CAT Tracks for October 10, 2003 NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND...

...because nobody went! Thought you might find this local story of interest.

DONGOLA SAYS TRANSFERRING STUDENTS TO A-J TOO EXPENSIVE

BY CALEB HALE
THE SOUTHERN
[Thu Oct 09 2003]

DONGOLA -- If Dongola and Anna-Jonesboro were supposed to be the test run for transferring students under the No Child Left Behind "choice" school provision, officials say the test failed.

Dongola schools Superintendent William Mauser told the school board Wednesday night that moving students to Anna-Jonesboro high school wasn't going to be possible.

Dongola high school was designated a "choice" school under the No Child Left Behind law, which requires Dongola to allow students to transfer to a neighboring school district willing to accept their students not on any academic probation. The law states a school must show a "good faith effort" in reaching an agreement with another district or school.

Mauser said he and A-J Superintendent Bill Schildknecht could not reach a financial agreement for the transfer. Mauser told board members the district stood to spend a "bare minimum" of $250,000 over the next four years to move the 14 students who have asked to transfer.

Mauser said if the transfer process is going to work in any school, it would require more help from the Illinois State Board of Education in reaching an agreement between school districts.

"None of the other 200 school districts in Illinois that have discussed this have been able to do it either," he said.

Dongola and A-J reportedly are the first schools in the state to attempt to form an intergovernmental agreement. Both superintendents have said there are a number of issues.

"We may be the first two districts to find that out, and I don't believe any other district has tried it," Mauser said.

Mauser told board members at this point that talks between his district and A-J have stopped.

"That's my report, and no action is required," he said, ending his presentation.

While the attempt between Dongola and A-J seems to have failed, the Illinois Association of School Boards' associate executive director, John Mannix, said Illinois' implementation of the entire law was flawed.

"The information isn't getting out in a timely fashion," Mannix said.

He said most schools found out preliminary data on their choice status July 29, which left them little time to take the next step without possibly disrupting the school year.

Mannix said he has been all over the state and has yet to find a school that isn't confused about provisions of the choice school.

"There are more questions involved with this law than answers," he said.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com 618-529-5454 x15090