Child Released-story from the parent

Hello,

It has been a fight and a half, but I just got a call from Dr. Mattie
Hampton at GRPS that she is releasing my son, Alex, to attend East Kentwood
next year.

Here's our story in a nutshell:
EK never sent our original request to GRPS because they were told all
requests would be categorically denied unless the student had already been
attending the receiving district.

Our second request was sent to GRPS, but quickly denied. I appealed and had
a meeting with GRPS reps on August 3rd. I was supposed to have had an
answer within 2 days, but that didn't happen. I finally did get the
response last Friday, that Dr. Hampton, Director of Community and Student
Services, was upholding the denial.

I immediately requested a face-to-face with her so that she could explain
exactly how she thought GRPS could meet my son's needs. She said she wanted
to bring in her curriculum people and someone from Kent Career & Technical
Center. I requested that the principal from City High, Dale Hovenkamp, also
attend since all along, they had tried to set up a meeting between him and
me to meet and tour City High, but he never made an attempt to call us to
make that appointment. (City High is the only GRPS High School that meets
AYP for No Child Left Behind.)

Dr. Hampton called me back later Friday and said that she didn't realize
that KCTC did not accept 9th graders so she had to do some other checking.
I got another call from her this morning and she admitted that GRPS could
not match the curriculum at EK and that our request for transfer was being
approved.

It should be known that I went into my appeal meeting very prepared. I had
a large 3-ring binder with all of the NCLB stats in it, information on EK's
Family and Consumer Science curriculum, and the FCCLA - Family, Career &
Community Leaders Association that EK's curriculum is affiliated with. I
had a several extras in there too and laid out a very organized argument,
but that information is what eventually won Alex's release. In between that
appeal meeting and now, I have been in close contact with the GRPS Student
Services offices. I called them regularly. Had I not kept on them, and
known my stuff through and through, this wouldn't have happened. I'm very
glad it did.

I just thought I'd let you know. It should not be this difficult to get an
appropriate education for our children but I am determined and tenacious
enough to make it happen for mine.

Editor's note: Thank you for sharing this important information! I know many are wondering how this actually goes. Doing your homework & persevering is key.