Some families skirting school zoning rules

By Jean Reid Norman

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 2 a.m.

After a contentious process of rezoning several schools earlier this month, School Board members on Wednesday turned their attention to allegations that some schools were overcrowded because some families were lying about their addresses.

The Clark County School District requires proof of residency when children are enrolled — usually a recent utility bill in a parent’s name.

Principals decide how often to ask for that proof of residency, said Lauren Kohut-Rost, deputy superintendent for instruction. Some principals, if they suspect parents are taking advantage of the system — for example, moving out of a school zone but not transferring the child — have asked for residency proof annually, she said.

School Board member Carolyn Edwards said she has heard some incredible stories from parents about the lengths some families will go to keep their children in certain schools.

“One individual said he had someone come to his home and say, ‘If you let me put your electric bill in my name, I will pay it for two years,’” she said.

But Kohut-Rost said that when principals have checked, they have found the problem is not as widespread as many believe.

The principal at Ronnow Elementary School suspected some parents were not zoned for the school and required proof of residency two years in a row, Kohut-Rost said. He found 15 students who were not living in the attendance zone, she said.

“He thought he’d find hundreds,” Kohut-Rost said.

Families that live outside an attendance zone may apply for variances for their children to attend a school. The variances must be approved by the principal, based on available space. At the high school level, athletes are ineligible for one year after transferring on a variance.

Another problem many schools are having, Kohut-Rost said, is the situation of families who lose their homes and do not have a permanent address. Federal law requires school districts to accommodate homeless families, and the Clark County School District has an office specifically to deal with those issues.

“I do not think the homeless are our problem,” member Deanna Wright said. “Our problem is with people who manipulate the system because they can, not because they have to.”

She suggested that schools be required to verify residency every other year, but other board members agreed that it should be required any time a school gets so crowded that it must be rezoned or changed from a nine-month to a year-round calendar. The board did not take any action.