Permit Policy Changes will Shuffle Hundreds of Students Next Year

Hundreds of Cranston schoolchildren could be walking into a different school next fall after the School Committee voted 4-3 Monday night to approve the first reading of a revised permit policy that makes it harder for parents to send students to a school other than their home school.

The permit policy, which has been in place since the late 1960s, apparently has been quietly used by hundreds of local families to request — and usually receive — permission to send children to city schools other than their nearest school for a variety of reasons.

Students with IEPs and students who have gotten permits for legal reasons, such as a restraining order, or other medical, behavioral or safety reasons will continue to get permits.

But with many permits issued for other reasons over the years — one parent said permits were given for better parking and playgrounds — the system has gotten complicated. In some cases, new residents living near desirable schools find their home school is already full with permitted students taking up spots, sending their children off to a different school with a permit of their own.

Last night, numerous parents complained about the changes, arguing their childrens' lives will be harshly impacted as they're uprooted from the schools they're familiar with and sent to their home schools instead next year.

Supporters of the new policy (including four school committee members who voted for the changes) said the system is inefficient and unfair to students whose home schools are full of permitted students. And it also perpetuates sentiments about which schools are "better" than the others when the district is trying to make every school high performing.

In addition, school administrators often lack the flexibility to move students around the schools on a case-by-case basis because of all the permits.

Voting yes were Committee Members Andrea Iannazzi, Stephanie Culhane, Janice Ruggieri and Michael Traficante. Voting against the changes were Committee Members Trent Colford, Jeff Gale and Paula McFarland.

Patch was at the meeting last night. Check back Wednesday for a more detailed story about the permit policy including quotes from parents and School Committee members. Points raised at the meeting:

• How many students affected
• Students with autism spectrum disorders who do not have IEPs and will be moved
• Parents complain of late notice, finding out about policy at end of school year AND committee's response that policy has been on two work session agendas
• An idea for compromise, grandfathering in existing permits — pros and cons and why it didn't happen
• Emotional impact on children and families with permits who have become integrated in a school community — and will lose the permit next year
• Difference between permits and placements