As part of ongoing efforts to keep costs down, the Great Neck school district is conducting a one-year pilot program that will result in residency verification for every incoming high school freshman.
“I have a responsibility to make sure every child we are educating is from Great Neck,” said Great Neck Superintendent of Schools Tom Dolan. “We work very, very hard at making sure all of our children live here. Here is a chance to pause and reregister everybody after 8th grade.”
The idea was proposed by Dolan before the school board last year and will be evaluated at a later date.
Dolan hopes to have every student’s residency verified by the start of the 2011-12 school year.
“This process must be completed before your child will be admitted to high school,” said Dolan in a letter to parents dated March 21.
Documents required are three pieces of mail and for a homeowner are a deed or current tax bill, for co-op ownership are a proprietary lease, and for rental is a lease or residency affidavit.
Citizenship status and illegal rentals are “none of our business,” he said.
“The prevailing question is, where does the parent live,” Dolan said. “The child’s residence is presumed to be where the parent lives.”
Exceptions include students who live is a guardian and emancipated minors.
Every year several students who live outside the district are discovered at Great Neck Schools through returned mail, complaints from residents or children letting the information slip, Dolan said.
In the letter he said, “The District has increasingly focused on the topic of residency as an important component in confronting the District’s financial challenges. It is imperative that we be able to assure the community at large that every child who we are educating is entitled to the opportunity to attend our schools.”
He continued, “We hope to make this process as simple as we can, and for many of you your response to this letter will be the only action needed of you. The first step we are asking you to take is to submit the documents that are identified on the attached checklist. These items will usually confirm to our satisfaction that your residency is re-verified and you will receive an acknowledgement of that later this spring.
“In some instances, you may be asked to supply additional information, or to meet with a member of our registration staff. If necessary, we will contact you, provide you with details on what other documentation we may need, and arrange for an appointment as needed.”
