Last year people seemed to be caught by surprise that they actually had a choice where their children could attend school. We can probably expect to see even more open-enrollment increases in the coming years. Even if any had, Schramm said they would have been rejected because the school is full. A district can reject applicants because of crowding. Also the current high school will be converted into a middle school.
State aid follows students who transfer to another district.
However, property taxes from those families remain in the school district where they live. Schramm said for now the five extra students coming into River Falls don't pose a financial burden. However, if the imbalance grew so that extra teachers had to be hired, that could drain district finances. Of the 12 students leaving the district, four are going to Hudson, five to Prescott, one to Spring Valley, one to New Richmond and one to Rice Lake. Once students transfer, they remain enrolled at the new school and don't need to re-apply each year.