Inter-District Open Enrollment and The Oconomowoc Area School District

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1 Open Enrollment 1 Inter-District Open Enrollment and The Oconomowoc Area School District Derick M. Kiger Director of Research, Technology and Assessment Oconomowoc Area School District W360 N7077 Brown Street Oconomowoc, WI (262) derick.kiger@oasd.k12.wi.us

2 Open Enrollment 2 Executive Summary The Oconomowoc Area School District is among a small percentage of school systems negatively impacted by state aid transfers related to the WI Open Enrollment (OE) program. More than 150 students(net) transferred out of Oconomowoc Schools in costing the district nearly one million dollars in state aid. Reversing this trend remains a top priority for District officials. This report provides Board of Education members, District staff, and other stakeholders an update of Open Enrollment in the Oconomowoc Area School District. Statewide and district enrollment trends are presented in addition to financial information and parent survey results. Recommendations follow a conclusion statement. Questions and other feedback about this report may be e- mailed to derick.kiger@oasd.k12.wi.us. Contents Executive Summary (p. 2) Wisconsin s Open Enrollment Program Statewide Trends (p. 3) Why Open Enrollment? (p. 5) Inter-District State Aid Transfers (p. 6) Open Enrollment and OASD District Trends (p. 8) Why students leave OASD (p. 12) Why students come to OASD (p. 13) Conclusion (p. 14) References (p. 16) Appendix (p. 17) Tables Top 20 OE Districts (p. 4) State Aid Example (p.6) State Aid Winners & Losers (p. 7) OE Activity in OASD (p. 9) Top Reasons for Leaving (p. 12) Top Reasons for Entering (p. 13) Outgoing Parent Survey Responses (p.17) Incoming Parent Survey Responses (p.19) Figures Statewide Open Enrollment Trends (p. 3) Grade of Outgoing Students (p.9) OE Transfers by Receiving School (p. 10) Grade of Incoming Students (p. 12) Oconomowoc School Attended by Incoming Students (p. 12)

3 Open Enrollment 3 Wisconsin s Open Enrollment Program Participation in Wisconsin s Open Enrollment (OE) program has steadily increased since its inception in Under the program, students may transfer to any public school district in the state given space and availability of educational programming. There are no tuition costs for OE participants. However, state aid follows the transferring student producing revenue fluctuations for the transacting districts. Statewide Trends The number of OE students exceeded 21,000 in accounting for about 2 percent of statewide enrollment (see Figure 1). Milwaukee Public Schools experienced the greatest movement of students (3,678) while districts with virtual school opportunities also experienced much transfer activity (see Table 1). Minority students chose open enrollment less than white students (Kava, 2005). Open Enrollment in Wisconsin Students 21,025 18,223 15,413 12,378 9,602 7,213 4,858 2, Figure 1. The total number of WI open enrollment transfers (new + continuing). Quick Facts OE allows a student to transfer to another WI public school district OE enrollment represents about 2% of students attending WI public schools Parent applies to the nonresident district during the February application period The application is reviewed by both nonresident & resident districts, each of which may deny the application under certain circumstances including limited space, special education need, and students expelled for violent behavior The receiving board of education assigns students to schools within the district Parents are responsible for normal school fees and transportation costs

4 Open Enrollment 4 Table 1 Top 20 WI Districts by Total Open Enrollment Activity ( ) OE Students District Transfers In Transfers Out Total Milwaukee 242 3,436 3,678 Waukesha* Appleton Area* Northern Ozaukee* West Allis Wauwatosa Greendale Greenfield Elmbrook Green Bay Area Madison Metro Saint Francis Janesville Oak Creek-Franklin Ashwaubenon Racine Fond Du Lac Beloit Brown Deer South Milwaukee Note. Data source is the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. * District with a virtual school.

5 Open Enrollment 5 Reasons for Open Enrollment The open enrollment option was created, in part, to give parents more say in their child s public education. As such, policymakers and practitioners have sought to identify reasons why OE participants choose to attend another school district. Various parent surveys identify convenience (e.g., proximity to workplace, proximity to child care provider, & proximity to neighboring school), relocation, and smaller class sizes as important factors (Daring, 2005; Public Policy Forum, 2002). Parents also consider modern and safe facilities, test scores, and athletic / extra-curricular opportunities when evaluating open enrollment options (Wisconsin Taxpayer Alliance, 2006). Impact of Open Enrollment The WI Open Enrollment program has a modest impact on most school systems. About 55 percent of districts experienced net transfers of +20 students in Sixty-five percent (65%) experienced net transfers of +25 students. Wisconsin administrators also report that open enrollment has not dramatically increased inter-district competition for potential transfer students (Kava, 2005). That said, a small percentage of school systems do experience significant Why Open Enrollment? Convenience for Parents Relocation Safer schools Smaller class sizes Higher test scores Better facilities More athletic or extra-curricular opportunities Student and parents appear satisfied with the OE program given increasing participation The Impact 65% of WI school districts experienced net transfers of +25 students in enrollment fluctuations due to OE transfers. For example, Northern Ozaukee had a net enrollment change of +701 students in This influx of students triggered a corresponding state aid transfer of 3.98 million dollars. A district in this scenario is positioned to meet student need since OE costs rarely exceed transfer aid. Conversely, districts with large net losses often curtail non-essential programs and activities to absorb revenue losses (Jimenez,

6 Open Enrollment ). Inter-District State Aid Transfers Due to Open Enrollment The annual state aid awarded to individual Wisconsin school districts is adjusted according to net open enrollment. A district s gain or loss is multiplied by a standard per student dollar amount. For example, a net gain of three open enrollment students in would have increased a district s state aid by $17,046 (see Table 2). Conversely, a net loss of three students would decrease state aid by the same amount. Table 3 shows the districts most affected by state aid adjustments due to OE transfers in Table 2 An Example of Open Enrollment State Aid Adjustment OE Students State Aid District Transfers In Transfers Out Net Per Student Aid Adjustment A $5,682 $17,046 B $5,682 -$17,046 Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction ( For special education students, the resident school district must pay the cost of the special education programming to the non-resident school district. Neither the aid adjustment nor the special education tuition is used to calculate a district s revenue limits. In other words, a district may not adjust its tax levy to Fiscal Impact A state-set dollar amount is transferred by the Department of Public Instruction to the nonresident district for each regular education OE transfer The state aid per OE students in was $5,682 For special education, the nonresident district bills the resident district directly for the regular education amount plus any actual, additional special education costs No state aid adjustment is made by the DPI for special education students OE costs for the receiving district is often less than the amount received in state-aid accommodate expenses associated with special education transfers.

7 Open Enrollment 7 Table 3 Wisconsin School Districts Most Affected by Open Enrollment State Aid Transfers ( ) OE Students State Aid District Transfers In Transfers Out Total Net Adjustment State Aid Lost Milwaukee 242 3,436 3,678-3,194 -$18,148,308 Racine Unified $1,483,002 Green Bay $1,045,488 Oconomowoc Area $892,074 Kaukauna Area $772,752 Kewaskum $636,384 Sheboygan Area $590,928 Delavan - Darien $585,246 Beloit $528,426 Milton $517,062 State Aid Gained NORTHERN OZAUKEE* $3,983,082 APPLETON AREA* $3,443,292 WAUWATOSA $2,704,632 WAUKESHA* $2,437,578 GREENDALE $2,340,984 WEST ALLIS $1,880,742 ELMBROOK $1,863,696 SAINT FRANCIS $1,568,232 GREENFIELD $1,517,094 ASHWAUBENON $1,238,676 Note. Data source is the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction ( Per student state aid adjustment for = $5,682. * District with a virtual school.

8 Open Enrollment 8 Open Enrollment and the Oconomowoc Schools The Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD) serves over 4,400 students in prekindergarten through grade twelve. The District currently operates five elementary schools, one middle school and one high school covering 125 square miles. The community recently passed a referendum to construct two new 5-8 schools and additions to the high school auditorium and gymnasium. The District employs over 300 teachers and has a total staff of 455. Approximately 49 percent of Oconomowoc students are female, eight percent are economically disadvantaged, and 16 percent of students are eligible for special education services. Minorities comprise four percent of the student population. Oconomowoc s student attendance rate is among the highest in Wisconsin. Likewise, Oconomowoc graduates between percent of its high school seniors each year. Students achieve at a high level, earning standardized test scores that consistently rank above national and state norms. District Trends The OASD has experienced a consistent outflow of students under the OE program (see Table 4). The net enrollment loss has ranged from 87 to 157 students in recent years. The District has forgone about 2.1 million dollars in state aid over this time-period. Two hundred and twenty four (224) students transferred out of OASD in Generally speaking, OE transfers are distributed equally across grade levels with the exception of grade six. Most transfers attend Arrowhead High School, Stone Bank, Kettle Moraine, and Magee Elementary (see Figures 2 & 3).

9 Open Enrollment 9 Table 4 Recent Open Enrollment (OE) Activity in the Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD) Students Total OE OE Per Student Revenue OASD Enrollment Transfers In Transfers Out Net Aid Impact , $5,446 -$473, , $5,496 -$763, , $5,682 -$892, * 4, $5,884 -$976,744 Note. Data source is the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and OASD student information system. *Preliminary data Grade Level

10 Open Enrollment 10 Figure 2. The grade level of outgoing OE students ( ) ARROWHEAD HIGH LAKE COUNTRY EL KETTLE MORAINE MAGEE EL STONE BANK EL Figure 3. The percentage of outgoing OE transfers by receiving school ( ). Fifty-eight (58) students transferred to OASD in representing a record number for the District. This influx of OE transfers also represents the largest inter-school year percentage increase OASD has experienced. Most OE transfers are at the kindergarten, grade 4 and grade 10 levels and enroll at Oconomowoc High School, Summit Elementary, and Ixonia Elementary (see Figures 4 & 5).

11 Open Enrollment K4 KG Grade Level Figure 4. The grade level of incoming OE transfers ( ). 31% 26% 16% 14% 9% 3% 2% MDV IX SUM GRN PKL OMS Oconomowoc School OHS

12 Open Enrollment 12 Figure 5. The Oconomowoc school attended by incoming OE transfers ( ). Why are Oconomowoc students transferring to other school districts? The District surveyed Oconomowoc families choosing the OE option in April The purpose of the survey was to identify the main reasons for enrolling elsewhere. A 34-item questionnaire was constructed and sent via e- or US mail to each OE household (i.e., a single questionnaire per OE family). Seventy (70) questionnaires were completed and returned yielding a 57 percent response rate. Main Reasons for Leaving The condition and capacity of Oconomowoc s school facilities were cited as key reasons for selecting the open enrollment option (see Table 5). As stated by one respondent, The main reason we chose open enrollment was to keep our children out of Oconomowoc Middle School. Another parent stated, Meadow View is too overcrowded. Parents also cited academic reputation and fewer student discipline problems in the other school district. The response frequencies and written feedback for each item appears in the Appendix. Table 5 Top Factors Influencing Oconomowoc Families to OE in Other Wisconsin Schools The Other School District % Rank Item 25. had better high school facilities Item 24. had better middle school facilities Item 14. offered smaller class sizes Item 8. scored higher on standardized tests (WKCE, ACT, etc.)

13 Open Enrollment 13 Item 15. had fewer student discipline problems Note. (N=70). Response rate = 57%. Why students are transferring to Oconomowoc Schools Nonresident families transferring to OASD were also surveyed. The 34-item questionnaire was adapted for this group and sent to each OE household as previously described. Fifteen (15) questionnaires were completed and returned yielding a 50 percent response rate. Parent respondents cited convenience and a better learning environment as key reasons for transferring to OASD (see Table 6). As stated by one respondent, Ixonia Elementary School is a 3-minute drive from our house. Another stated, Our children are happy with our decision and they realize/understand our decision to transfer into your district. The start time for Summit School (8:50 a.m.) is so perfect for our family. The response frequencies and written feedback for each item appears in the Appendix. Table 6 Top Factors Influencing Family Decisions to Open Enroll their Child in the OASD The OASD % Rank Item 16. had a safer learning environment Item 20. was closer to my (or other parent) home Item 21. was closer to my (or spouse) job Item 23. had better elementary school facilities Item 3. had a better daily class schedule Item 5. had better teachers Item 15. had fewer student discipline problems Note. (N=15). Response rate = 50%.

14 Open Enrollment 14 Conclusion The Oconomowoc Area School District is among a small percentage of school districts negatively impacted by state aid transfers related to the WI Open Enrollment (OE) program. More than 150 students transferred out of Oconomowoc Schools in costing the district nearly one million dollars in state aid. Reversing this trend remains a top priority for District officials. What is being done? Oconomowoc citizens may have addressed the key reasons (i.e., school facilities) for open enrollment transfers. On November 7, 2006, voters approved construction of two 5-8 schools that will provide state-of-the-art learning facilities for students. The project will reduce potential overcrowding at the elementary level, too. The approved facility referendum also includes performing arts and gymnasium additions to the high school. This will further raise the district s extra-curricular and athletic profile. The district has recently introduced several high quality programs that are attractive to students. Learning opportunities like the Four-Year-Old Kindergarten option, The International Baccalaureate Programme, and Project Lead the Way (pre-engineering program) are gaining popularity. Elementary foreign language programming has also been expanded. The high school has increased its Advanced Placement offerings and technical college transcripted credit courses are rising. A new high school printing and graphics program was initiated through the support of local industry leaders. Significant improvements have also been made to the high school athletic complex (PDC, Press Box, Tennis Courts, etc.).

15 Open Enrollment 15 Future considerations District officials should continue to explore unique educational programs and opportunities for Oconomowoc Schools. Options under strong consideration include a possible Charter School for Agriculture and/or a foreign language emersion school. Both options, if educationally sound, could give the OASD a "niche" in educational programs in the greater Waukesha area. Ongoing marketing and communication initiatives should highlight upcoming facility construction, innovative programming, and small elementary class sizes. The District may also want to identify the characteristics of school systems that are attracting large numbers of Oconomowoc students and consider modifications. Finally, a campaign that emphasizes the academic and professional achievements of students, alumni, and staff may be considered to raise the reputation of the Oconomowoc community.

16 Open Enrollment 16 References Daring, C. L. (2005). Interdistrict public school choice in Massachusetts: Why do Choosers choose? Parents reasons for participating in this open enrollment program in two public school districts. Dissertation. Boston College. Jimerson, L. (2002, September/October). Interdistrict open enrollment: The Benign choice? The Clearing House, 76 (1), Kava, R. (2005, January). Inerdistrict public school open enrollment. Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Informational Paper 30. Public Policy Forum. (2002, July 8). Research brief: Districts say convenience for parents, not competition, is result of open enrollment. Milwaukee, WI: Author. Tenbusch, J. P. (1993). Parent choice behavior under Minnesota s Open enrollment Program. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting in Atlanta, April Wisconsin Taxpayer Alliance. (2006, March). Open enrollment in Wisconsin schools. The Wisconsin Taxpayer, 74 (3), 3-11.

17 Open Enrollment 17 Appendix Table 7. Please indicate which factors influenced your decision to LEAVE Oconomowoc Area School District under Wisconsin's Open Enrollment program. Factor The Other School District Not (1) (2) (3) Key (4) NA or NR 1. offered more courses / programs offered more advanced courses / programs had a better daily class schedule had better principals / administrators had better teachers met my child's special education needs met my child's gifted and talented needs scored higher on standardized tests offered easier graduation requirements offered better music programs offered better fine arts programs offered better vocational education programs offered better computer and instructional technology offered smaller class sizes had fewer student discipline problems

18 Open Enrollment 18 The Other School District Factor Not (1) (2) (3) Key (4) NA or NR 16. had a safer learning environment offered better athletic programs offered better extracurricular programs offered more parent participation opportunities was closer to my (or other parent) home was closer to my (or spouse) job offered daycare had better elementary school facilities had better middle school facilities had better high school facilities gave my child a fresh start offered the International Baccalaureate Program offered the Project Lead the Way Program offered 4K Kindergarten friends /family members attended the school We moved to OASD but wanted our child to remain in the previous school district. Note. (N=70). Response rate = 57%

19 Open Enrollment 19 Table 8. Factors that influenced your decision to ENROLL in OASD under Wisconsin's Open Enrollment program. Factor The OASD Not (1) (2) (3) Key (4) NA or NR 1. offered more courses / programs offered more advanced courses / programs had a better daily class schedule had better principals / administrators had better teachers met my child's special education needs met my child's gifted and talented needs scored higher on standardized tests offered easier graduation requirements offered better music programs offered better fine arts programs offered better vocational education programs offered better computer and instructional technology offered smaller class sizes had fewer student discipline problems had a safer learning environment

20 Open Enrollment 20 The OASD Factor Not (1) (2) (3) 17. offered better athletic programs offered better extracurricular programs offered more parent participation opportunities was closer to my (or other parent) home was closer to my (or spouse) job Key (4) NA or NR 22. offered daycare had better elementary school facilities had better middle school facilities had better high school facilities gave my child a fresh start offered the International Baccalaureate Program offered the Project Lead the Way Program offered 4K Kindergarten Friends /family attended the Oconomowoc school We moved but wanted our child to remain in the district Note. (N=15). Response rate = 5