Just saw this bombshell on the Lexington Fox 56 News. That at today's Kentucky Board of Education Meeting Sec. Hal Heiner will submit a proposal that would suggest doing away with as he says the status quo of kids having to attend the school in the district where they live. His proposal would let students attend any public school of their choice provided they are seats available, and that the state and federal money would follow the student to the school they chose. This in my opinion if approved would devastate the small rural schools and high school sports would be the same as college sports. Could you imagine what type of basketball and football teams could be assembled in Louisville, Bowling Green, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky. Was not sure what forum this should go in just chose basketball since it is where most BGP's are this time of year.

In seeing this report I took away from it that with state and federal money following the student to the school of their choice there would not even be the need for a school out of the student's district to charge them any tuition unless it was to a private school.

Chances of this actually passing?

Chances of this actually passing?

 

 

100% or something very similar

Who decides if there are seats "available"? And what process will be used to determine who gets them?

Student assignment seems like it would be a nightmare in Jefferson County.

Student assignment seems like it would be a nightmare in Jefferson County.

 

It will be a nightmare. Schools will cherry pick kids for whatever reason. If they don't want you they will say sorry, full. You will also have to deal with mad mommies and daddies that blame XYZ school for their child's problems and move them to another school and the vast majority of time, the kid has the same problems. It has already been stated what will happen in sports. This is nothing more than a voucher system.

 

It will be a total mess more than likely and very discriminatory for some. For instance, who wants to take a fragile handicapped child and the expense and real problems with that student just to care for them. Only about 40% of funds needed will follow the kid (these kids take a ton of time and $$). It will be rare to take that on. A parent of one of these students sees that school LMN has a great teacher and facilities and wants to move them (as most would), but the receiving school will say full. Parent choice is out the window. There are literally 100's od these types of things that can and will happen. Discrimination for many many reasons will be prevalent.

 

But hey, it's all apart of being great.

Simply segregation of haves vs have nots (legally)...

This is pretty big news. My initial reaction is that I am all for it but after reading some of the posts in this thread so far I definitely don't feel the way I initially did. I see how this could be a major problem.

 

What is the main intent of the proposal is my question.

Could you imagine what type of basketball and football teams could be assembled in Louisville, Bowling Green, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky.

 

Yeah, because those areas struggle so much in sports today

It will be a nightmare. Schools will cherry pick kids for whatever reason. If they don't want you they will say sorry, full. You will also have to deal with mad mommies and daddies that blame XYZ school for their child's problems and move them to another school and the vast majority of time, the kid has the same problems. It has already been stated what will happen in sports. This is nothing more than a voucher system.

 

It will be a total mess more than likely and very discriminatory for some. For instance, who wants to take a fragile handicapped child and the expense and real problems with that student just to care for them. Only about 40% of funds needed will follow the kid (these kids take a ton of time and $$). It will be rare to take that on. A parent of one of these students sees that school LMN has a great teacher and facilities and wants to move them (as most would), but the receiving school will say full. Parent choice is out the window. There are literally 100's od these types of things that can and will happen. Discrimination for many many reasons will be prevalent.

 

But hey, it's all apart of being great.

 

Cherry picking could be eliminated legislatively by placing students in order by the time they apply...hopefully if this passes something like that will be put in place to make it a first come first serve situation.

 

Kids have switched schools since the beginning of time because they don't like a teacher or their parents get upset over an issue the kid is having. I knew kids that switched schools back and forth almost yearly due to "Issues" they were having, switching now will be no different than in the past.

 

Where did you get the 40% number?

Can't see this passing, because there will be a loud and well funded resistance by all the school districts where real estate taxes are high, most of which funds the school system. Property values will be affected by this greatly in some cities, because the reason property values stay elevated in a city like, say Ft. Thomas, is because students who live in Ft. Thomas get to attend school there automatically. People are willing to pay higher taxes, keeping the property values up, if their kids get the benefit of access to the schools. If just anyone can go to Highlands, without paying tuition, then not only will the school system be quickly overburdened, the revenue that is presently generated at Highlands from tuition paying students would presumably go away.

 

There will be STRONG resistance from successful public school systems.

Doesn't this already occur in counties that have an Open Enrollment Policy?

Simply segregation of haves vs have nots (legally)...

 

If you lived in a city with multiple schools and your kid was forced to go to the worst high school because of where you lived, wouldn't you like an opportunity to send them to a better school?

Doesn't this already occur in counties that have an Open Enrollment Policy?

 

Yes some what, Open enrollment accepts kids from out of the district freely...but doesn't give them freedom to move around within the district.