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Wednesday,
December 26, 2007
Open enrollment continues to affect local districts
by Karin L. Nauber
Our local districts still feel the affects of open enrollment.
Some have a more positive experience because more students are
coming in than going out. However, Eagle Valley Schools still
suffers from a larger number of students open enrolling out of
the district.
Open enrollment was introduced in 1987 under Governor Rudy Perpich
as a way for students seeking a better education to leave one
school for another, regardless of where they lived.
According to one Associated Press article published July 4, 2006
titled: High School League considers changes to open enrollment,
"The Department of Education does not ask why students transfer,
but it does count them. In the past three years, at least 10,000
students in grades 9-12 have used open enrollment to change schools."
That's just in Minnesota. Other states have been adopting an
open enrollment policy and the numbers have been increasing.
Also, according to this article, few students transfer because
of educational reasons. Many have transferred or do transfer
for athletic opportunities. This is part of what prompted the
Minnesota State High School League to implement some new eligibility
rules.
Following are the current open enrollment numbers for the Bertha-Hewitt,
Eagle Valley and Browerville school districts.
Bertha-Hewitt
In Out
Eagle Valley 50 5
Perham 0 1
Elk River 0 1
Minneapolis 1 0
Brainerd 2 1
Crosby-Ironton 1 0
Little Falls 1 0
Browerville 0 1
Parkers Prairie 8 9
Verndale 8 11
Sebeka 2 0
Wadena/Deer Creek 57 11
Staples-Motley 10 2
Long Prairie 2 0
Out of State 3 0
Total 145 42
Browerville
In Out
Eagle Valley 58 14
Eagle Valley to CTK 9 0
Osakis 1 0
Little Falls 12 2
Swanville 1 1
Bertha-Hewitt 1 0
Staples-Motley 64 0
West Central Area 1 0
Long Prairie 45 30
Brainerd 0 1
Parkers Prairie 0 1
Total 192 49
Eagle Valley
In Out
Alexandria 1 4
Bertha-Hewitt 0 50
Browerville 14 57
Christ the King 0 9
Long Prairie 13 24
Osakis 0 3
Wadena 3 0
Other 0 6
Total 31 153
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Open Enrollment
by the Numbers
(comparison to 2006)
Bertha-Hewitt 2006 2007
In 131 145
Out 65 42
Eagle Valley
In 44 31
Out 182 153
Browerville
In 173 192
Out 105 49
What it Means?
Open enrollment has risen to over 30,000 Minnesota students
electing to go to schools outside of their "home" districts.
For districts "losing" the students, it could mean
the difference between hiring another teacher or having to let
a teacher or program go.
Gain or Loss to the District
This is based on the positive number of open-enrolled students
at the per pupil formula allowance of $4974. There are also compensatory
amounts that are added based on if a student receives free or
reduced lunch, special education funds and calculations based
on the age of a student. These numbers can fluctuate widely and
are only given here as a base dollar amount for comparison.
Gain or Loss to the District 2006
Bertha-Hewitt $328,284 Gain
Eagle Valley $651,594 Loss
Browerville $537,192 Gain
Gain or Loss to the District 2007
Bertha-Hewitt $512,322 Gain
Eagle Valley $606,828 Loss
Browerville $711,282 Gain |
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