(Editor’s Note: the St. Michael-Albertville School District released the following statement regarding open enrollment).
The St. Michael-Albertville School Board is reviewing its policies regarding open enrollment. Specifically, the School Board is studying the capacity of the high school and future high school enrollment.
The School Board is seeking input from parents, community members and elected city officials. No timeline for a decision has been set as discussions are preliminary.
1. Why are the administration and School Board considering a change that would limit open enrollment?
The STMA High School building capacity is 2,000 students with projected enrollment of over 2,100 students in four years. By state law, enrollment of non-resident students may be limited to the building capacity of schools in the district by state law. The school board may limit open enrollment by grade level, setting the limit no lower than one percent of the total enrollment at each grade level in the district; OR the school board may limit the number of district residents at that grade level to no less than those enrolled in a nonresident district.
2. What are the changes being considered?
No specific changes are being considered at this time as the School Board is gathering information and input from parents, community members and elected city officials.
However, one option used in other school districts is to cap enrollment by grade level. If applied to STMA’s 2016-17 enrollment, grade level caps would affect only grades four through nine in order to maintain high school enrollment within building capacity for future years. Enrollment in other grades is well below grade level caps that may be selected.
3. What happens to open enrolled students already enrolled in STMA?
A student enrolled in the statewide open enrollment program may remain enrolled until graduation, unless they are terminated due to chronic truancy. There is no effect on students who are currently open enrolled into STMA. Any changes in policies would only apply to new applications for students not currently enrolled in ISD 885.
4. What about kindergartners and new students who have already been approved for open enrollment beginning with the 2016-17 school year?
There is no effect on students who have been accepted for open enrollment into the district beginning with the 2016-17 school year. They will attend STMA. It is anticipated that kindergarten will continue to be open for open enrolled students in future years.
5. What about siblings of children who are open enrolled into STMA?
The current law allows school districts to give preference to siblings who apply for open enrollment. There is space available for students in 2016-17 grades K-3 and 10-12. It is possible that the school board could decide to guarantee placement for open enrolled siblings if the grade level enrollment exceeds a cap.
6. What if I am a resident and my children go to STMA but we move out of the district?
Students of resident families who move out of the district may continue to enroll in STMA upon completion of open enrollment forms.
7. What if I am open enrolled and move to another district and wish to continue enrollment at STMA?
If an open enrolled family moves to a new resident district, the open enrollment form on file at the enrolling district should be updated. The student’s space is not in jeopardy because of the change in resident district.