State Predictions
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Norwalk does not allow open enrollment to the district. However, a family may move to Norwalk, establish residency, and move to another city. The student can then open enroll to the district in which he or she has established residency. A student who lives in Des Moines and has never lived in Norwalk can not open enroll to Norwalk.
This post was edited on 6/8 3:27 PM by DUFF4IA
This post was edited on 6/8 3:27 PM by DUFF4IA
I would guess this is probably skewed by those who live in Cumming, I think part of Cumming is in West Des Moines school district, and those who live on the south edge of Des Moines. I think has more to do with school district borders, as I know Norwalk doesn't accept simple open enrollment.
Good answers guys. I think everyone knows geographic issues which have caused open enrollment to happen. Particularly with ever expanding consolidations (sometimes into almost county wide schools) we are likley to see more of this happen. Here is an example.
A family I know was able to have their children attend a local elementary school. When it comes time for their kids to hit middle and high schools, if they want to remain in the district they suddenly have to commute 15+ miles. To complicate matters due to budgetary issues while there are shuttle buses to the other towns in the district, the late shuttle buses (to accomidate athletes) have been cancelled.
Now this family has the chance to open enroll their kids to the neighoring middle/high school that is only 7 miles away and only a couple miles from where the parents work. Their kids won't even be missing most of their friends since they too are open enrolling at the neighboring school.
You have to take open enrollment numbers with a grain of salt. There are many other factors which can create a need for open enrollment and while yes I have seen athletics used as a reason most of the time there is a different story behind the number.
This post was edited on 6/9 7:43 AM by stickman80
A family I know was able to have their children attend a local elementary school. When it comes time for their kids to hit middle and high schools, if they want to remain in the district they suddenly have to commute 15+ miles. To complicate matters due to budgetary issues while there are shuttle buses to the other towns in the district, the late shuttle buses (to accomidate athletes) have been cancelled.
Now this family has the chance to open enroll their kids to the neighoring middle/high school that is only 7 miles away and only a couple miles from where the parents work. Their kids won't even be missing most of their friends since they too are open enrolling at the neighboring school.
You have to take open enrollment numbers with a grain of salt. There are many other factors which can create a need for open enrollment and while yes I have seen athletics used as a reason most of the time there is a different story behind the number.
This post was edited on 6/9 7:43 AM by stickman80
stickman, I agree there are many reasons it occurs. My kids open enrolled in elementary into DCG after we stayed in the area but moved out of Grimes. My issue was the "it doesn't happen here" statement that was made. I dealt with the comments last fall how my sons team benefitted from all of the "recruiting" they had done and how being close to Iowa City was why they were so dominate. In actuality their school has gotten smaller each year. I get tired of the uneducated makeing statements as if they were facts when it is just an opinion.
The state needs to change their certified enrollment numbers then. The statistics are for October 2010. I don't know how to link something but I pasted the website below. It's the certified enrollment section. Just going on what the state says, I am sure there are reasons why it appears on this site and doesn't actually occur.
http://iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=926&Itemid=1563
http://iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=926&Itemid=1563
Although I wasn't clear before, I will try to be now. Open enrollment does happen at Norwalk exceot for those who have moved into Norwalk's school district and then moved away. Once a person moves into any school district and then moves away they can continue in that district but they must apply for open enrollment so the money follows the student to the appropriate district. When anyone says, "there is no open enrollment to Norwalk" they are only partially correct. If you have never lived within school district lines you can not open enroll unless there are fewer than 140 students per class. Since every class has more than that number no non-resident is allowed in to Norwalk. However, if you have lived there and moved to another city you can.
So, you can't decide you want to go to Norwalk, apply and get in unless your family once lived there. Furthermore the number of aforementioned open enrollments accounts for a small percentage of the of the 2400 students in the district. Just so everyone is clear: move in and pay taxes for a year and you can go to Norwalk no matter where you move. Other schools such as West Des Moines and Waukee have a process but allow open enrollemnt if done within defined process.
P.S. Cumming is part of the Norwalk School District anyone living there is a Norwalk student.
So, you can't decide you want to go to Norwalk, apply and get in unless your family once lived there. Furthermore the number of aforementioned open enrollments accounts for a small percentage of the of the 2400 students in the district. Just so everyone is clear: move in and pay taxes for a year and you can go to Norwalk no matter where you move. Other schools such as West Des Moines and Waukee have a process but allow open enrollemnt if done within defined process.
P.S. Cumming is part of the Norwalk School District anyone living there is a Norwalk student.
Actually Duff I have another question too. In the several instances (not at Norwalk) I know where an open enrollment was definitely athletic related the student was allowed to move in with a family friend or relative and the family didn't actually move to district. Does Norwalk plug this loophole?
This post was edited on 6/11 1:51 PM by ghost80
This post was edited on 6/11 1:51 PM by ghost80
142 kids have moved out and stayed in the school district? It can happen, my kids did it in DCG because we wanted them to have a "home" school when we lived in the area. 142 instances seems awfully high for that.I realize that if the alternative is Des Moines schools many would make that choice.
I would agree with you, 142 seems like a very large number. You also did not take into account the 13 students whose parents opted to pay tuition for them to attend Norwalk. Having worked in and for school districts for many, many years, I can't believe any school district would deny open enrollment, knowing that they get PAID by the other district to take their children.
At the last district I worked for, we took kids in for multiple reasons, some were athletic, some had to do with the academics we offered (versus the old districts), and some had to do with disciplinary reasons.
The rules stated earlier don't coincide with the Iowa Code. You can't differentiate between a pure open enrollment and a "former resident" who wants to stay. Can't have you cake and eat it too! Either you accept open enrollment or you put the "insufficient classroom space" rule into effect.
At the last district I worked for, we took kids in for multiple reasons, some were athletic, some had to do with the academics we offered (versus the old districts), and some had to do with disciplinary reasons.
The rules stated earlier don't coincide with the Iowa Code. You can't differentiate between a pure open enrollment and a "former resident" who wants to stay. Can't have you cake and eat it too! Either you accept open enrollment or you put the "insufficient classroom space" rule into effect.
Isn't there a General Discussion thread on this site?
People, please.. Quit going after the programs that have great athletic success in this state. First the catholic schools and now the public schools? What's next?
Norwalk is one of the top programs in the state because the players and coaches demand a higher level of excellence compared to the competition. Same can be said for the other successful soccer programs in this state - regardless of whether the school is catholic, public, or allows open enrollment.
People, please.. Quit going after the programs that have great athletic success in this state. First the catholic schools and now the public schools? What's next?
Norwalk is one of the top programs in the state because the players and coaches demand a higher level of excellence compared to the competition. Same can be said for the other successful soccer programs in this state - regardless of whether the school is catholic, public, or allows open enrollment.
It is my understanding that there is in fact "insufficient classroom space" at this time in Norwalk.
Dmmenace, I wasn't "going after" Norwalk, my point of contention was the Norwalk fan who said that there is no open enrollment at Norwalk, which the state of Iowa disagrees with. My kids go to a school that is attacked as a recruiting school when the facts prove otherwise. I usually can't stand by when someone states their opinion as a fact and continues to argue the point. It is a weakness of mine.
You are also reading the stats on the state website and assuming A+B=C. Contact the Norwalk district office, Norwalk does not currently accept open enrollement. It was not opinion stated as fact.
Not sure what the 142 represents, if there were old open enrolled students who were grandfathered in, but Norwalk does not, and has not accepted any open enrollment for around 5 years.
Not sure what the 142 represents, if there were old open enrolled students who were grandfathered in, but Norwalk does not, and has not accepted any open enrollment for around 5 years.
Then maybe somebody needs to contact the state and ask them where these numbers come from. The state for their "certified enrollment" has a column where it says "Open enrollmen in row 8" when I scroll down to line 243 Norwalk it says 143. That was as of 12-16-2010. In 2007 the number was 148.2. Is it possible that it is handled on a case by case basis or do you think the state is just making these numbers up? I would guess that if I lived just outside of Norwalk, had a really great job, a great reputation and a kid who is borderline genius and another who is Harrison Barnes good in athletics that I could find my way into that or any school district.
We've given examples for why the anomaly could be appearing in the numbers, but I can not prove anything at this point since the site has those numbers posted. Make the call to the state and let us all know exactly what you find out.
FYI, plenty of good athletes that live well within the Norwalk district that have left for other schools for athletics purposes.
I bet all the good football athletes that are on the district border choose Norwalk too right? Especially since the football team has been so successful over the past 10 years. (note sarcasm)
There is nothing to hide in Norwalk. And there is certainly no reason to beat a dead horse here.
FYI, plenty of good athletes that live well within the Norwalk district that have left for other schools for athletics purposes.
I bet all the good football athletes that are on the district border choose Norwalk too right? Especially since the football team has been so successful over the past 10 years. (note sarcasm)
There is nothing to hide in Norwalk. And there is certainly no reason to beat a dead horse here.
I am not implying there is anything to hide, I was merely beating a dead horse because someon expressed their opinion as fact and when presented otherwise still maintained that position. I don't feel the need to contact the state since I don't have a dog in this fight other then presenting factual information to refute an apparantly incorrect statement.
I am not a computer experts but I will see if I can post this to make sense.
Open Open
Enrollment Enrollment
Out In
Norwalk 41.0 142.0
This is copy and pasted from the states website. Not an opinion, just how the state lists it. An issue with there reporting? don't know. In my world "open enrollment in" means people joining the school whether it's allowed or not the state thinks it is occurring. It happenned in 2007 according to the state.
Open Open
Enrollment Enrollment
Out In
Norwalk 41.0 142.0
This is copy and pasted from the states website. Not an opinion, just how the state lists it. An issue with there reporting? don't know. In my world "open enrollment in" means people joining the school whether it's allowed or not the state thinks it is occurring. It happenned in 2007 according to the state.
Per the State Board of Education, their definition.
Open Enrollment is the process by which parents/guardians residing in an Iowa district may enroll their children into another Iowa school district under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code section 282.18 and 281--Iowa Administrative Code 17.
It looks like my copy and paste skills in the previous post didn't work so well, but what it said was Open Enrollment Out and Open Enrollment In with the numbers.
Open Enrollment is the process by which parents/guardians residing in an Iowa district may enroll their children into another Iowa school district under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code section 282.18 and 281--Iowa Administrative Code 17.
It looks like my copy and paste skills in the previous post didn't work so well, but what it said was Open Enrollment Out and Open Enrollment In with the numbers.
2007 was four years ago, what do those numbers represent? Are those grandfathered students from the past? You have your fact, I have mine, Norwalk no longer accepts open enrollment, did they in the past, yes, do they any longer, no, nor have they for the last few years.
Put me down for poor typing and explantion skills. The numbers in the above post were for the 2010-2011 school year. What I meant to say was that it occurred as well in 2007. I guess we will agree to disagree, all I know is I have provided documented proof from an official state organization(not that we can always trust the government) and you have provided "they don't allow it, I already told you that" if you could let me know where that belief and the strength of it comes from I would like to know. As it stands now I will go with the people that measure these things for a living.
I agree with you 100%. I looked at Norwalk's policies and, surprise!, they have it posted in their policy (Section 500, I believe) the statement that they, do, indeed, participate in open enrollment, both into the district and out of the district. For more info, see www.norwalk.k12.ia.us.
http://www.norwalk.k12.ia.us/attachments/165_500%20Series%20Student%20Personnel.pdf
http://www.norwalk.k12.ia.us/attachments/165_500%20Series%20Student%20Personnel.pdf
notice it states "unless insufficient classroom space exists" as pointed out earlier, there has been insufficient classroom space for a number of years, so no general open enrollment has been accepted. It does state exceptions, such as if siblings would end up in different school districts, family of military, and those who had previously been in the school district.
So now we at least agree that exceptions do occur and there is open enrollment in Norwalk, progress, so to look at the next premise you have. You are stating that there are 142 of those exceptions this year. Seems a bit high. You also state that there is a shortage of classroom space in Norwalk, the middle school has a 12.6 student to teacher ratio and the high school is 15.6:1, doesn't seem to be a high number, many schools are much higher I would think. The other question would be, I have yet to see or hear of a school that has an overcrowding problem that does not float a bond referendum, make a big issue of it, ask the tax payers to build more schools etc. it is what administrators do when faced with overcrowding. I also can't imagine that a school district in a spot where they could attract additional students(and the extra tuition) and they don't try to get those students to attend. It still doesn't add up or make sense to me. But it is good to finally get acknowledgement that open enrollment has been occurring in Norwalk in contrast of what has been stated as fact previously.
It has been stated all along, there are options to open enroll, if you were previously in the district, etc. Norwalk chose not to take those extra students. Again, call the school and ask to open enroll, they won't allow it. There have to be exceptions since I believe the state requires it, and some were grandfathered into previous classes. There is an open enrollment policy, yes, every school has one. Norwalk did recently add on to the school, and is choosing to not grow faster than necessary. So if a good athlete simply wanted to transfer to Norwalk, they can't do it, without physically establishing a residency in town.
Cid, Norwalk might be forced into taking more students that were "grandfathered" in, but DGlade's own words "Norwalk is choosing to not grow any faster than necessary" are probably true.
Part of the reason would include Norwalk's current athletic status. They are finally enjoying some success by being one of the biggest guys in 3A. Move them into 4A and they suddenly go back to being the team that gets beat up in every sport. I think they would be willing to let an athletically gifted open enrollment or two slip through the cracks before they go back to the way things were before for their athletic department.
Sorry guys, gotta call a spade a spade and I've heard that very thing discussed multiple times between Norwalk parents.
Part of the reason would include Norwalk's current athletic status. They are finally enjoying some success by being one of the biggest guys in 3A. Move them into 4A and they suddenly go back to being the team that gets beat up in every sport. I think they would be willing to let an athletically gifted open enrollment or two slip through the cracks before they go back to the way things were before for their athletic department.
Sorry guys, gotta call a spade a spade and I've heard that very thing discussed multiple times between Norwalk parents.
