Several families in the South Range Local School District are facing difficult news as their children’s educational futures hang in the balance.
The district has decided not to renew open enrollment for students in grades 7 and 8 who are part of Individualized Educational Programs (IEP). This decision has left many families concerned about their children’s well-being and future schooling options.
Jarred Zapolnik, the district’s superintendent, explained that the decision was driven by the heavy workload placed on teachers. He stated that without making cuts, the teachers would be unable to provide an optimal education. “It’s not just about the caseload but the actual workload for specific teachers. My fear is that we would be violating operating procedures, and students wouldn’t get the quality education they deserve,” Zapolnik said.
The announcement stirred a lot of reactions, especially after the MLO Bros podcast shared a letter sent to parents, which explained the denial of open enrollment applications. The letter cited “Set District capacity limits by grade level, school building, and educational program” as the reason for the decision.
Parents who received the letter were left shocked and upset.
“For my wife and I to hear that our daughter would no longer be part of the South Range family was very disturbing,” said Pat Adams, a parent of a South Range student. “She was so upset that she couldn’t even drive, and I had to pick her up.”
Another parent, Jodi Yenik, expressed frustration with the decision, especially given how much the district has helped her daughter in the past. “South Range has been absolutely phenomenal with my daughter, so this is really hard to accept,” Yenik said. “I never thought that a community that supported us for so many years would turn its back on us like this.”
Superintendent Zapolnik defended the decision, explaining that the district had reached its capacity for students in IEP programs. He pointed out that the district’s board policy takes grade-level capacity into account, and that such policies must be reviewed annually to ensure educational quality.
“We’re just at capacity,” Zapolnik said. “Our current policy states that we have to consider grade-level limits, and we have to look at those annually to ensure we’re optimizing education.”
Pat Adams, whose daughter has attended South Range since first grade, is now searching for alternative schooling options. “Our daughter needs that support, and we’re worried if we’ll be able to find another school that can provide the same help South Range has,” he said.
Zapolnik noted that only students in grades 7 and 8 are affected by this decision, adding that hiring additional staff isn’t an option due to uncertainty about future enrollment needs.
“The purpose of open enrollment was never to admit so many students that we have to hire additional staff for them,” Zapolnik explained. “It was always meant to fill gaps with the staff we have, not to exceed capacity.”
Families now face the challenge of finding new schools for their children, while the district works within its limitations.
