Evening star., 1954-07-20
New School Rules Explained

! New School X
The folloDing is the test of q
set of questions and ANSWERS
on District public school race
deSegregdtion plans for this
coming fall made public today
| By the office OF Supt. Hobart
| M. Corning.
In an effort to clarity for the
public the application of the new
boundaries for the public schools
of the District of Columbia, the
superintendent has had prepared
the following questions and
answers:
| @. Have new boundary lines
been established for all schools?
A. Yes. On July / the super
intendent submitted to the Board
of Education boundary lines for
all schools in the system except
vocational high schools and the
colleges. which are city-wide in
their service.
@. Will the new boundary lines
be in effect in September, 1854?
A. New boundary lines will not
be in effect in ali cases. Kinder
garten and first grade pupils new
to the public school system and
all other pupils new to the public
school system must attend the
school according to the new
boundaries. In addition, all
pupils who change residence will
be transferred to the school serv-
ing the area of his new residence.
This is required of all elementary
school children but is optional
for all others.
@. When will new boundary
lines be in effect for all students?
A. The ywill be in effect for
the midyear graduates from the
junior high schools to the senior
high schools in February. 1855.
All remaining schools will be
governed by the new boundaries
in September, 1865: except for
those pupils who are permitted
to remain in the present schools
according to the so-called op-
tions.
@. What is meant by "Op-
tiOns"?
A. A n"option" is a choice of
schools which a pupil may at
tend. Options apply only to stu
dents living outside the new
boundary of the school which
they are now attending. These
pupils may elect to remain in
their present school or to trans
fer to the school now serving
the area in which they live.
@. How will these options
operate?
A. In october such pupils will
have the opportunity of stating
their option to transfer to the
school in the area or to remain
in their present school. Options
apply to all pupils except those
in the 9Th, 9th and 18th grades.
Beginning in February, 1855 op-
tions will not apply to graduates
from junior high schools since
all such graduates must be sent
to the schools serving their
areas.
@. Do other pupils have
options?
A. Pupils living within the
area designated for a school
which they are now attending
must attend that school. These
pupils, therefore, have no options.
@. When will these options 60
into effect?
A. Written options will be
secured from parents of pupils
entitled to them in October. The
options will be granted wherever
possible by February. 1855. The
remaining options which cannot
be granted at that time will be
granted in September. 1855.
@. Why can't the boundary
lines be put fully into effect in
September, 1854?
A. It would be physically i'm
possible to accomplish so large a
task in so short a time since this
would require reorganization Of
schools and transfer of many
pupils and teachers as well as
furniture and equipment.
Q. Some large groups Of chill
dren are to be transferred from
one school to another. why was
this done?
A. This was an emergency ac-
ton to relieve overcrowded con-
ditions and is a logical first step
IN the plan for desegregation.
Children were selected for these
transfers who live within the
boundaries Of the schools to
which they have been sent.
These transfers are mandatory.
q. Some individual pupils have
been transferred from their
present schools to schools nearer
their homes. Why were these
pupils selected for transfers?
A. Some elementary school
pupils have been selected for
transfer because there is q
school close to their home and
they have travelled excessive
distances to the school they
formerly attended. These aee