By Tom Gilchrist
Staff Writer
Michigan law lets students choose to attend schools beyond the school district they live in, and state statistics show Reese, Frankenmuth and Caro are top destinations.
The Advertiser‘s review of data provided by the state Center for Educa-tional Performance and Information showed Reese Public Schools, Frankenmuth Public Schools and Caro Community Schools posted the biggest gains when comparing the number of students leaving a district for other schools with the number of students arriving from beyond a district’s borders.
Such a comparison shows Reese, for example, netted 163.33 full-time equivalent students, while Frankenmuth garnered 130.47 and Caro netted 121.61 students.
The numbers carry financial consequences, as school districts receive an amount of state aid for each student. Reese received $7,026 in state aid per student in the 2013-2014 school year, so the school district’s net gain of 163.33 students represents $1,149,875 in state aid.
Mayville Community Schools showed the biggest net loss of 283.22 full-time equivalent students. Akron-Fairgrove Schools lost 172.12 students while Vassar Public Schools showed a net loss of 168.83 students.
The Advertiser looked at numbers from the 12 school districts that include land in Tuscola County. The data is for students from kindergarten through 12th grade in the 2014-2015 school year.
Reese High School Principal Brian Galsterer said strong support from community members draws students to Reese Public Schools, which counts 820 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“They’re very supportive of our students, of our teachers and of the administration, so that makes it very appealing,” Galsterer said. “I also think that when you look at sizes of schools, I just got a student, for example, from Heritage High School (in Saginaw Township). You can get lost in some of the big schools. They offer more things, but you can get lost, and I think just the class size itself at Reese is appealing.
“I know every kid’s name, and I think parents like that and kids like that. It’s the right size, and there is some research that says ‘Bigger is not always better.’”
As Galsterer commented to an Advertiser reporter, a new student approached the door of Reese High, asking about enrolling at Reese under Michigan’s “Schools of Choice” law that allows students to attend districts beyond their district of residence.
Reese Superintendent Keith Wetters said “Our staff is committed to not only academic excellence, but to preparing our students, caring about our students and making sure all of our students are successful.”
The data from the state Center for Educational Performance and Information, or CEPI, doesn’t include students residing in a school district who attend parochial schools or are home-schooled. But it factors in parochial and home-schooled students who take courses in one of the public school districts reporting to CEPI, a Lansing-based state agency.
The numbers include students leaving their home school districts for charter schools — non-traditional public schools —or for other school districts.
In the case of the Vassar Public Schools, the Advertiser didn’t count students living in the school district at the Wolverine Human Services Inc. complex and listed as outgoing students because they receive services from the Tuscola Intermediate School District.
The data provided to the newspaper “are the numbers of students coming into or going out of a school district, that we’re aware of,” said Connie Morse, a CEPI communications specialist.
The Caro Community Schools net gain of 121.61 students represents an additional $854,431 in state aid, using the 2013-2014 level of state aid per student.
Caro Superintendent Mike Joslyn said the community of Caro offers services to the public and is home to large employers — such as Walmart, Caro Community Schools and Tuscola Behavioral Health Systems — that draw outside students as a result.
Photo by John Cook
Caro Community Schools Superintendent Mike Joslyn is shown reviewing blueprints for a new school auditorium set for construction next year after voters approved a bond issue in February. Artists also have unveiled a new Caro “C” logo, shown on the wall behind Joslyn. Caro is a prime destination for students beyond its school district borders, according to state statistics.
“You have resources like Tuscola Behavioral Health, so mom’s coming into town to work there, and she’s on the same work schedule as her child, so she has the choice between Caro and Reese, or Caro and Kingston, or wherever,” Joslyn said. “It’s convenient for some parents, and I think that’s part of it.”
Joslyn said Caro attracts students, too, with its wide range of sports offerings including swim teams and a school pool, and what Joslyn calls a “wonderful fine arts” program.
“We’ve always tried to maintain our sports offerings,” Joslyn said. “We have 21 varsity sports.”
Joslyn said that when he worked as Caro High School principal, “I garnered a parent’s attention when they were moving out of Deckerville (schools) and they were looking at Cass City and Caro, and the surrounding schools within five or 10 miles, and their daughter loved swimming.”
The student “didn’t have the opportunity to swim in her previous district, so she joined the swim team here and we got a student for two years,” Joslyn said.
Caro will receive a new school auditorium next year, one of the primary improvements afforded by voter passage of a bond issue in February.
The Akron-Fairgrove Schools, which has seen a net loss of 172.12 students when comparing students leaving the district with incoming students, is touting free breakfast and lunch for all students at all grade levels.
Other amenities include free backpacks for elementary students, and a free iPad for students at Akron-Fairgrove Junior/Senior High School.
“We’re all battling for the same population, so if I can go to Akron-Fairgrove and get an iPad and I’m going to walk out the door with an iPad, is that value enough for you to take your kid to Akron-Fairgrove?” Joslyn asked.
“(Akron-Fairgrove) touted free drivers’ training lessons, too, because nobody does drivers’ education anymore and it costs you $300 (to pay for one’s own lessons).”
New Mayville Community Schools Superintendent Barry Markwart said he’s excited about the approaching school year at Mayville, due to “several outstanding initiatives that will enhance our school district and students.”
When comparing incoming and outgoing students, Mayville’s net loss of 283.22 students represents about $1.9 million less in state aid.
Mayville High School will offer a “1 to 1″ ratio of Chromebook laptop computers for high-school students this academic year. Mayville also will implement a “Cats Club” latchkey program for younger pupils.
“Our goal is to be user-friendly to all students, staff, parents and community,” Markwart said. “We will be transparent and work collaboratively with all stakeholders of our schools and community for future success.”
Of the 12 school districts with at least some land in Tuscola County, Caro saw the largest number of students coming from outside its borders, with 253. But 131.39 full-time equivalent students are leaving the district for other schools.
“We’re losing a significant amount of kids,” Joslyn said. “Can I pinpoint why that is? I think it’s because the parents are employed (elsewhere) or because ‘Johnny started school in Cass City, and mom and dad moved to Caro, but all Johnny’s friends are in Cass City.’”