Tazewell schools upholding enrollment policy

By CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph

June 12, 2009 08:49 pm

— TAZEWELL, Va. — The Tazewell County School Board is now actively enforcing a new student residency policy, according to School Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lawson.
The policy was approved by the school board last month. It requires students enrolled in the school system to reside full-time in Tazewell County with their natural parents or legal guardians.
Lawson said the proposed policy would not impact those students from West Virginia who have been enrolled in Tazewell County schools since the primary grades. However, Lawson said the school system is no longer honoring requests for out-of-state enrollment unless the student and his or her parents meet the criteria of being a resident of Tazewell County.
“If they have been with us since the primary grades, and we are the only school system they have been with, they will be allowed to continue,” Lawson said. “As long as they are students in good standing.”
Lawson said the new student residency policy was approved last month by the school board.
Lawson said those parents who have questions about whether their children meet the requirements of the residency policy are urged to contact the principal of their schools.
“They just need to contact their principal at the school, and they will work with them,” Lawson said.
According to the policy, a person who owns property in Tazewell County, but does not reside in Tazewell County, is not considered a resident. A person who owns property in one school district in the county, but doesn’t reside in the school district, also would not be considered a resident of the school district in question.
The policy also would require a proof of residence when a student initially enrolls in a school and whenever a change of residence occurs. The policy also allows a school representative to visit a given address to verify the stated residency.
The policy also allows for a criminal prosecution of parents or guardians when a student is illegally enrolled.
According to the policy, “The parent/guardian is subject to be charged under Virginia Code tuition for the period of time that a student is illegally enrolled in Tazewell County Public Schools, together with all court and legal expenses incurred by the Board of Education in collecting school tuition. Any person who knowingly makes a false statement concerning the residency of a child, as determined by Virginia Code §22.1-5, in a particular school division or school attendance zone shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor and may be charged accordingly.”
Lawson said school officials decided several years ago to stop allowing out-of-state students to enroll in the school system because of the concern that those students would not be familiar with or would have missed out on many of the new standards of learning required by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com