| PERSPECTIVE |
(May 3, 2002) - Schools all around Nebraska are struggling to keep their doors open. Dropping enrollment numbers and tighter budgets threaten many of them. Now many of them are recruiting students to stay open. Option enrollment started in 1989, but in the last few years, schools have found the policy to be a second chance at staying open. Statewide's Perry Stoner tells us that many of the students are also looking for a second chance. |
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Transcript of Perspective
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Watch the Perspective story here:| Click Here
Doug Christensen, State Education Commissioner On Rising City schhols helping at-risk students.| Click Here
Christensen - The possible downsides of option enrollment.| Click Here
Christensen - A popular program for option enrollment students at Omaha Westside| Click Here |
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Transcript of School Choice
[Anchor]
SCHOOLS ALL AROUND NEBRASKA ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN. DROPPING ENROLLMENT NUMBERS AND TIGHTER BUDGETS THREATEN MANY OF THEM. NOW MANY OF THEM ARE RECRUITING STUDENTS TO STAY OPEN. OPTION ENROLLMENT STARTED IN 1989, BUT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, SCHOOLS HAVE FOUND THE POLICY TO BE A SECOND CHANCE AT STAYING OPEN. STATEWIDE'S PERRY STONER TELLS US THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR A SECOND CHANCE.
"Okay class let's get started, try to act normal today..."
[PERRY STONER, STATEWIDE REPORTER]
WHEN THE RISING CITY SCHOOL BAND REHEARSES, AMANDA ARNDT IS THERE WITH HER TRUMPET. RECENTLY HER PRACTICE PAID OFF WHEN SHE MADE THE CLASS D ALL-STATE BAND.
[AMANDA ARNDT]
We had to audition on audio tape and the best ones got picked, so that was something I was really proud of.
[STONER]
AMANDA SAYS SHE GETS MORE ATTENTION IN RISING CITY'S 27 MEMBER BAND. AMANDA USED TO GO TO COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL WHERE SHE PLAYED IN A BAND WITH OVER 100 MEMBERS.
[AMANDA ARNDT]
At Rising City if there's something I'm not getting I can tell her and she can come and show me how to play it and I can get help with it.
[STONER]
PERSONAL ATTENTION IS WHAT AMANDA NEEDS IN OTHER CLASSES TOO. HER FAMILY SAYS SHE WASN'T GETTING IT BEFORE.
[LENNI ARNDT]
She couldn't keep up with everyone as fast paced as the bigger schools are and we kept, maybe- maybe, and finally after first semester last year we decided we had to do something or this child was never going to graduate.
[AMANDA ARNDT]
I got in a hole and I couldn't get out, in a bigger class environment, I couldn't get the help I needed. I'm kind of slow learning and I needed more one-on-one help.
[Radio commercial]
"At Rising City public schools, they're dedicated to your child's education, they ensure that no one falls through the cracks..."
[JEFFREY ARNDT]
Rising City was advertising on the radio and we heard that they were recruiting kids to keep the school open so we went and talked to them.
[STONER]
THE ARNDT'S FOUND WHAT A LOT OF AREA FAMILIES HAVE FOUND AT THE RISING CITY SCHOOL. WHEN AMANDA TRANSFERRED LAST YEAR, SHE GOT A SECOND CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
[JOEY OSSIAN/RISING CITY PRINCIPAL]
That happens all the time. I've heard countless stories from parents and students that continually tell me, my kid was struggling, they were failing classes, they couldn't get along, they didn't know any teachers that could help them. They show up here and it's a matter of weeks before things start to turn around. It's easy for us to catch them before they slip through the cracks, before their problems go unnoticed. We can catch it and address it.
[STONER]
OPTION STUDENTS, STUDENTS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT, MAKE UP MORE THAN 40 PER CENT OF RISING CITY'S K THROUGH 12 ENROLLMENT. A FEW YEARS AGO, THE SCHOOL SAW THOSE STUDENTS AS A WAY TO STAY OPEN.
[JOEY OSSIAN]
There's been a financial pinch across the state that's really made small schools look at what are they going to do to survive. Option enrollment provides a way for us to generate additional revenue while educating the maximum amount of students that our school can handle.
[DOUG CHRISTENSEN/STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER]
Whether its convenience, preference or curriculum reasons, I think the state is well served by having a policy to allow kids to go to the school of their chosing.
[STONER]
CHRISTENSEN SAYS IF STUDENTS CHANGE SCHOOLS TOO MANY TIMES, IT HURTS THEIR LEARNING. OTHERWISE OPTION ENROLLMENT USUALLY HELPS STUDENTS AND IT CAN IMPROVE SCHOOLS.
[CHRISTENSEN]
It seems to me when a district advertises to get kids, they are seeking things that they can sell, and it creates an interest to have a quality program, if you don't have a quality program you don't have anything to sell.
[STONER]
DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, SCHOOLS CAN GET BETWEEN 5 AND 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER STUDENT IN STATE AID. BUT SOME WHO DISLIKE OPTION ENROLLMENT SAY IT BRINGS LOWER CALIBER STUDENTS. CHRISTENSEN SAYS EVEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY NEED TO BE EDUCATED TOO.
[CHRISTENSEN]
Those are the kids that have low level jobs, change jobs, drain on welfare and unemployment and have frequent contact with the law, if we can prevent that- you talk about a 5 or 6 thousand cost to educate for a year that's certainly better than 30,000 for incarceration, I root for the Rising City's of the world and wish there were more of them.
[STONER]
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT RISING CITY'S SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT SAYS. IF IT HELPS THE BUTLER COUNTY SCHOOL STAY OPEN AND HELPS SOCIETY TOO, ITS WORTH IT.
[TOM MCCRACKEN]
When you see kids that came and they were struggling and then… an amount of time goes by and pretty soon they're doing well and they're getting along with kids and they're making friends and they're participating in sports… that reward is… is pretty high up there in my book so.
[STONER]
RISING CITY'S GOLF TEAM HAS A NEW ADDITION. JOHN MALLY (sally) OPTIONED IN THIS YEAR.
[JOHN MALLY]
"Everybody fits in, a lot of friends when you first get there and a lot of attention." "grades are a lot better, more one-on-one contact with them, like it better than other school I was at."
[STONER]
JOHN ATTENDED DAVID CITY SCHOOLS AND WAS DOING WELL IN ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS. THEN WHEN SOME PROBLEMS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL OCCURRED, IT AFFECTED HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS. SOON GRADES FELL AND JOHN LOST THE ENTHUSIASM HE HAD FOR SCHOOL.
[LISA MALLY]
We decided for John's benefit that it was his Junior year, he had one year left, he did not want to quit school, here he had a chance to enjoy what everybody says to enjoy, you work all these years for your Junior/Senior year, so we chose to send him over there my son's now an A student, real anxious for the golf team, particpate in his first school dance, my John's now gee mom this is fun...
[STONER]
JOHN'S TAKEN HIS SWING TO RISING CITY AND NOW HIS EDUCATION IS BACK ON COURSE. WHEN HE HAS A FULLYEAR AT RISING CITY NEXT YEAR, HE PLANS TO JOIN THE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAMS TOO. IT SEEMS MORE SCHOOLS WANT STUDENTS LIKE JOHN. ADVERTISING IS BECOMING COMMON AROUND NEBRASKA, AS SCHOOLS TRY TO STAY OPEN OR AVOID CONSOLIDATION.
[CHRISTENSEN]
It is a financial benefit if you can stave off declining enrollment, because declining enrollment means state aid will go down no matter what happens, so if you can hold off declining enrollment that is a huge advantage.
[STONER]
THERE ARE ENOUGH KIDS OPTIONING IN FROM COLUMBUS THAT RISING CITY SCHOOLS SEND A BUS THERE EVERYDAY. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE 25 STUDENTS OPTIONING OUT OF RISING CITY THIS YEAR. THE STUDENTS COMING IN STILL MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO SAVE THE SCHOOL. ON MAY 14, RISING CITY DISTRICT RESIDENTS WILL VOTE ON EXCEEDING THE SCHOOL'S LEVY 20 CENTS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THEY WOULD USE THE MONEY FOR SOME RENOVATION BUT ALSO FOR GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. IF VOTERS SAY NO, IT MAY HURT RISING CITY'S ABILITY TO ATTRACT STUDENTS LIKE AMANDA. STUDENTS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED BUT ARE NOW ON KEY AND PROGRESSING TOWARD GRADUATION DAY.
[AMANDA ARNDT]
I probably would have dropped out of school at the beginning of this school year because if I would have stayed there I wouldn't have had an option.
[Jeffrey Arndt]
Amanda made the honor roll for the first time last semester, she has never come close to making the honor roll, her grades have really come up 5:52 its amazing what they've done, a lot of A's and B's.
[AMANDA ARNDT]
That wasn't in my wildest dreams, I never thought in my lifetime I would make the honor roll.
[STONER]
THE ABILITY TO CHANGE SCHOOLS SAVED AMANDA. NOW SHE'S THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE, AND SCHOOLS LIKE RISING CITY ARE HOPING STUDENTS LIKE AMANDA WILL SAVE THEM AS WELL. REPORTING FOR STATEWIDE, THIS IS PERRY STONER.