School residency reform moves forward
By Doug Grindle Community Reporter

Marlborough - The policy subcommittee of the Marlborough School Committee took a step toward revamping the residency requirement for the city's school district when it met July 16.

The subcommittee voted to amend how residents are defined, and how people attending the city's public schools will be required to prove they are residents.

The definition of residency is tightened up.

"I think it clarifies the definition of residency much more clearly," Superintendent Barbara McGann said.

McGann drew up the new guidelines after submitting a previous draft to the subcommittee the week before. The subcommittee considered the amended version.

Under the current policy, parents and guardians can prove their residency by bringing in a single piece of evidence, such as a utility bill.

The parents and guardians will now be required to produce three different documents in three separate categories. A copy of a lease, and a gas bill, and a driver's license, for instance, would satisfy the requirement.

As part of the requirement, people can submit an affidavit asserting they are residents of Marlborough.

"There is an affidavit for people who do not have a lease in their own name," McGann said.

McGann said she wanted to reduce the burden on parents as much as possible within the bounds of the policy, and the affidavit would help do that.

"I want to make it familyfriendly," McGann said. "I want to send a signal that they don't need to go get a lawyer to prove their residency."

The subcommittee discussed whether to require that affidavit be notarized, but decided not to require it for now. McGann noted a notary currently works at the District Education Center, where students would need to go to be registered under the new policy. But McGann said it is unclear whether that notary would be readily available for parents.

Subcommittee Chair Mark Hediger said he thought a notary is not necessary.

"I don't see what a notarization would really add," Hediger said.

The subcommittee also discussed what to do about children who are homeless, and how best to enact the policy once a student is discovered not to be a resident of Marlborough.

Some subcommittee members counseled caution.

"My concern is in situations like this the children are the victims," Michelle Bodin-Hettinger said.

Committee member Cosmo Valente said the policy need not be too lenient.

"How about the parents shoulder some responsibility for this? They enrolled their children illegally," Valente said.

The subcommittee decided if a student is dismissed, a registered letter would be sent to the parents of the disqualified student. The parents would have five days to appeal. The child would be allowed to stay in school for the duration of any appeal, which would be considered by the superintendent.

Immigration advocates attended the meeting. They contend the policy will make it more difficult for immigrants to enroll their children.

And they pointed to the City Council's simultaneous proposal to bring a federal immigration office to Marlborough, saying it has had a chilling effect on immigrants in the city. They said the council's action has also made the school district's new residency policy more frightening to immigrants than it would otherwise be.

President of the Brazilian- American Association Frank Kavanagh said he hoped the school district would find a way to connect with the immigrant community to help them feel more at ease with the new policy.

"The Brazilian-American Association would recommend that the school system reach out to the immigrants," Kavanagh said.

School officials have said the new policy is not aimed toward immigrants, but it does aim to stop non-residents from attending Marlborough schools.

The subcommittee voted, 3-0, to adopt the new policy.

Prior to the policy subcommittee meeting, the finance subcommittee of the School Committee also met July 16.

Subcommittee members voted to increase the daily rate of pay off ered to substitute teachers. The daily reimbursement would rise from $60 to $80. The lower pay rate was making is difficult to attract good candidates, committee member Robert Seymour said.

"The problem is that it's not particularly competitive with surrounding towns," Seymour explained.

The recommendations of both subcommittees will need to be approved by the full School Committee before they come into eff ect.