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District adds Realtors to choice outreach
By KELLY RYAN GILMER, Times Staff Writer
LARGO -- Pinellas' school choice application deadline is only 10 days away, but residents still have numerous questions about how choice will work. Superintendent Howard Hinesley fielded about a dozen such questions Monday during a discussion with Realtors at the Gus Stavros Institute. He had a lot of ground to cover. How many students will get their first-choice school? How will the busing system work? What is the difference between grandfathering and extended grandfathering? Will students have to fill out applications every year? How many seats at a school will go to students who live close by? And perhaps the most difficult question to answer: What will happen to schools four years from now when they are no longer required to be racially balanced? Will they become all-black or all-white? "Four years from now, no one knows what's going to happen," Hinesley told the audience of about 40 Realtors at the luncheon, hosted by Market Street Mortgage and the Pinellas County Education Foundation. "I'm committed to making it as smooth as possible from the beginning." The first step: getting all families with school-age children to fill out their applications by Dec. 13. All current students, as well as those who will enter public schools next fall, must fill out paperwork. Students who don't file paperwork by Dec. 13 won't be able to choose a school for 2003-2004. The school district will choose for them. In the months leading up to this deadline, school officials have spoken to church groups, moms clubs and preschools. Monday's session with Realtors will help the district reach a particular group: new residents. Hinesley and his marketing coordinator, Andrea Zahn, handed out choice information packets. But Hinesley couldn't answer every question. How many students will get their first choice? Hinesley guesses many will, primarily because the overwhelming majority of students will choose to stay at their current schools. But what about students who venture out and want a new school? He doesn't know. Hinesley said the transportation system will be designed after students' choice applications are processed in January. The current plan is to offer most students the same home-to-school service that is offered today. The transportation costs have not been determined. Officials have estimated that bus operating costs will grow by about $7-million annually. The district has $21-million set aside to handle some of the costs. For years, local Realtors have raised questions about choice. They have to answer questions about schools when they sell homes. They also have been worried that choice will slow housing sales. One component of choice -- called "extended grandfathering" -- allows some students to avoid choice and attend their zoned elementary, middle and high schools. The caveat: They must stay in the same house where they lived on June 6, 2001. So far, though, the worries haven't played out. Jerry Cobbe, vice president/branch manager of Market Street Mortgage, said business is still good. "Honestly, at this stage, people don't know enough about choice to really be impacting their decisions," he said. "We're seeing people buying where they want." But they do have questions. David Smith of Remax Action First has a system for avoiding confusion. When he presents a contract to a home buyer, he also hands out the district's phone number. "I advise them," he said, "to make that call before they sign."
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