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Schools

Huron Valley Schools Opens Enrollment for Schools of Choice

Full-day kindergarten to remain in the district; half-day option also available despite fiscal challenges

As the Huron Valley School District begins accepting Schools of Choice applications for students residing outside of the district for the 2011-2012 year, it does not appear likely that there will be any significant changes to its Schools of Choice or kindergarten policies starting this fall. 

Huron Valley has had a “schools of choice” option for students from outside the district for the last 11 years. But that student population remains comparatively small. There were 150 new choice students in the district during the 2010-11 school year out of the slightly more than 10,000 students district-wide. Applicants for choice slots can be from Oakland, Livingston and Genesee counties. 

This fall will be the first time that both district and non-district residents can select between full-day and half-day kindergarten options, said Huron Valley Schools Community Relations Director Janet Roberts. The district is offering an all-day kindergarten and half-day kindergarten program in 2011-2012, depending on enrollment in the half-day program. The full-day option began in 2008-09. The half-day class will be held provided a minimum of 22 students are committed to participating in the program and registered by fall 2011. 

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The cost to run the full-day kindergarten program is just under $1 million, yet even with the district’s ongoing budget deficit concern, the program is not likely to be eliminated in the near future. Huron Valley Schools now has 30 kindergarten classes, 29 of which are full-day classrooms, Roberts said. 

“Despite the added cost the benefits of full-day kindergarten are much greater for our students and for many families,” Roberts said. 

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Total enrollment in the district continues to fall gradually by small percentages. The highest number of students enrolled in Huron Valley Schools was 10,850 in 2000, Roberts said. There are about 560 projected students for kindergarten next fall, Roberts said, however it is likely that number could slightly increase. 

Huron Valley Schools received $7,254 per student from the state of Michigan in 2010-2011, regardless of whether those students lived within district boundaries or not. 

“Given the limited opportunities to increase revenue for school districts, adding ‘schools of choice’ students (will increase) revenue for the district,” Roberts said. “As a low funded district, we were one of the first districts to use schools of choice revenue to help offset our budget deficit and the amounts of cuts we need to make.”

 Unlimited applications are being accepted for kindergarten (both full day and half-day) through ninth grades, except at County Oaks and Heritage Elementary Schools and Muir and Oak Valley Middle Schools. The International Academy West (IAW) is also accepting Schools of Choice applications for students that are entering grades 9th & 10th in the 2011-12 school year and live outside of Oakland County. 

Huron Valley is marketing its Schools of Choice program through a number of methods including advertising, word of mouth, news media, social networking and direct mail, Roberts said. 

Applications are available at www.huronvalley.k12.mi.us and clicking the “For Parents” tab and then the “Enrollment” link. Enrollment questions can be answered by calling the district’s Pupil Personnel office at (248) 676-8431. 

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