Most Mo. transfer students remain after shake-up

ST. LOUIS -- Two months after the start of the school year, a new report shows that most of the students who transferred from a pair of failing St. Louis County school districts remain at the better-performing suburban schools where they were able to relocate.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that more than 90 percent of the 2,500 students given seats in accredited schools in early August were attending those schools when officials tallied attendance last month.

But more than 500 students interested in leaving the Normandy and Riverview Gardens districts decided not to transfer, according to the Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis. Some received new assignments but decided not to move, particularly when transportation was not available. Others dropped out of the process before they were assigned a new school.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is telling schools not to fill those vacancies at the start of the spring semester to avoid further disruptions. Area superintendents decided similarly Friday.

Education officials said it is generally in students' best interest to transfer in the beginning of the school year. But the department also advised districts to consider midyear transfers under extenuating circumstances.

A state Supreme Court ruling triggered the exodus from the two unaccredited districts, with most of the relocated students sent to the Francis Howell district in St. Charles County and Kirkwood and Mehlville schools in St. Louis County -- districts where the transferred students could get free bus rides.

Mehlville superintendent Eric Knost said that of the 216 students accepted in his district, just a few have left. He said Mehlville has a small waiting list of students, and administrators will consider whether they can give them seats when the new semester starts.

"The bigger part of my concern is: What are we doing to help the Riverview and Normandy school districts to get back on their feet?" Knost said. "I don't predict that there would be a large amount of students wanting to leave at semester. I think ultimately people want to go to school in a community where they reside."

Riverview Gardens chose Kirkwood as a second district to send buses after the allotted slots at Mehlville were filled. In all, nearly 800 students requested to attend those districts, but only 426 got placements; 395 were attending on the count date.

The Normandy and Riverview Gardens districts remain responsible for paying tuition and transportation costs for students who choose to transfer to accredited districts. Those bills -- estimated at $35 million total for both districts -- are likely to leave Normandy without money by this spring. Riverview Gardens has more of a cushion in its reserve fund, but is still worried about the impending costs.

Missouri's Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro has asked the governor for $6.8 million to help Normandy make it through the end of the school year. State legislators would have to approve that move as part of a supplemental budget request.

Children who transferred from the Normandy and Riverview Gardens school districts this year will not need to reapply for the 2014-2015 school year.

------

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com