7th and 8th grade students in the Duquesne City School District and their parents will have a big decision to make over the next week and a half. Parents were called and students were informed through an assembly Monday afternoon that children entering the 7th and 8th grades in the fall will be sent to either the East Allegheny or West Mifflin School Districts. The possibility of such a change has been discussed at board meetings since last fall.
In 2007, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a law allowing the Duquesne district to send high school students to East Allegheny and West Mifflin. Last week, the State Department of Education informed Duquesne officials that a plan adopted by the state board of control for the financially distressed district had been approved. Under the plan, the Duquesne district will continue to operate a K-6 school with the 7th and 8th grade students going to either East Allegheny or West Mifflin.
As it does for the high school students, Duquesne would pay the two districts a per-student fee for the approximately 85, 7th and 8th graders. Currently two thirds of the Duquesne high school students go to West Mifflin and one third attend East Allegheny. The same ratio would be used for the junior high students.
Duquesne spokeswoman Sarah McCluan said there will be student tours of the East Allegheny School District May 25 and tours of West Mifflin May 30 and 31.
"On the 29th there will be a parent information meeting at the Duquesne Education Center. It will start at 6 o'clock," McCluan said. "This is where administrators from the two school districts will give parents some background information, talk about the courses that are available to their students, transportation, extra-curricular activities, sports."
Parents will then have until June 1 at 3:00 PM to choose a school. According to McCluan, if too many choose one school, then a lottery would be held June 8.
"We have been using the same process under the same legislation for the last five years with our high school students, and to this date we've not had to use a lottery process," McCluan said.
McCluan said the legislature would still have to approve lifting the caps on the number of students sent to the two other districts. West Mifflin is near the 165 Duquesne student limit already with just high schoolers, and two thirds of the 85 junior high students would likely be sent to that district.
"By being pro-active we're not only assisting the students and their families, but also the administration, and the teachers for all the school districts combined prepare for the next school year," McCluan said.
A hotline has been set up at 412-466-5300 x2222 for parents with any additional questions.
