Struthers considers outside enrollment

Each pupil would mean $5,200 in state funding, the superintendent said.
STRUTHERS -- Children from outside the city school district may be able to attend its schools under a revised enrollment policy.
The policy revision, which the board of education is expected to adopt in April, is an attempt to boost district revenues, said Superintendent Sandra DiBacco. Under the revision, pupils would be accepted from across Ohio.
A first reading of the revised policy, which would take effect this fall, was presented to the board at its meeting Tuesday night.
"I'm sure we'll have a lot of applications. We have discussed this at board meetings and I've have probably had a dozen inquiries in the last week," DiBacco said.
"Every student we bring in means $5,200 [in state funding per pupil]. If we brought in 50 students, that would mean just over $250,000."
DiBacco said the influx of pupils from outside the district probably would not exceed 50, with the high school probably getting about half of them. The remainder would be divided between the elementary and middle schools.
"After talking to other superintendents, we have to be cautious" about the number of new pupils enrolled, DiBacco said. "We have people moving in and out and we don't want our classes to be over-full.
"This doesn't solve the statewide problem of funding, but it may solve some local funding issues."
Enrollment criteria
Pupils outside the district would be accepted on a priority basis based on several criteria, including whether:
*a parent is a regular employee of the school district;
*the pupil is currently attending a Struthers school as a tuition pupil;
*the parents are district alumni;
*the pupil has siblings in the district;
*the pupil's parents work at or operate a Struthers business.
If a pupil is accepted, parents would be required to provide transportation to the school or a district bus stop.
Enrollment applications will be distributed between 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. April 4-8 at the district's board office, 99 Euclid Ave.
The application must be filled out and returned in person to the board office by 3:30 p.m. April 21.
Applicants will receive written notice of the decision on their requests by the first week in May.
The enrollment program is not open to pupils who would be attending the Mahoning Career and Technical Center for the first time.