School Superintendents React To Recommended Ruling In Bowling Green Versus Warren County Student Transfers Feud.

Superintendents React to Hearing Officer's Recommendation on Nonresident Issue

Some students in Warren County will finally know where they will attend school in a little more than a week.
Bowling Green Independent Schools and Warren County Public Schools have received the hearing officer's recommended order regarding the nonresident student agreement hearing.

Hearing officer Mike Wilson sent the recommendation to both districts today ordering Warren County to permit 750 resident students to attend Bowling Green Schools with state funding for the next two school years.
"That's what we had anticipated, and basically what we had been planning around since we approved our draft budget back in January," said Bowling Green Independent Schools Superintendent Joe Tinius.

The number agreed upon for several years was 850 students, but recently passed legislation already reduced that number by about a hundred students.
"The impact of House Bill 182... which was passed last spring by the Kentucky legislature, allowed the children of employees to come to the school district in which their parents work and the SEEK allocation to come with them," said Tinius.

Wilson also advised the districts attempt to negotiate a multi-year agreement in the future.
"From reading the ruling, what the expectation will be is that between now and school year 2015-2016, that the two school districts will come to an agreement that will cover a more lengthy period of time," said Tinius.
"I can assure you as superintendent, that timing won't be an issue in the future," said Warren County Public Schools Superintendent.

Due to those expectations, Tinius says he doesn't anticipate the 86 students now allowed to attend city
schools will have to worry about their future in the district but according to Warren County School's Superintendent Rob Clayton there is still work to be done to come to a new agreement.
"Our board of education is not comfortable continuing with the agreement that has been in operation over the last several years. and so moving forward, it's about looking at how we can work with Bowling Green Independent," said Clayton.

Clayton says Warren County has not decided whether or not they will file an appeal at this point.
And while Clayton doesn't anticipate Warren County having to make personnel adjustments Tinius says Bowling Green may have to hire some teachers.