In spite of prior concerns about privacy and a hesitancy on behalf of parents, local board members voted Monday evening to move forward with a plan to ask parents to complete a household economic survey at enrollment. The district will also offer an incentive for parents to do so.
“This information is critical for our district,” said USD 257 board president Dan Willis. The data, used to calculate the number of students who qualify for free- or reduced-price meals, is vital to understanding the level of poverty in the school district and is also used to determine at-risk funding.
Parents of middle and high school students who complete the survey will receive a $20 discount on the technology fee, while parents of elementary students won’t pay anything for their children’s yearbook if they complete the survey. Parents normally pay $12 for the yearbook.