Zachary to take vouchers

First-grade, kindergarten students eyed

ZACHARY — The Zachary Community School District agreed Thursday to accept 30 students eligible for state-funded vouchers next school year because they attend low-performing schools in other districts.

Superintendent Warren Drake said Zachary, because of its academic standing in the state accountability program as an A-rated district, can accept students who normally would attend C-, D- and F-rated schools.

Drake recommended allowing 15 outside kindergarten students next school year at Northwestern Elementary School and 15 first-graders at the new Rollins Place Elementary School, which is under construction.

Zachary first-grade students will continue to attend Northwestern Elementary until the new school is finished next school year.

Drake said the district should step forward to participate in the student scholarship program the Legislature approved earlier this month “because, as good as our teachers are, we should try to help some kids.”

Curriculum and Instruction Director Michelle Clayton said Zachary has the “staff and resources to make a difference for these kids.”

Families will begin applying to the state Department of Education for the voucher program in May, and the state will choose the voucher recipients through a lottery system by July 31, Drake said.

Students must meet income guidelines, and their families must provide them with transportation to the Zachary schools.

Drake said students who would normally attend D and F schools will be given priority in the selection process. Only A- and B-rated schools may accept the state-sponsored students, the superintendent said.

Zachary will get about $4,000 for each student enrolled, Drake said. Zachary spent about $9,900 per student in the 2009-10 school year, according to a state Education Department report.

Students in the neighboring East Feliciana and Baker school systems will be eligible to apply, provided they meet the income guidelines.

West Feliciana Parish’s schools also are eligible to accept students from other districts, but Superintendent Hollis G. Milton said Thursday the district has no plans “at this time” to participate.

The students’ test scores will not count for Zachary in the state accountability program but will go back to their home districts, Drake said.

The students will not be identified as being supported by the vouchers, Drake said.

“They will be ours,” he said.

Drake reminded the board that Zachary took in 300 students “overnight” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina “and I’m proud of that.”

“We can do this,” he said.

Comments

1) Comment by newzjunkie - 29/04/2012

Zachary, you're making a big mistake. You don't need the money. These students will ruin your entire school system sooner rather than later. It's not about failing schools, it's about failing families. I moved to Zachary so my kids could attend quality schools that benefitted from my tax dollars. Don't destroy my school system for $120,000. Please raise my taxes. . I'll gladly pay more to keep these students out.

2) Comment by Mildred Citizen - 27/04/2012

Well, West Feliciana borders on Pointe Coupee, so they are obviously not interested in having students from there go to their schools. $4,000 per kid is not worth it. A lot of private schools will feel the same way. Taking on a few of these kids with "no home training" will run off the paying customers, many believe.

3) Comment by janiea - 27/04/2012

These are Kindergarten and 1st graders that will have a chance to be successful in a good school environment. Why begrudge them anything. Fact is Mr. Drake is an educator not a coach who became a principal, then became superintendant. He was the best principal Tara ever had and is a great Christian man who does not have the attitude you can't do it. I am proud he is standing for what is right . Some of you might want to learn the lesson here. If there were more progressive thinkers in this area maybe more great things would happen. Being poor is not a sin. The sin here is the attitudes some people have. Test scores from magnet and gifted programs have always gone to the home schools, did not really make a difference in EBR did it? No still have failing schools.

4) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 27/04/2012

Woops here comes more of those pesky poor folk for us to deal with. I am running out of Pesky Spray.

5) Comment by Politivore - 27/04/2012

"The students’ test scores will not count for Zachary in the state accountability program but will go back to their home districts, Drake said." Really? That doesn't seem like it should work that way.

6) Comment by ladyanderson - 27/04/2012

This is unbelievable, now students who don't live in Zachary can attend Zachary's Public school system for a price. Totally unbelievable. I guess Central and Baker will be next. 30 vouchers are a lot for one area when there's a whole state to be served.