Our community members are not allowed school choice depending on boundaries, so to allow people from outside ... it has a pretty significant effect," said Linda Rakestraw, assistant superintendent of secondary leadership services for District 204.
In some cases, the parent might own property within the district but the family lives elsewhere. Still, the only residence that matters is the "fixed nighttime abode."
"It has to be where you rest your head every night," Raczkiewicz said. "A person can only have one place of residency."
Those who are caught are informed they must leave the district, and they are billed for tuition. (See breakout) In District 203, that is $56.26 per child per day, based on the cost to educate a pupil in the district.
"Many people, as soon as we confront it, they basically flee. They know there's going to be some ramifications," Raczkiewicz said.
The district will pursue collection of the tuition owed if need be. Raczkiewicz said, adding that schools have "become very aggressive" in the last year."
In District 203, the only exception to the residency rule is if the student will be moving into the district within 60 calendar days from the time of enrollment. The family must pay tuition, though. And a signed contract or lease must be presented to verify the student will, in fact, be moving into the district.
"They're paying $565.26 per day per child, so it's hefty," Raczkiewicz said. "The board made it more stringent two years ago. It's really only intended to help some in transition of moving here."
Along with cheating the taxpayers out of services they are paying for, the students' lives are uprooted when parents are confronted.
"The children," Raczkiewicz said, "are the ones stuck in the middle."