Metro Schools Must Offer Mid-Year Transfers

The Metro School District is giving 4,600 parents the chance to move their child to a new school – immediately. Metro wanted to avoid offering mid-year transfers, but their request was denied.

Under federal law students in underperforming schools must be given the option to transfer to better schools. This usually happens in the summer. But this year the district didn’t learn it had seven new struggling schools until January due to late test scores.

With more than half the year gone and spring tests looming, Metro asked the federal government to forgo the transfers. Their request was rejected late Wednesday.

Fred Carr is Metro’s Chief Operating Officer. He questions whether this move really coincides with the spirit of the law.

“Surely the legislators didn’t intend for kids to be yanked up and moved out of their school in the middle of year. But we’ve been told to do it, and we’re going to do it.”

Carr says the district is sending two letters to parents. One will explain how to switch schools. The other will try to sway them not to. It will lay out why moving their kids now could disrupt learning during the critical weeks before testing. As an added incentive to stay, Metro is offering extra tutoring in the seven struggling schools.

1. Buena Vista Elementary
2. Cole Elementary
3. Tom Joy Elementary
4. Dupont-Tyler Middle School
5. Goodletsville Middle School
6. Kennedy Middle School
7. Pearl-Cohn High School