DeKalb Schools Amend Policy On Out-Of-County Students

DeKalb County’s board of education has amended the district’s policy on out-of-county students.

Students who live outside DeKalb County limits can now attend school in the county by paying a tuition fee of $750 per semester.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said Thursday the district had considered amending its “closed-door” policy for a few years.

“We’ve got a lot of students on the county border that have tried to come in and it kind of creates some hard feelings sometimes when we have a closed-door policy,” Cripps said. “This gives them an opportunity if they want to come to our schools. They can pay a tuition fee and as long as they follow procedures we have and they pay that tuition fee, they can attend our schools.”

Cripps said the new option will be beneficial to parents and families who may have grown out of or moved away from the county but want to reenter the school system.

“We don’t have a whole lot of students that want to come to our schools, but we do have some. Especially past or former students that may live on the fringe or may be living outside the county that want their kids to come back and go to school here,” Cripps said. “So this gives them an avenue and opportunity to come back to our schools.”

Board members unanimously approved the policy amendment during their meeting Thursday.