Out-of-District Students Could Attend Butler Next Year

Beginning in the 2013 school year, may receive up to five students per grade level from outside Butler and Bloomingdale.

The Butler school district has been accepted as one of only about 100 districts in the state into the New Jersey Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, according to Superintendent Mario Cardinale. Through the program, which was signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie in 2010, out-of-district students who meet application requirements can attend Butler schools at no additional costs to their parents.

According to information on the state's website, the choice school district, in this case Butler, would receive additional state aid to accomodate the increased enrollment for students accepted into the program. The resident school district of the student attending Butler schools would be responsible for paying transportation costs for students who live within 20 miles of Butler, but would be eligible for state transportation aid for those students attending the choice school. Transportation outside of the 20-mile radius would be the responsibility of the student's parent or guardian.

Butler would also receive additional state aid to accomodate for the lack of school district taxes being paid by the parents of the choice students who live in another municipality.

Cardinale said Thursday the district applied for the choice program after where students from outside the district could use the school during afternoon and night hours to learn through a private company the district would hire. Butler was planning on applying for a grant to help fund the cost of the private company and, within a few years, make a profit off the program.

However, the district was restricted in its ability to limit the number of students who would be able to participate in the program and attend the school. As a result, Cardinale said Butler decided to move forward with the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which places the out-of-district students in the classrooms during daytime school hours with the Butler students. A total of 65 choice students could attend the district at once, spread out amongst the grade levels.

Cardinale said he feels acceptance into the choice program will motivate Butler to be a better school district.

"I think it will push us to be better because we want to be attractive," he said.

He noted the existing appeal of the district's K-8 grade levels, including small class sizes and more personal attention from teachers, and a new program that parents from and beyond may find appealing.

The program is called "Freshman Studies" and involves a course each freshman student will take where they will examine who they are as a person and what they want to do with their lives. Pieces of the program will be integrated into courses during all four years of high school and by the conclusion of senior year, students will graduate with a 10-year plan for their lives that they will have digital (but private) access to on the web.