All-day kindergarten joins Metro School on costly list
State attorney general says districts can't collect tuition fees for either program
By PAMELA WILLIS
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Worthington students who attend the Metro
School will finish out the school year, but
participation could be nixed next year
unless board members agree taxpayers will
foot the bill.
Now, all-day kindergarten is another program in need of a funding fix after a second opinion by Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann could place more than $570,000 in yearly "K-plus" expenses on taxpayers' plates.
Superintendent Melissa Conrath recommended "we hold the collection of any future K-plus tuition until there is a legal resolution."
The school board discussed both programs at its meeting Monday, Sept. 24, at the Worthington Education Center.
"The timing of the attorney general's educational opinions is just atrocious," said board member Marc Schare. "If we take action based on the attorney general's opinion and stop charging K-plus tuition, we will be charging taxpayers $64,000 per month."
Metro School
Board members approved district participation in the Metro High School last year for six students, provided parents pick up the tuition, which was about $5,700 last year and $6,100 this year.
Treasurer Jeff McCuen said Metro School is not a charter school, where state dollars are supposed to follow the student. Rather, it is an educational option.
State aid is $5,565 per student, but the district doesn't receive the entire amount per student because it is on a guarantee under the state funding formula, due to declining enrollment, McCuen said.
The guarantee ensures the district won't receive less state aid than last year, but also means the 100 students added this year won't increase state aid.
"Any dollars that follow a student to another school are not all state dollars, but are comprised of taxpayer dollars," McCuen said.
Conrath worked with Metro School officials to come up with a plan to keep the six students enrolled this school year.
"I talked with Brad Mitchell of the educational council, and we discussed an arrangement to compensate tuition costs through in-kind services," she said. "Their staff will come over for our professional development in Project Lead the Way and Measures of Academic Progress assessment training. They were also in need of software for intervention, and we can make our software available to them."
Conrath said she talked to parents and asked them to "hold the district harmless" for tuition paid by parents last school year and this school year.
"We have to decide on further participation in the next few months and talk with the Metro School to see if they would put together a program where we could say we're getting back at least what we're putting out in tuition," she said.
K-plus questions
Mark Glasbrenner, director of elementary education, said 405 students attend K-plus, the district's all-day kindergarten program. Parents pay $210 per month per child for nine months.
Glasbrenner said 318 students pay full price, 16 pay a reduced price of $105 and 71 attend free, based on income and federal guidelines.
"The state provides adequate funding for half-day kindergarten, not an all-day program," Glasbrenner said. "Some districts, like Columbus Public Schools, receive federal funding for disadvantaged pupils, so if you have a certain number of disadvantaged students, you can receive federal funding for an all-day program."
Glasbrenner said this year's expenses could be around $570,000, which includes 10 teacher salaries, supplies and materials.
Several parents contacted Glasbrenner after reading Dann's letter.
"Parent response was really across the board," Glasbrenner said. "Some parents called to ask if refunds were available and some asked if they should continue to pay. But others said they want the program to continue and are willing to keep paying tuition."
Conrath said K-plus was approved on the basis it would be "cost-neutral."
"We have collected tuition in good faith," she said. "The best remedy is a legislative solution. I've been talking to Jim Hughes and other legislators and they are working on legislation to cover this."
Schare disagreed with Conrath's recommendation to hold K-plus tuition collection until legislation is enacted.
"The attorney general's opinion does not carry the law in the state of Ohio," he said. "I say we take no action and keep charging tuition."
Schare said Dann's opinions could escalate.
"There is nothing in the Ohio Revised Code that says we can charge a pay-to-play fee for athletes either," he said.
Other board members supported Conrath's recommendation, and member Charlie Wilson defended Dann.
"There is a big downside if we continue to accept tuition; rather substantial consequences in legal fees," Wilson said. "I'm also convinced, having read Dann's opinions and what he cites, that he is probably right."
Now, all-day kindergarten is another program in need of a funding fix after a second opinion by Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann could place more than $570,000 in yearly "K-plus" expenses on taxpayers' plates.
Superintendent Melissa Conrath recommended "we hold the collection of any future K-plus tuition until there is a legal resolution."
The school board discussed both programs at its meeting Monday, Sept. 24, at the Worthington Education Center.
They also discussed two letters sent by Dann to the Ohio Department of Education on Sept. 5, stating districts "have no authority" to charge tuition for the Metro School or all-day kindergarten.
"The timing of the attorney general's educational opinions is just atrocious," said board member Marc Schare. "If we take action based on the attorney general's opinion and stop charging K-plus tuition, we will be charging taxpayers $64,000 per month."
Metro School
Board members approved district participation in the Metro High School last year for six students, provided parents pick up the tuition, which was about $5,700 last year and $6,100 this year.
Treasurer Jeff McCuen said Metro School is not a charter school, where state dollars are supposed to follow the student. Rather, it is an educational option.
State aid is $5,565 per student, but the district doesn't receive the entire amount per student because it is on a guarantee under the state funding formula, due to declining enrollment, McCuen said.
The guarantee ensures the district won't receive less state aid than last year, but also means the 100 students added this year won't increase state aid.
"Any dollars that follow a student to another school are not all state dollars, but are comprised of taxpayer dollars," McCuen said.
Conrath worked with Metro School officials to come up with a plan to keep the six students enrolled this school year.
"I talked with Brad Mitchell of the educational council, and we discussed an arrangement to compensate tuition costs through in-kind services," she said. "Their staff will come over for our professional development in Project Lead the Way and Measures of Academic Progress assessment training. They were also in need of software for intervention, and we can make our software available to them."
Conrath said she talked to parents and asked them to "hold the district harmless" for tuition paid by parents last school year and this school year.
"We have to decide on further participation in the next few months and talk with the Metro School to see if they would put together a program where we could say we're getting back at least what we're putting out in tuition," she said.
K-plus questions
Mark Glasbrenner, director of elementary education, said 405 students attend K-plus, the district's all-day kindergarten program. Parents pay $210 per month per child for nine months.
Glasbrenner said 318 students pay full price, 16 pay a reduced price of $105 and 71 attend free, based on income and federal guidelines.
"The state provides adequate funding for half-day kindergarten, not an all-day program," Glasbrenner said. "Some districts, like Columbus Public Schools, receive federal funding for disadvantaged pupils, so if you have a certain number of disadvantaged students, you can receive federal funding for an all-day program."
Glasbrenner said this year's expenses could be around $570,000, which includes 10 teacher salaries, supplies and materials.
Several parents contacted Glasbrenner after reading Dann's letter.
"Parent response was really across the board," Glasbrenner said. "Some parents called to ask if refunds were available and some asked if they should continue to pay. But others said they want the program to continue and are willing to keep paying tuition."
Conrath said K-plus was approved on the basis it would be "cost-neutral."
"We have collected tuition in good faith," she said. "The best remedy is a legislative solution. I've been talking to Jim Hughes and other legislators and they are working on legislation to cover this."
Schare disagreed with Conrath's recommendation to hold K-plus tuition collection until legislation is enacted.
"The attorney general's opinion does not carry the law in the state of Ohio," he said. "I say we take no action and keep charging tuition."
Schare said Dann's opinions could escalate.
"There is nothing in the Ohio Revised Code that says we can charge a pay-to-play fee for athletes either," he said.
Other board members supported Conrath's recommendation, and member Charlie Wilson defended Dann.
"There is a big downside if we continue to accept tuition; rather substantial consequences in legal fees," Wilson said. "I'm also convinced, having read Dann's opinions and what he cites, that he is probably right."