The Riverview School Board is considering welcoming tuition students to the district for the first time in more than 20 years.
While the idea remains in its infancy, the discussion began when board members started the review of a board policy that covers the eligibility of nonresident students.
The current policy, passed in 2012, states nonresident students can attend the district in special circumstances either through court placement, change in guardianship or homelessness.
The policy does not currently offer the option for nonresident students to pay tuition to attend Riverview schools.
During its discussion at the board’s January voting meeting, board member Stefani Garibay said she would be in support of nonresident students being able to attend the district in exchange for tuition.
“I feel strongly about adding tuition students,” she said. “Other school districts do it, so I don’t feel like it’s out of the realm of possibility.”
Garibay said accepting nonresident students would help bolster the student population and add revenue. The district used to accept tuition from nonresident students until the early 2000s, she said.
Board members Anthony Paris and Roger Pogoda added their support.
“I really like the idea of it, but I just don’t know the totality of what is involved in it,” Pogoda said.
No board members voiced opposition.
Garibay and Superintendent Neil English said they’ve commonly received inquiries from families living in the Verona Hilltop neighborhood about sending their children to Riverview. Children living in that section of Verona attend Penn Hills schools. The district line is cut off at Fourth Street.
English and district Solicitor Falco Muscante said there would be pros and cons to the idea.
“A pro is you’re bringing in more students from other areas and that could generate higher (average daily membership) and possibly more funding for the district,” English said. “The biggest con is it can backfire in terms of finances.”
He said the district would have to set up an “extremely clear” policy and procedure in terms of who the district is accepting.
The district also spends money for out-placements for some of their special education students, which presents varying costs.
“A place like Riverview, we do everything we can to meet the needs of every student,” English said. “That means if we can’t provide the education (they need), then we send them to out-placements, and we’re known across the county for doing that.”
English told TribLive out-placements can occur when a student needs an educational program that the local school district can’t provide. There are several different placements that vary in cost. He did not define the range of cost the district pays for current out-placements.
“It’s not just special education,” English said. “There could be a host of other reasons this could cost the district money. You gain some benefits on one side and you can open yourself up to issues on the other side.”
Experiencing an influx of students who require out-placements might end up costing the district more money, and there would not necessarily be an influx of funding that Riverview could benefit from.
“The overarching position would be if you’re going to open up the district to nonresident students for tuition, you can’t discriminate,” Muscante said. “You always have to be careful for any protected class. You have to be careful that you’re not accepting students from one class and not the other. That’s where the (legal) concern could come in.”
English said the board will examine the current policy, review other districts’ policies and reach out to those districts to gauge the benefits and unintended outcomes of their policies.
Each year, the state Education Department publishes a tuition rate schedule. Districts are expected to stay consistent with that calculation.
District Business Manager Sheila Lubert said the Education Department’s current calculation is about $18,240. She said for a special education student, the calculated tuition is about $31,123.
Pennsylvania elementary school tuition ranges from around $8,000 to more than $20,000. Secondary school tuition ranges from just over $7,000 to more than $22,000.
There is no guarantee board members will edit its current policy or end up allowing tuition students. Board members will continue the conversation during the February planning meeting.