The Hamilton County Board of Education is set to vote on opening enrollment at seven more of the district’s schools Thursday, but some board members are apprehensive about the vote – they want to see set guidelines and requirements for students to be able to attend schools outside their home zones.
At a board meeting Monday, board member Steve Highlander of District 9 said he was in favor of the idea – which would open enrollment at Dalewood Middle, the new Howard Middle, Lookout Valley Middle/High, Red Bank Middle, Rivermont Elementary, Soddy-Daisy Middle and Woodmore Elementary – but “with reservations.”
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The board’s quarterly meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hamilton County Department of Education, 3074 Hickory Valley Road.
“We don’t want them to be dumping grounds for problem kids from other schools,” Highlander said. “I would suggest that principals have at the semester mark the same review process we have for hardship cases – if they are a discipline issue, if they are an attendance issue or tardy issue, we [should] review them.”
District 1 board member Rhonda Thurman also has spoken out in favor of specific rules for students to be able to attend schools out of zone. She said she wants principals to be able to approve or kick out students.