(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final in a 3-part series examining school enrollment numbers and student transfers in Kosciusko County schools.)

As the 2013-2014 school year gets underway, schools throughout the county are beginning to approximate student totals. Following the release of Warsaw Community School Corporation’s total student count, an increase in transfer enrollment into the corporation was noted. In addition to the rise in enrollment reported by the corporation, WCS also reported a total of 224 students transferred to the Warsaw corporation – 50 students more than last year. Most of those transfers come from area schools systems.

According to the WCS August Enrollment Report, transfer students, who are defined as students who attend a school outside of the district they live in, included a total of 74 Tippecanoe Valley School students, 40 Wawasee Community School Corporation students, 64 Whitko Community School students and an additional 46 students from other districts. Though WCS reports a total of 224 transfers, many of these transfers are retained students from outside of the district from prior years.

According to Wawasee Community School Corporation superintendent Dr. Thomas Edington, though the school corporation has had approximately 40 students transfer to the Warsaw school district, Wawasee has seen a very similar number of Warsaw students transfer into its schools. Edington said the corporation expected approximately 50 out-of-district transfers, the majority of which Edington claims are Warsaw-district students.

This is not the first year the schools have seen a close to even trade on incoming and outgoing students. “Last year we saw a very similar number, in fact, it was the same with Warsaw – 28 in and 28 out,” explained Edington. “Our numbers were very similar with students going to other districts as students enrolling here.”

Like other area school districts, Edington did note the change in Indiana law that allowed parents to send their students to out-of-district schools without having to pay expensive tuition fees. Though the law has provided parents to “shop for schools” in a sense, Edington said most prevalent reason he has heard for transferring to a new district is convenience.

“When we would ask people why they head out or transfer in, the two biggest causes had to do with family reasons and work reasons and that it just made their lives easier,” said Edington. “The actual quality of the educational experience wasn’t the primary factor.”

Wawasee currently approximates a total of 3,000 students for the current school year. Though Edington stated transfer rates have stayed identical with other schools, he did note the district has seen slight decreases in enrollment during most years since 2000. Edington claimed the major cause in the decrease to be economy based.

“Over the years at Wawasee, enrollment went up from 1990 to 2000. Beginning in 2000 we’ve decreased slightly most years. (The year) 2000 was also when we lost a major manufacturing plant in the area. With the downturn of the economy there have been less jobs causing parents to look for work elsewhere,” he explained.

“We let our community know about our schools. We haven’t made an effort to advertise for students outside of our school district. The ones who come here make that decision without us going after them. We don’t think it’s ethically appropriate (to go after out-of-district students),” added Edington. “We haven’t advertised on billboards in our school district and we also haven’t done anything outside of our school districts. I know there are a couple of private schools that have put up billboards in our district over the past few years, but we go fishing in our own waters. We are making due with the situation.”

Wawasee, according to Edington, does have points of attraction to area families. The corporation has worked to ensure that its students excel in the technology and science areas and make sure all graduates are college and career ready.

Edington noted new course offerings such as a Marine Trade Program, which will offer students knowledge on boat motors and boats, as well as access to a flight school, culinary program and a welding program.