Wise SB looks at Tuition

I don't think that it will ever happen but I do agree that there needs to be a study done in order to determan the best course of action for the future.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...8544&rfi=6

WISE - In a 4-3 vote, Wise County School Board late Tuesday night requested a study on the effects of and mechanics behind charging tuition for students who live outside Wise County.
District Two board member Milas Franks initiated discussion at around 10:30 p.m. after all agenda items had been discussed, most of the public had left and a board member opposed to the idea had departed. Discussion of charging tuition was not on the agenda.

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Board members Ann Gregory, Cecilia Robinette and Kyle Fletcher voted against having the issue studied by school administration. Chairman Margaret Craft and board members Robert Mullins and Wendell Caldwell joined Franks in voting in favor of it.





District One board member Mark Hutchinson, who has been a vocal opponent of charging tuition, had left the meeting about one hour earlier, citing an early morning business trip Wednesday.





The issue of non-resident student tuition was first brought up in a February presentation by Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute. After evaluating the school system, CEPI claimed that 444 out of the county's 6,620 students were out-of-county residents. CEPI suggested out-of-county students should have to pay $3,000 each to attend Wise County schools.





Subsequently, revised non-resident population figures showed 660 out-of-county students attending the system's schools. Tuesday night Franks asked for a further evaluation of the non-resident student population.





The re-evaluation of school population, ordered by former Superintendent Michael Basham, claimed 10 percent of county students are non-resident, 16.7 percent of local money goes toward the education of nonresident students and additional classroom space is sacrificed.





Franks said the issue of charging tuition needs to be examined further by the board.





"I would like for us to take each community and evaluate the effect it would have on them, assuming we did charge tuition," Franks said. He also called for the examination of possible enrollment losses as a result of enforcing tuition and of how much students should be charged.





Gregory, who represents District Four, vehemently disagreed with Franks' proposal. St. Paul's high school and elementary school are located in her district and have the highest populations of non-resident students in the county.





"I do not think this is a good idea at all," Gregory said. "I will oppose any efforts for tuition to the depth of my soul. If we don't have regional cooperation, we go back 15 years."





Craft asked whether Gregory was opposed to finding out the economic impact of tuition charges.





"I'm very much opposed to even discussing it," Gregory said.





Franks defended his position, noting that St. Paul students who live in Russell County cost the school system $774,000 per year. While Wise County receives state funds to cover 80 percent of the per-pupil cost, it must come up with the remaining 20 percent through local money.





"They're bringing state money with them," Gregory said. "They're coming to Wise County schools because we have such good schools. Don't penalize us for having good schools. You'd be sending a lot of kids someplace else."





Franks disagreed, noting that nearly $2 million is spent annually on non-resident students across the county.





District Three representative Caldwell asked exactly how much money is given by the county for each student. Schools business manager Ron Vicars agreed to incorporate that figure into a presentation to be made at a later board meeting.





A number of students coming in from out-of-county might be here to take advantage of the Wise County Schools' special education program, Mullins pointed out. He requested that administrators report the number of special education students who are non-residents, and asked for a total figure of how much money is spent on them.





Franks pointed out that, behind St. Paul, Powell Valley schools, which fall under District Three, have the second highest non-resident population.





Robinette, who represents District Three, said quietly, "I will never vote for tuition."





"We can't continue to ignore this situation," Franks said. "We need an answer from the administration."





Franks moved to have the matter studied by administration, and Mullins seconded the motion.





Fletcher interjected to ask if a discussion of the tuition was an item on the meeting's agenda.





"If this is not an agenda item, why are we discussing it?" Fletcher asked. "Mark (Hutchinson) has left already."





Franks countered that it is the right of a board member to add an item to the agenda if the need arises.





After the meeting, Fletcher told Franks the action would not have passed if Hutchinson was present.




©Coalfield.com 2005

I will agree this does need to be looked into. But at a $3,000 dollar cost per student. No.
I think they need to look at the price in reality of what it would cost per year. Books, Meals, etc.
There is no over night stay. And I know for a fact i can take some classes at MECC or UVA- Wise and it not cost that much.

Actualy I think CVC is close to $3,000 for tuision now.

What i am looking at is credits. Most highschool classes will be based on class, teacher pay etc.
That would be about 600 dollars for 4 classes per semester, WC block system. Based on each class being 3 credits @ 50.00 per credit.
Or roughly $1,200 dollars per school year, that is just for classes.
I could see charging a fee, such as the colleges do, but the college also get federal funding for most college courses, Pell Grant etc.
Highschools will not get this.
But it would have to be based on # of classes, and as the colleges also do pay rate of the educator and meals.
I know MTN EMPIRE sets their fees for classes, based on the cost it will cost them per credit, and the cost of the person teaching the class. So that will vary, well at the college level.
I cannot see a charge of $3,000 dollars for a child to receive an education per year.
If we are that hard up. We need to just go ahead and turn to communism now. And have choose who we want educated and leave the rest out.

I don't know what the price should be just that CVC is a hair under $3,000 for instate students and at $13,000 for out of state students

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?B...=461&rfi=9

The thing that noone has said yet is the fact (well i guess it is just my oppinion) that the whole tuision thing is just another way to bring consoladation back up (St Paul is the smallist school in Wise Co. and one of the smallist in the state but has a lage number of out of county students if those students go back to there home county consoladation is back on the table)

who knows though I have about given up tring to figure this thing out

Charging tuition would backfire agaisnt them unless its state wide. Alot of people would either send their kid to norton or move to scott/lee/dickenson/russell instead of pay a fee as large as mentioned.

That is what most don't understand. They say their losing money big time. What about what the state pays per pupil?
They will understand once they incorporate a tuition and several hundred students leave Wise County school system.
A state wide tuition fee. Based on books and teacher pay and broken down to probably $500 dollar a year most would not have a problem with.
But you get into a situation where your trying to be like a college and charge tuition based on out of county?
Problem is we have only a few who truly understand what their doing, the others well their there based on the buddy system.
I hope that changes the next election. Vote for those who can do the job. Not your pals and friends.

When is the next SB election in wise and is there anyone throuing there hat in the ring yet?