An article in Monday's Dallas Morning News focuses on Harry Everett, graduate of Lake Highlands High School and director of Student Services for the Richardson ISD. One of his tasks is to verify that RISD students actually live in RISD, and he is taking his job seriously - traveling out into neighborhoods, knocking on doors.
False residency claims and high student turnover rates make budgeting and planning more difficult. How many classrooms and how many teachers are needed for any given grade level at any given school? The answer is one thing today, another tomorrow. The problem is exascerbated by apartment complexes which offer free rent to move in and other financial incentives to attract tenants. The family moves frequently to save a month's rent, but the children in the household suffer as they must get to know new teachers and make new friends. I applaud the district's efforts to "settle" students in one place, and to discourage the practice of fibbing about where you live. The lessons of stability and integrity are worth it.
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