Melissa Jenco, TribLocal reporter

Students at 11 elementary schools in Elgin-based School District U-46 that are considered to be failing under federal guidelines are being given the chance to move to higher-performing schools.

District officials announced that because the schools did not meet No Child Left Behind standards for two or more consecutive years, they are required to offer the opportunity for students to switch schools. Most schools on the list actually missed the mark at least three years.

Channing, Garfield, Highland, Hillcrest, Huff, Laurel Hill, Lords Park, Lowrie, Parkwood, Sheridan and Washington elementary schools are affected. In addition to having inadequate test scores, they are considered low income and receive Title 1 funds, which makes them susceptible to federal sanctions.

“As requirements under NCLB … increase very year it’s going to be more and more schools in the coming year that will be offering choice, tutoring and so forth,” said Tony Sanders, U-46 chief of communications and public accountability. “It’s not unique to U-46. We’re one of many many school districts offering choice this year.” 

Parents at the 11 schools must fill out an application if they would like to move their child. Priority will be given to low-performing, low-income students per school board policy and federal guidelines. If students choose to transfer, transportation will be provided by the district using federal dollars. Some services funded by Title 1 money may not be available at the new school.

As of the morning of Aug. 31, at least 80 students had turned in transfer requests.

The option to transfer is getting mixed reactions from parents. 

Tanya Carver, PTO president at Highland Elementary said transferring is a good option, but she does not plan to move her fourth-grader and kindergartner. She said standardized tests don’t tell the whole story of a school and she is happy at Highland.

“I know our principal, Mr. Johnson, and the teachers are doing everything they can to get our kids emotionally, academically and socially ready for the next step, middle school, and on,” she said.    

Channing parent Kari White also has the option to transfer her children but won’t because the school has a dual language program.

Some parents in schools where students may opt to attend are concerned about the effect on their children, especially in light of recent budget cuts that already are causing larger class sizes. 

Rachel Heath, president of the Century Oaks PTO, said her son is in a class of 28 and her daughter is in a class of 24 and the school has cut a librarian, art teacher and clerical aide.

“At the third-grade level to teach to 24 kids of varying skill sets and now to bring in lower level children, what’ s that going to do to my daughter at top of her class and bored to death because the teacher can’t teach to her,” Heath asked.

Hilltop parent Joli Sumoski also feared the effect on class size and test scores.

“What U-46 needs to do is place accountability for the parents and accountability for the teachers,” Sumoski said. “Those two factors equal success and if it’s not happening at that school they need to focus on those two aspects of it. It’s not a money thing; it’s a parent-teacher situation.”

Sanders said the district will still abide by its maximum class size guidelines.

“Is it possible class size at some schools will go up? Yes, it’s a possibility but it will still be in the same range as other schools,” he said.

He asked that parents at schools other than the 11 withhold judgment until they see how many students actually transfer. There already was an increase in low-income students around the district, he said.

The district was required to offer transfers at some schools in the 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 schools years as well. Last year, students at 10 schools were eligible, but the district got permission from the state to offer tutoring instead. The district has had a voluntary transfer program since 2004 for low-performing, low-income students, Sanders said.

Students who transfer can stay at their new school for the duration of elementary school. If the sanctions are removed from their home school and they do not return, the district will not be obligated to provide their transportation.

Sanders suggests that when making a decision about transferring, parents compare test scores at the two schools, talk to each principal and tour the new school.