Forcing districts to loosen transfer policies

Forcing districts to loosen transfer policies and to split when they get too large... is how the Salt Lake Tribune started their article abut yesterday's State School Board meeting where DavisParents.org persuade there goal of giving Parents a choice in public education. (See Board Examines Bulging Districts, SLTrib 4/6/07).

It was purely coincidental that the issue with bulging district size was on the same agenda as enrollment options but the correlation between the problems was easy to see. When the district it too large, the district administration is too far aware from the public they are hired to serve.

In the Public School Choice discussion, Granite School District spoke to the fact that 10% of their students attend a non-resident school and Davis School District spoke increasing the allowed tranfers from 1.5% to 2% (but only for one year).

After hearing from the Davis School District, Grantite School District and Davis Parents, Board member Mark Cluff made the following concluding comments:

"I have no doubt in all my working with the districts that they're trying to meet the needs of schools and parents and communities. As we try to over-define what needs to happen, we become more concerned with what's best for us, what's easiest for us, and forget what's best for the parent and the child."

To that I say...Amen.