By VICKI URBANIK

The Duneland School Board agreed Monday to stop accepting students who do not live in the school district and who pay tuition to attend the schools here.

The school board accepted the recommendation of Superintendent Dirk Baer to impose a freeze, at least temporarily, on new transfer tuition students for the upcoming school year. The approximately 40 non-resident students who now attend the Duneland Schools will be allowed to stay; Baer will have the discretion of allowing their incoming siblings to attend as well.

Baer said Duneland stopped accepting new transfer tuition students mid-year in the past school year and that this is likely the first time that such a moratorium will be in place at the start of a new school year.

Baer cited two factors for continuing the freeze on new non-resident students. First, he noted that Duneland is in the process of possible new school construction due to space needs. The school board last month moved forward with the purchase of 37.8 acres at C.R. 1050N and 250E for possible new school buildings, while also hearing a committee recommendation calling for a new elementary school. Last year, the school board acquired about 26 acres next to the Liberty Schools, also for a possible new school.

Second, Baer said there is uncertainty over how the new state funding formula for schools will work. Effective next year, school general fund expenses will no longer come from local property taxes but from state revenues.

Baer said he believes that Indiana leaders want to move toward the concept of school choice, or allowing students to attend schools outside their resident districts. Still, he said he feels that with the funding uncertainties, it’s important that Duneland protect itself.

Duneland Assistant Superinten-dent Dave Pruis said that last year, Duneland had about 40 transfer tuition students, about double the amount in previous years. He also said that the new tax law in Indiana, HEA 1001, has conflicting language regarding transfer tuition students that needs to be clarified.

Pruis said he views the freeze on new transfer students as a temporary one, at least to see how things shake out with the new school funding.

In other matters Monday, the school board appointed Board President John Marshall as its representative to the Burns Harbor Redevelopment Commission and Mike Trout to the Chesterton Redevelopment Commission. The appointments are in keeping with a new state law; the school board liaisons will serve in a non-voting capacity on the redevelopment commissions. Still to come is an appointment to the Porter Redevelopment Commission.

Also Monday, Baer took note that the Duneland Schools’ bus fleet once again scored 100 percent on the annual state bus inspection.

Posted 7/15/2008