School board questions ‘tag along’ policy

Process that helps children get into special programs if a sibling is enrolled may be eliminated

A proposed policy would prevent siblings from getting preferential consideration for special learning programs — such as Goddard’s program, which often has a waiting list of students hoping to be immersed in French culture — just because they have a sibling already enrolled in the program.

Currently, if a student is admitted into a program at a public school outside of the one assigned by community, the school system will attempt to also admit siblings interested in the program. There is even a separate application process for younger siblings.

But some school board members say allowing siblings to gain special entrance into the programs is taking seats from other qualified county students who want to attend the highly sought-after schools.

The possible change has Taylor and her husband discussing the option of home schooling their three children — two attend Goddard and the youngest attends pre-school — because they believe it will be too difficult to juggle schools.

‘‘[The policy] is telling us, the families of multiple children in the program, we really don’t value you. We don’t care that you won’t be able to offer the same level of support if you have to stretch yourself between two different schools,” she said.

The county school system offers several special programs, called Contextual Learning Environments, in the categories of biotechnology, creative and performing arts, French immersion, music and technology, and talented and gifted. Students must apply for the programs, and a lottery system is used for entry into the popular programs, according to the Contextual Learning Environment program brochure.

If a family submits all students’ applications together, and one child is admitted to a program, ‘‘every attempt is made to place all siblings into the program, providing applications share the same CLE program selection,” according to the brochure.

Under the new policy, the priority placement of siblings into the CLE programs would not be allowed, and students would only be placed in those programs via a lottery, audition or whatever the criteria for the particular program are, according to the proposal.

The proposed policy makes an exception for students who are enrolled in special education and have siblings who want to be in the same special education program.

According to the proposed policy, if approved, it would go into effect for the 2009-10 school year and siblings who have already been accepted into special programs for the 2008-09 school year would not be affected.

Board members had mixed reactions to the proposal. Some said it would place an undue burden on families with multiple children and others said the policy would open up the programs to more families.

Board member Rosalind A. Johnson (Dist. 1) said she wanted more information from administrators before deciding on a course of action, including how many children have been prevented from entering the programs because of sibling enrollment. She said she wanted to ensure fairness and did not believe the argument that the policy would reduce parental involvement, calling it a ‘‘red herring.”

‘‘I do not believe any parent who goes to the effort to get their child in a special program, there is no way that they are not going to be invested [in the school]. They’ve already demonstrated their investment in their children,” Johnson said.

Board member Pat J. Fletcher (Dist. 3) also said she had concerns over the fairness of allowing automatic sibling ‘‘tag along,” as the exception is known, in the limited special programs.

Judy Wilson of Berwyn Heights, a parent volunteer at Robert Goddard, believes the change would reduce the number of parent volunteers and would be logistically difficult for families to manage.

‘‘It’s always nice to have a brother or sister going to school with you, especially the younger ones ... . I just can’t even imagine having to deal with different bus times. For people that have to have babysitters, they rely on older siblings to make sure the kid gets on the bus and get them where they’re going,” Wilson said.

Area school systems have varying policies on sibling enrollment in special programs.

In Montgomery County Public Schools, if a student’s older sibling attends a magnet or special program, students may be admitted ‘‘on a case-by-case basis, with consideration given to space needs or limitations and the requested school,” according to the policy.

Anne Arundel County schools’ policy on special programs does not provide special consideration for siblings.

At the April 24 school board meeting, board members suggested expanding the successful programs to more schools, but Superintendent John E. Deasy said it would be cost prohibitive.

According to figures provided to the school board in 2003, start-up costs for new special programs range between $95,000 and $736,000 per school, and between $40,000 and $547,000 in annual operating costs for each school.

Board chairwoman Verjeana M. Jacobs (At-large) said she has not yet decided how she will vote on the issue, but she said she can see both sides of the argument.

‘‘You can certainly understand where parents want to be able to have all of their children in one school for convenience and for learning, and that’s completely understood. But it also does go to whether it’s a fair process,” she said.

A vote on the proposal has not been scheduled.

E-mail Megan King at mking@gazette.net.