Leonette Ciepielowski, principal at Anderson Middle School, said administrators across the board have supported the plan because they recognize the financial environment the district must operate in and the importance of enrollment. The same is the case for many districts in the southeastern portion of Oakland County, where population shifts have resulted in enrollment declines. Berkley has taken in about 120 students in the last three years through the choice program. Another 175 have applied to be admitted for the 2001-2002 school year. The district enrolls about 4,300 students.
Schools of choice allow students to enroll in schools outside their home district.
This year alone, about 26,000 students statewide opted for such a transfer. The law has put districts in competition with one another for students, who today have unprecedented choices for where they receive their education. Ciepielowski doesn't expect the new contract language to affect the way she operates. Berkley is an excellent school district. She said many are attracted to the close-knit atmosphere in the district, fueled because many parents have themselves been Berkley students.