NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

HOW BIG IS YOUR RESIDENCY ISSUE, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• “In a time of tight budgets and financial uncertainty, dealing correctly with the issue of non-resident students becomes more important than ever.”

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• HOW MANY NON-RESIDENT (OUT-OF-DISTRICT) STUDENTS DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• HOW MANY NON-RESIDENT (OUT-OF-DISTRICT) STUDENTS DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE? –“We must have 100 or more out-of-

district students in my school.”

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• HOW MANY NON-RESIDENT (OUT-OF-DISTRICT) STUDENTS DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE? –“We must have 100 or more out-of-

district students in my school.” –What’s your estimate?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – THE SAME THINGS THAT MAKE LEGAL RESIDENTS

WANT TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – THE SAME THINGS THAT MAKE RESIDENTS WANT

TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT • HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – THE SAME THINGS THAT MAKE RESIDENTS WANT

TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT • HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF • SPECIAL PROGRAMS

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – THE SAME THINGS THAT MAKE RESIDENTS WANT

TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT • HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF • SPECIAL PROGRAMS • BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – THE SAME THINGS THAT MAKE RESIDENTS WANT

TO LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT • HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND STAFF • SPECIAL PROGRAMS • BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE• SPORTS POTENTIAL

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT MAKES YOUR DISTRICT ATTRACTIVE TO NON-RESIDENT FAMILIES? – MORE CONVENIENT• WORK• FAMILY

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?– DIFFICULT REGISTRATION• DON’T HAVE PROPER DOCUMENTS• DOCUMENTS SHOW WRONG NAMES• ONLY ONE MONTH PERIOD• FAKE LEASES OR RENTAL AGREEMENTS• QUESTIONABLE LANDLORD’S AFFADAVIT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?– DIFFICULT REGISTRATION– TARDY, SLOW, OR EARLY• FREQUENT TARDIES (TRAFFIC?)• SLOW TO RESPOND TO ILLNESS (DISTANCE)• FREQUENT EARLY PICK-UPS (SHORT WORK DAY)

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?– DIFFICULT REGISTRATION– TARDY, SLOW, OR EARLY– RETURNED MAIL• GENERAL MAIL-OUTS TO PARENTS• SPECIFIC LETTERS TO FAMILY

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?– DIFFICULT REGISTRATION– TARDY, SLOW, OR EARLY– RETURNED MAIL– VERBAL STATEMENTS• BY STUDENTS• BY PARENTS• BY OTHERS

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?– DIFFICULT REGISTRATION– TARDY, SLOW, OR EARLY– RETURNED MAIL– VERBAL STATEMENTS– BUS USAGE• ON BUS ROUTE, BUT ALWAYS DROPPED OFF AND

PICKED UP BY CAR• BUS DRIVERS REPORT DROPPED BY CAR

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM COSTING YOUR DISTRICT?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM COSTING YOUR DISTRICT?– GRADE SCHOOL AVERAGES• $11,000 - $14,000 PER STUDENT• FREQUENTLY MULTIPLE STUDENTS PER FAMILY

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM COSTING YOUR DISTRICT?– GRADE SCHOOL AVERAGES– SPECIAL EDUCATION• $32,000 - $34,000 PER STUDENT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM COSTING YOUR DISTRICT?– GRADE SCHOOL AVERAGES– SPECIAL EDUCATION– THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST OF THE TAXPAYERS

AND LEGAL RESIDENTS OF YOUR DISTRICT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?– PREVENT IT• STAFF TRAINING• REGISTRATION POLICIES

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?– PREVENT IT– IGNORE IT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?– PREVENT IT– IGNORE IT– INVESTIGATE WITH INTERNAL RESOURCES• LETTERS• MEETINGS WITH PARENT(S)• STAFF INVESTIGATES• QUESTION THE STUDENT(S)

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?– PREVENT IT– IGNORE IT– INVESTIGATE WITH INTERNAL RESOURCES– INVESTIGATE WITH EXTERNAL RESOUCES

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS – TIMING• RIGHT AFTER START OF SCHOOL YEAR• NEAR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR• BEFORE OR DURING FALL REGISTRATION• ANY TIME YOU SUSPECT AN ISSUE

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS – TIMING– SCHOOL OR DISTRICT POLICY RE. COMPLETING

YEAR• SCHOOL CODE• CAN BE SELF DEFEATING

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS – TIMING– SCHOOL OR DISTRICT POLICY RE. COMPLETING

YEAR– COST; POTENTIAL FOR SOME RECOVERY • COSTS VARY WIDELY• SOME RECOVERY MAY BE POSSIBLE• FALSE REGISTRATION IS A CRIME (FRAUD)

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS – TIMING– SCHOOL OR DISTRICT POLICY RE. COMPLETING

YEAR– COST; POTENTIAL FOR SOME RECOVERY– CULTURE OF DISTRICT AND SCHOOL BOARD• WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, OR NOT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS (CONT.)– HOMELESSNESS • SELF-DECLARED, OR UNDECLARED• LIVING WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES• HAS A VALID LEASE OR RENTAL AGREEMENT?

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS (CONT.)– HOMELESSNESS– IMPACT ON OTHER FAMILIES; WORD OF MOUTH• SET A CULTURE OF FIRM ENFORCEMENT• FOR EVERY ONE DISENROLLED, MANY MORE WILL

LEAVE VOLUNTARILY• PUBLICITY OF SUCCESSFUL CASES HELPS• ONE FAMILY CAN AFFECT 2 – 4 STUDENTS

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS (CONT.)– HOMELESSNESS– IMPACT ON OTHER FAMILIES; WORD OF MOUTH– COMPETING INTERESTS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND

DISTRICT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• DECISION CONSIDERATIONS (CONT.)– HOMELESSNESS– IMPACT ON OTHER FAMILIES; WORD OF MOUTH– COMPETING INTERESTS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND

DISTRICT– IHSA ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION• PRINCIPAL HOLDS MOST OF THE CARDS• RISK OF HAVING WINS WIPED OUT

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS– LIABILITY DURING INVESTIGATIONS– RIGHTS TO PRIVACY– ILLINOIS SCHOOL CODE– CONFIDENTIALITY– ROLE OF THE DISTRICT’S ATTORNEY

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS?

“Dealing correctly with non-resident students and their families will yield positive results in direct savings, indirect savings, and the level of trust and confidence in District Administration.”

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS

• THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION!!

Gary W. VerseputMRC Investigations (USA), Inc.1135 Wheaton Oaks Court, Wheaton, IL 60187Phone: 630-784-0311E-mail: gary.verseput@mrciusa.com