Old Town school board announces policy changes

August 17, 2006
By Greta Sproul

 The first reading of the Old Town school board’s changes in policy on registration and enrollment of tuition students was held on July 18. The policy changes made at the mid-summer meeting are similar to the ones made recently by the Brewer School Department, which is the first public school system in Maine to require potential tuition students to undergo an application process. Like Brewer, the Old Town school system will now screen potential tuition students in regard to past behavior, grades, and attendance record.  Applications will have to be made in writing and must include a recommendation from the student’s principal or sending district superintendent. The Old Town School Superintendent would at that point make a final decision based on the student’s merits and the availability of space within the school.

“The recommendation should include a statement as to whether the student has made an overall contribution or detracted from their educational environment during the previous school year,” the proposed policy states.

According to a letter that the Old Town School Department sent to school officials in surrounding towns, the screening process is a response to “catastrophic changes” in the local property tax base and “the resulting loss of revenues available for schools.”

“Schools like Brewer and Old Town are in a different position, plumbing for a particular number of (tuition) students,” David Walstadt, school board member, said. “Crafting a budget, tuition revenue is a big portion of that budget. If you’re planning for 350 tuition students and you only get 300 of them, that leaves a big hole. We’re looking for a way to make our tuition enrollment easy and predictable.”

If approved, the school policy changes will go into effect on September 1 of this year. The only exception will be for those tuition students residing in town that have entered into an exclusive contract with the Old Town School Department. The policy also allows the Old Town School Superintendent to revoke the admission of a non-resident tuition student if it is determined that the student is unable to obtain an “appropriate education in an existing program or class at school.” Decisions regarding students with disabilities will be made by the Superintendent in accordance with the student’s Pupil Evaluation Team and will be “consistent with all applicable laws.”

Alan Smith, superintendent of SAD 90, says that he has decided to adopt a “wait and see” attitude to the policy changes.

“Initially, I was taken aback by the letter announcing the changes,” he said. “I thought it was strange that neither I nor anyone on my (school) board was contacted or invited to listen to the process. But I have spoken to Mr. Walker and we’re planning a joint board meeting where he’ll go into more elaboration on his position.”

Smith says that he thinks it’s important to keep the lines of communication open between the affected schools and the Old Town school system. But he makes clear that even though he realizes that the policy changes are a reflection of Old Town’s budget concerns, he doesn’t want to see kids getting short-changed.

“I believe that there is no such thing as a bad kid,” he said. “Schools have always had to make these kind of decisions, but it hasn’t always been so black and white. I’m not sure why these things are materializing now in Brewer and Old Town.”

Smith adds that SAD 90 is responsible for about 40 percent of the tuition students who attend Old Town High School.

“Everyone’s enrollment has dropped some,” he said, “but that percentage is close to what it’s always been.”

Once admitted to Old Town High School, tuition students would be permitted to continue on through graduation without having to revisit the application process, unless, according to the policy, “there is a break in attendance of more than one semester or removal of the student is warranted.”

“I understand why, historically, some towns would be unwilling to make that kind of (contractual) commitment,” Walstadt said. “But Old Town is obligated to provide every student in Old Town with an education. Milford (and other tuition towns) are obligated to provide an education to their students. The short answer to what happens to students who are not accepted into Old Town schools is that it’s their town’s problem.”

The second reading of the proposed policy changes will take place on August 23.