KISD audit article from the press

KISD Seeks Independent Audit on Student Transfers
Thursday, September 20, 2007By Dave MurrayThe Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- Kent County educators want the state Education Department to audit their school transfer policies as parents complain Grand Rapids administrators are preventing some students from attending suburban schools.

An independent auditor would determine whether local districts are following state laws, particularly for transfers outside the school choice plan, where schools can be selective in which students they accept from other districts.

Superintendent Kevin Konarska of the Kent Intermediate School District said he called for the review after a tense meeting last week between charter school parents and Grand Rapids Public Schools administrators.

Parents argued the city schools are unfairly preventing students who live in the city but never attended city schools from transferring to outlying high schools.

"There were questions raised, so we think it is appropriate to have an outsider come in, look at what everyone is doing and make sure they are following all the state guidelines," Konarska said.

The KISD oversees the choice program, which allows students to attend schools outside their home districts if the accepting district makes space available.

But children also can transfer as long as the home district releases the student and another accepts them -- a process county educators until this year recommended for students leaving charter and parochial schools.

Grand Rapids Superintendent Bernard Taylor said that transfer plan was intended only for special circumstances, and said he would not release students unless parents could prove their needs could not be met in the city schools.

This year, parents of 954 students requested their children be released from the district. Taylor denied 331 of the requests.

Taylor -- with strong support from his school board -- has said he expected other county superintendents to adhere to a similar process.
KISD seeks independent audit on student transfers
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But suburban districts have handled transfers differently.

Some superintendents, such as East Grand Rapids' Sara Shubel, allow the moves only when there are extenuating circumstances.

But others, such as Wyoming's Jon Felske and Rockford's Michael Shibler, said they grant releases to anyone who asks.

This year, Wyoming Public Schools released about as many students as it accepted through the transfer and choice plans.

"I sign off on 100 percent of them," Felske said of release requests. He estimated his district accepted 300 transfers in addition to the 150 students who came in through the choice plan.

"Why would I want an unhappy family in my schools? If someone thinks another district can better meet their needs, I'm not going to stand in their way."

Grand Rapids school officials said they welcome the audit but believe it should be the first step in a more in-depth study of the choice plan and its impact on districts.

Charter school advocates cheered the decision to seek outside help. Alisha Adrianese, Michigan Association of Public School Academies' West Michigan regional director, said local educators will see the inconsistencies of their actions.

"You can't have a system where one district releases everyone and another makes it impossible for people to leave," she said. "I think it's great that they want to study this."

Send e-mail to the author: dmurray@grpress.com