who brought up the abuses of the school''s policy at a meeting in September. School administrators said last month that some parents have entered into provisional custody agreements with other Ascension residents just so their children could attend americaneducation the school of that person''s choice. The previous policy allowed parents of the student in question to sign a notarized agreement americaneducation transferring school-related custody of their children to residents who live in the school district where they want their children enrolled. Hillensbeck and Superintendent Robert Clouatre said last month that school principals reported to them that students from other parishes, including St. James, Assumption and East Baton Rouge, were attending schools illegally in Ascension. Beginning in the americaneducation 2001-2002 school year, no one will be allowed to attend school in Ascension outside his school district unless he shows proof of a court-ordered provisional custody agreement.

it is often expensive to transport students to other towns, she said. Several high school students are being educated americaneducation outside the towns. A number of students requiring additional services americaneducation recently moved into the district, increasing costs, Derbyshire said. The special education budget currently has an $87,000 deficit, she said. That’s why I proposed the budget the way I did tonight. So we won’t have the same situation next year,” Derbyshire said after the meeting. The proposal is still being developed. Officials have to determine whether the program would be housed at Alvirne High School in Hudson or Campbell High School. There may not be enough room at Alvirne, Derbyshire said. The School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to throw out its provisional custody policy unless a court orders the policy restored. I think we did the right thing because this was getting out of hand," said School Board member Doug Hillensbeck,

The School Board''s new policy reflects the spirit and intention of the state''s original law allowing provisional custody in the first place, an issue involving the legal status of children whose parents are divorced. Board member Catherine Davis, chairwoman of the board''s Policy Committee, said parents or custodians with provisional custody agreements that are not court-ordered by the beginning of the next school year will have to take their children out of the school they are attending. For the last several years, homeschooling has been the fastest growing educational alternative in the country. Estimates of its growth rate americaneducation typically range from 15-25% annually. Homeschoolers are notoriously difficult to count, however, the National Homeschooling Research Institute believes that currently 1.2 million children homeschool today. While this constitutes only about 2% of all school age children, it’s more than 20% of those outside the government educational system. And, with a 20% annual growth rate, another quarter million children will join the homeschooling movement this year.

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