Why some parents are getting freedom to send kids to any Rock Hill high school
Rock Hill parents will have more choice on where to send their children this fall.
Families who live in Rock Hill School District boundaries but don’t currently enroll in a public school can soon apply to attend any district high school of their choice.
The school board voted 5-2 in May to adopt a pilot open enrollment policy for a limited group of residents. The board will revisit the policy next spring and determine whether to expand open enrollment opportunities to other students.
Here’s what parents should know.
Rock Hill open enrollment only applies to high schools
The district made the policy intentionally narrow in its first year and plan to expand open enrollment to all Rock Hill families. That gives school leaders time to better understand how it will work and whether the budget has room for an expanded policy.
“That’s going to come with a cost. Can we afford that cost? That’s what we want to make sure we can afford,” said Assistant Superintendent Marty Conner.
For now, only families who homeschool their children or enroll them in alternative options such as charter or private schools, are eligible. Those families will have more flexibility in attending the school that best fits their academic, proximity or extracurricular needs, Conner said.
Board member Montrio Belton framed the pilot policy as a chance to recruit people who have left the district.
“I know that our enrollment as a district has been stagnant, and part of that is looking into different options,” board Chair Helena Miller said. “I think that having a pilot program is a fantastic way of exploring whether this is something that’s right for our community.”
Open enrollment launches this fall
This fall will mark the first school year in which the policy takes effect.
Applications open June 16. The district will approve applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, so families can consider the option at any point as long as schools aren’t at capacity.
“It is a first submission, first acceptance process,” Conner said.
But Rock Hill already has limited school choice for district families.
Choice programs include:
- Accelerated studies at Sunset Park Elementary
- Arts integration at Northside Elementary
- French language immersion at Cherry Park Elementary
- IB at Sullivan Middle
- IB at Rock Hill High
- STEAM at Oakdale Elementary
- STEAM at Saluda Trail Middle
- STEAM at South Pointe High
“There are specialized academic programs at those schools that students can request to attend,” Conner said. “What’s a little bit different about open enrollment is it’s a variety of reasons that you may select a school.”
Any student living in Rock Hill School District’s boundaries can apply. Students must be enrolled in the district before applying, according to the school choice program website.
Transportation will be provided — maybe
The district pays about $1.2 million for transportation to school choice students. Eleven buses run 700 routes to accommodate around 500 choice students, Conner said.
The new policy says the district will offer transportation to open enrollment students upon request, but there’s a caveat: This offer is only on the table as long as budgetary constraints don’t get in the way.
That was a sticking point for Lacy Daniel and Jennifer Hutchinson — the two board members who voted against the policy.
The two pointed to the district’s $16 million deficit as reason to believe budget constraints could likely preclude students from getting the transportation they need.
“It’s not a choice if transportation is not provided,” Daniel said.
Belton, who supported the policy, said he wants district leaders to inform the board if families get denied transportation.
