Fulton County Board of Education approves Non-resident contract with Fulton Independent for the 2021-2022 school year

October 15, 2020

Fulton County Board of Education met in a special called meeting Oct. 14 to discuss the 2021-2022 Non-resident contract with Fulton Independent Schools.

Ellen Murphy, Director of Pupil Personnel, told board members present Perry Turner, Brian Emmons and Barry Patrick, in person, as well as Kim Hagler via Zoom videoconferencing, “We need a contract for the 2021-22 school year, to keep our students who live in the city of Fulton because of the new law.”

Board member Rob Garrigan was absent.

Murphy read from the non-resident contract, stating “The Board of Education of Fulton Independent School District, District of Legal resident of pupils, enters into a contract with the Board of Education of the Fulton County School District, District where students attend to education."

Murphy said Fulton Independent does not want to do "any and all" with Fulton County, so they marked no, referring to the Fulton County BOE previously proposed contract with FIS for the 2021-2022 school year.

"One for one is ‘No’, specific number is ‘Yes’. We have asked for 46, the number of Fulton Independent residents attending school at Fulton County, based on specific individual students per non-resident lists received from Fulton County DPP on Oct. 29, 2019, residing in the Fulton Independent District, already registered in the Fulton County School District. This number will decrease as the specific individuals leave the Fulton County School District through withdrawal, graduation, etc., until the number reaches 25 or one for one, which ever one occurs," Murphy said.

The Contract further provides the Daily Average Attendance is to be counted where the pupils attend school. The Board of Education of Fulton County School District is to receive transportation credit for all pupils reported.

“Superintendent Ms. Patrice Chambers and I discussed this several times and also Diane Owen, and we feel this is a good contract for next year and then go back to the table to negotiate for 2022-2023. We don’t feel there are any more Fulton Independent students who would want to enroll with us since school has already started and with COVID-19. We feel this would be good. We would like to be any and all, and we do want to work with them. We want the kids to be able to attend where they want to attend,” Murphy continued.

The Board voted to approve the 2021-2022 Non-resident Contract with Fulton Independent School District.