Consultants save school thousands

By Jordan Cohen

The district has to pay charter schools for transfers from the district, but only if the pupil still lives in Niles, the superintendent said.

NILES — A consultant group hired to verify addresses of Niles pupils who transfer to community or charter schools has saved the school district $100,000 thus far, according to Superintendent Rocco Adduci.

“We have to pay a charter school $5,240 out of our general fund for each student who transfers from our district, but only if the student still lives in Niles,” Adduci said. “If we find they have moved, we do not have a financial obligation.”

The superintendent said the state reimburses more than $2,000 for each transfer, but that still leaves the district on the hook for the balance.

Adduci said the company, K12 School Consultants of Grove City, Ohio, has determined that about 14 pupils who transferred to charter schools moved away from Niles, eliminating the financial responsibility.

The superintendent told the board of education Thursday that transfers last year cost the district $700,000. That would amount to more than 130 pupils. The pupil locator services branch of the company conducts extensive background checks to determine each residency.

“We pay [K12 Consultants] $500 for each student cost we recover, so it’s well worth it,” the superintendent said.

The board approved an honorary McKinley High School diploma for Gary LeMaster, 59, a bricklayer from Champion.

Niles McKinley was the last high school he attended before dropping out and joining the military. His 11 years in the service included two tours of duty in Vietnam.