The Waterloo Board of Education voted 6-1 to change its policy on non-resident students, they say at the advice of two different lawyers.
This school year the only way the district will allow students to attend school from outside the district is if they were enrolled during the 2020-21 school year. The tuition for kindergarten through fifth grade is $2,000 and for sixth through twelfth is $4,000 a year.
Five criteria need to be met in order for any student to attend from outside the district:
1. There must be sufficient space in order to have the student attend in the school district.
2. There can’t be a need to increase the size of faculty or staff to accommodate the student.
3. Their admittance cannot result in the creation of a new section.
4. Transfer and transportation needs to be figured out by the parent or guardian from their own district.
5. All rules and regulations that apply to district students apply to non-district students as well.
Families who plan to build property within the district may enroll their child for the semester they plan to become residents and adjust the tuition at the time they become legal residents.
Students that move out of the Waterloo School District can finish the semester they were in when the move happened.
If seniors start their senior year before moving they may be given permission to finish for graduation.
Exchange students may attend Waterloo School District with the fees for tuition.
Members of the Board in favor of the changes were Ellen Hughes, Coreen Lowry, Erin Brown, Renee Thomas, Ray Grifa and Caitlin Ryan.
One member against the changes was Andrea Bennett.
Hughes stated that the decision was based on legal advice, stating that it may bring a liability to the district.
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