Barbour County schools closer to unitary status

A nearly two-year-old order restricting Barbour County students from crossing over to attend school in Dale County is working for both school systems and could allow one to be released from court oversight in less than three years, according to officials.

Despite a decrease in students this year, Barbour County Schools Superintendent Gary Quick said the system is moving closer toward unitary status, which eliminates court oversight, because students living within the county are attending the county’s schools.

A letter sent to parents in 2007 said an order calling for Barbour County students to attend school in the county was a result of ongoing desegregation litigation. Barbour County officials said in previous interviews the schools had not received unitary status because many of its white students had crossed over to attend schools in Dale County, which received its unitary status in 2005.

There were 169 students who live in Barbour County who attended Dale County Schools at the time the order was issued. Of those students, about 92 were allowed to stay in Dale County Schools based on the exemptions. About 70 of those students had to enroll in Barbour County schools unless their families moved into Dale County limits.

Both Quick and Dale County Schools Superintendent Donny Bynum said their systems would follow up on any concerns relayed to the schools about students unlawfully attending school in the wrong district.

Bynum said a court oversight that could require a parent to sign a certification of residency for submission to the U.S. Department of Justice also adds teeth to the system’s enforcement.

“When we receive concerns about residents not living in the district we do follow up to ensure compliance with the court order,” Bynum said.

Quick, who was not superintendent at the time the order was issued, said the system does not release student records to any other school system for transfer unless students meet residency and other requirements.

“If we do lose a student, we have to report annually specifically where the kids go. The ability to apply for unitary status in 2011 means a lot to this system,” he said.

“The bottom line is the court has laid it out for our system and for Dale County as well, and our intent is to follow that completely.”