Some board members say the school offers nothing Worthington schools don't provide.

By PAMELA WILLIS

A decision on participation in the new Metro High School stalled again Monday as some board members continued to debate its merits for Worthington students.

The Worthington school board met Monday evening at the Worthington Education Center, with board members Gary Tyack, Marc Schare, Jennifer Best, Bob Horton and David Bressman all present.

Director of Teaching and Learning Jennifer Wene first gave a presentation on the new Metro High School at the April 10 board meeting.

Board members decided to table the decision at that meeting to gather more information. They ended up tabling the decision once again at Monday's meeting.

The Metro High School is a cooperative effort of the Educational Council of Franklin County, Battelle Memorial Institute and Ohio State University. It will offer an accelerated core curriculum for freshman with a focus on math, science and technology, featuring "hands-on learning activities" and additional classes on the OSU campus, said Brad Mitchell, chief executive officer of the council.

Four seats have been reserved for Worthington students, Wene said.

Tuition at the Metro High School is $5,800 per student, to be paid by the district and/or parents. Metro officials said Battelle and OSU will pay tuition costs per student and expect districts to send them the state dollars they receive for each student.

Best said state dollars per student do not add up to that amount because of the reduction factors of state funding. What looks like $6,000 per student on paper results in about $1,500 per student, Best said.

Tyack said representatives from the Metro High School met with some of the board members in the past two weeks.

Bressman said he wasn't able to meet with a representative.

"I did go to the Metro School Web site, but I am still not at the point where I can see justification of the expenditure of the funds required," Bressman said. "I'm not sure what benefit they can offer our district, and with only four seats offered, what about the less economically advantaged student?"

Horton said he met with two Metro representatives.

"I would like a member of the Metro School to characterize to us how our high schools are deficient enough so that students will want to apply to the Metro School," Horton said. "I think we have the same qualities in our curriculum, and their 'hands-on experience' looks like the Walkabout at Linworth, and we have Linworth.

"It makes no sense to me for us to spend any district money on this school, and if they want to get into the pockets of this school district, I, for one, won't vote for it," Horton said. "If we put money into this school, people could come up to us and say, 'You helped these students to go to the Metro School, so what can you do for our students?' I've met with two associates from that school, and I'm still not satisfied."

Schare said the funding issues could be decided later.

"If we decide to go forward with a motion to allow students to participate, that motion would be independent from deciding who is going to pay," Schare said. "I think there are significant differences between what they can offer and what we can offer."

Bressman said he would need more information before voting on participation.

"If we forced a vote tonight, I don't know, I would rather have a couple more weeks, and I'll set up another meeting with the folks at the Metro School," Bressman said.

Horton said he had all the information he needed, and voted against tabling the issue. The rest of the members voted to table the issue, so it was tabled until the next meeting.

The next board meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 8 at Worthington Park Elementary School, 500 Park Road.