OPEN ENROLLMENT Official: Time's running out for policy

One board member says the panel is backing off because of the public backlash.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- The school board president isn't sure there is enough time to implement a controversial open-enrollment policy for the 2005-06 school year.
Brad Gessner, board president, doesn't expect a resolution regarding open enrollment to be acted on at this month's meeting.
He added that even if a resolution were ready for the May 17 board meeting, the school district may be running out of time to prepare for open enrollment for the upcoming school year.
Most school districts that enact open-enrollment policies for the following school year do so by March or April, he said.
Items such as how the school district determines which pupils are accepted must be decided. Some districts, for example, give first dibs to the children of district employees.
There is no open-enrollment issue on the May 17 meeting agenda, and Gessner doesn't anticipate one being placed there.
However, an April memo to board members from Treasurer Barbara Kliner says a resolution on open enrollment would be presented for the board's consideration at this month's meeting.
Public opinion
Michael Creatore, a board member opposed to open enrollment, says the only reason board members are backing off of the idea is because of the backlash in the community.
Gessner said he asked fellow board members to inform him of their questions, concerns and comments about open enrollment as the research continues.
"Mrs. [Joyce] Pogany, Dr. [David] Ritchie and Ray Slivochka have all done that," Gessner said. "Unfortunately, the remaining board member has not."
Creatore is the remaining board member.
He said his opposition to open enrollment is well known. It was a campaign issue for him when he ran two years ago, he said, and he has stated his concerns publicly.
"I'm concerned because it will cost more to educate a student in Austintown than the money we'll get from the state," Creatore said.
He also said he believes the public would be so upset if the board enacted open enrollment that they'd oppose any future school tax levies.
"And I couldn't blame them for that," Creatore said.
No decisions have been made, Gessner said.
Funding issues
Board members are gathering information on open enrollment as a way to generate revenue as the district faces a projected $2 million deficit next year, Gessner said.
Other policies considered include pay to participate and rehiring retired teachers.
"There are some people in the community who have determined that we've made up our minds, and that's unfortunate," Gessner said.
Fliers opposing the idea have been circulated, he said, but he declined to say who's distributing them.
If the board were to decide to adopt open enrollment, the district has space for only additional pupils in the elementary grades, the board president said.
Opponents have been telling community members that open enrollment would result in township students' being displaced on sports teams by those coming in from other districts.
"Unless we start having sports teams in grades kindergarten through fourth, that shouldn't even be a concern," Gessner said.
Creatore said board members were told by members of the administration that there is room for additional students in ninth and 10th grade in addition to lower grades.
If open enrollment were adopted, it would be for one year.
Gessner said he proposed a draft resolution stating that analyses of issues such as the effect of new pupils on the district's attendance rate, achievement and discipline be completed before deciding whether to continue the policy a second year.