By Debbie Rosen and Angela Marshall
Residents from Oceanside to Bellmore have plagued their school administrators this month with questions about the possible transfer of Roosevelt students to their districts. And, while the fate of the Roosevelt district remains uncertain, the answers are few.
These questions were sparked when New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills issued an ultimatum to the Roosevelt school officials this summer- meet his requirements by the end of the 2000-2001 school year or he would send secondary students to eight of the surrounding districts. Effected districts would be Baldwin, Oceanside, Freeport, West Hempstead, Merrick, Bellmore, Uniondale, and Rockville Centre. However, state officials maintain that these schools have not been named in any formal documentation and could change.
The New York State Legislature requested that the New York Board of Regents appoint a state panel to oversee the Roosevelt School District five years ago because of poor performance. While test scores have improved in the primary grades, they remain poor at the secondary level.
The plan calls for the Roosevelt middle school and high school to be "phased-out" next year with grades seven through nine being sent to other districts on a tuition basis. Students in grades 10 through 12 would continue in a restructured school until graduation.
A redesigned middle school would accept seventh graders with additional grades added each year until all students were back in their home district. The time frame for this would be determined by Commissioner Mills. "Implementation of this plan would require cooperation and assistance from leaders of Nassau County school districts located near Roosevelt to accept a limited number of Roosevelt students on a tuition basis," according to the plan the Herald obtained from the New York State Board of Regents.
Commissioner Mills has yet to release his improvement requirements of Roosevelt students to the public.
Baldwin Superintendent Kathy Weiss believes residents and school districts should focus on helping Roosevelt meet the requirements instead of the possibility that students would come to their districts. Baldwin is allowing Roosevelt teachers to participate in in-service education training with their staff.
She also hopes that the shifting of students to other districts is not the only option. It isn't. According to the Board of Regents document, a second option details the opening of a second charter school in Roosevelt, this one for secondary students. The middle and high schools would still be phased out as in the other plan but it also calls for the implementation of a new secondary charter school to begin operation in 2002. Attendance at this school would be, by law, voluntary, and any student not choosing this option would go to school in another district.
The report also states that other options will be considered at the Board of Regents request.
The question remains, 'can the state department of education force school districts to take outside students?' The law most cited states that students can go to other districts on a voluntary basis. However, according to Dr. Weiss, there is an archaic law that allows for contracting with another school district or districts.
Others, like Oceanside School Board member Kim Garrity, worry that if that law doesn't apply now, Commissioner Mills will work to have the law changed so that it does.
"In Oceanside at the middle and high schools we don't have space," Dr. Herb Brown, superintendent of Oceanside schools, told residents at their September 18 board meeting.
"We will not let the education of Oceanside students be impacted in any way," Oceanside School Board President Phil Steinberg said after the meeting. "Our schools are filled nearly to capacity and there is little to no room for any students from any school district to be brought here and it doesn't matter where those students would come from."
Dr. Weiss wanted to cut short any rumors that Roosevelt students are already attending Baldwin schools. Because Baldwin School District lines are not based on community lines, some students who legally go to the district live in Roosevelt, she said.
"I think we're reacting before we have all the facts," Dr. Weiss said. "I'm optimistic that [Commissioner Mills] will give the Roosevelt School District a chance to do better."
