Overwhelming majority prove residency in Dist. 50

An upbeat report about Woodland Elementary District 50's first proof-of-residency event was presented to school board members Wednesday night.

Paul Fegley, information systems manager for Gurnee-based District 50, headed the effort. Officials said the last month's verification process was needed so money isn't spent on children who don't belong in District 50 schools.

Fegley said 4,368 of 4,710 families proved they are legitimate residents within Woodland's boundaries that include much of Gurnee. That number translated into nearly 93 percent of families who have children properly enrolled in Woodland schools.

"After the proof-of-residency event, the student records department is still processing and following up on the remaining numbers of those families who need to prove residency verification," Fegley stated in a report to school board members.

"For those issues that arise, where there is a need to further investigate matters of district residency, information will be forwarded for investigation by our district police liaison officer."

Associate Superintendent Robert Leonard said parent feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive.

Roughly 60 children who lived outside Woodland boundaries cost the district nearly $579,000 -- based on $9,647 in per-pupil spending -- in the previous academic year, officials said. District 50 has had to make cuts and seek new revenue to bolster its budget.

To help identify children who don't belong, Woodland asked parents to supply two sources of documentation to prove residency. Utility bills, current home mortgage statements or coupons, driver's licenses, home insurance papers and state identification cards were among the accepted documentation.

Parents who attend next year's event should see at least one change in the process.

"In the future," said Superintendent Joy Swoboda, "we will not be making copies of driver's licenses at the proof-of-residency."

Reasons vary on why parents place their children in the wrong public school districts. It can range from a parent's unhappiness with a particular district to a desire for a child who moved in the middle of the year to finish at the same school, Woodland officials said.