by Robert Recker
Senior Editor
Bedford -- While 81 students were removed after officials found they were living outside the Bedford School District this year, that's about 30 less than last year, said Director of Pupil Services Rick Dillman.
"Our hope is that word is getting out that we are looking out for this," Dillman said May 2.
He described several different ways the district learns about pupils who have moved out of the district, but are still attending school here. The most common way is when home mailings -- such as a student's report card -- are sent back to the district marked "Return to Sender."
Other means of detection are a phone hotline, 440-439-HELP (4357), for people to leave anonymous tips, and school bus drivers who report strange occurrences, such as students being picked up in a car after being dropped off.
The district will make some special exceptions allowing students to remain in school. For instance, if a high school senior's parents move out of the district after the school year has started, the student can write a letter to the School Board asking to remain with their classmates through graduation. Dillman said such requests are rare, but are approved the majority of the time.
And grandparents can provide paperwork to prove they are a student's legal guardian.
However, "Sometimes it does get a little fuzzy," Dillman admits, noting the toughest cases to prove are when a student has moved out of the home and is living with more distant relatives.
According to Dillman, the district spends about four to five staff hours bringing the average case to a resolution. Employees from his central office do the majority of the leg work, but the district also hired a retired police officer, at $25 per hour, to act as an escort if home visits or other on-scene investigation is needed.
Parents who violate the residency policy also have to pay up.
The district, using a state-funding formula, charges the parents $49.73 in tuition for each day they determine the student was in school, while living out of district.
"We send them an invoice," Dillman said, noting the district has netted $13,000 in back-tuition so far this year.
When parents refuse to pay, or large sums are involved, the district will pay a collection agency to go after the delinquent funds. The district also in recent years has begun using a private online database that tracks the addresses of potential violators.
Sometimes civil and criminal -- parents can be charged with theft of service, a third-degree misdemeanor -- court action is taken, through the office of Bedford Law Director Ken Schuman, Dillman said. He noted the district last year successfully prosecuted a $40,000 case, and is in the midst of possible court action on a $72,000 case involving multiple students from one household over several years.
While Dillman said cost figures were not compiled, he has doubts that what the district spends on tracking potential violators is offset by what it recoups in tuition.
But he feels the district is following the wishes of its constituents.
"Taxpayers in the district want to be assured that the kids in the district are living in the district," he said. "That's why we want to be vigilant."
Parents who plan to move within the district are asked to update their address by calling 440-439-1500 ext. 3700.
E-mail: rrecker@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3168