Washington weighs walking home-schoolers at graduation

WASHINGTON — Members of the Washington school board spent half an hour discussing the district’s commencement policy at a meeting Wednesday night, after families involved in the Home School Assistance Program (HSAP) requested a chance for their kids to walk the stage with their in-building peers on graduation day.

Advocates said HSAP students brought enrollment funding to the district just like traditional learners, and were often involved in student life through dual-enrollment on sporting teams, individual courses and Kirkwood classes.

One such senior “has participated in sports with the Washington Demons since seventh grade, and has been a part of the Washington FCA Chapter this last year,” said Willie Van Der Molen, the parent of an open-enrolled HSAP student, at last month’s board meeting. “Since he has built strong relationships through these extracurricular activities, he has asked if he could walk with his friends at the graduation ceremony.”

If enacted, the new rule would open the doors for around five more seniors to join this year’s ceremony, according to district officials. Most board members said the change, if approved, would still note those students as HSAP members in the commencement program, marking their receipt of a certificate of completion, rather than a high school diploma.

The request proved controversial.

The requirements to finish high school for conventional students are different from those who home-school. Washington’s program has some conditions for a certificate, but they are less stringent than those for a diploma.

Specifically, a Washington certificate of completion requires a minimum of 48 credits, according to Washington HSAP teacher Angela Fritz, while the graduation requirement for in-building students is 56 credits, according to district policy.

"For those kids that did make the choice to meet those requirements set out by the state, this is their day to walk across the stage,“ Board President Troy Suchan said. ”And now, it’s being shared by somebody who didn’t have to do that. That takes a little bit — you can’t say it doesn’t — it takes away from the kids who are walking that stage that did.“

Board of Education members had mixed feelings. Kelly Smith suggested allowing the option only for dual-enrolled students. Mike Liska said he would support an approach where home-schooled students received their certificates in a separate procession from those getting diplomas, but during the same ceremony event.

Board Member Mindi Rees said members of the district had no problems with the proposal, though she said she had not consulted with the student body.

"I’ve actually talked with quite a few people around the community, parents, staff members, just to kind of gauge their input“ she said. ”All of them said that they would be fine with it.“

Board Member Sonia Leyva said she didn’t expect the strong negative reaction from students that Suchan expected.

“As adults, we tend to overthink things,” she said. “Most kids are going to be like, ‘Oh, hey, you’re here!’ They’re not going to really care, in my opinion.”

Leyva said she was strongly in favor of adding home-schooled students to the event. She said those who educated their kids at home often did so for reasons beyond their control.

“As adults in the community, we want to show our youngsters that we’re inclusive, that we’re welcoming,” she said. “Just because they had to do something differently, whatever the reason, doesn’t mean that they don’t get to participate. And they’re allowed to be with their friends, or people they did sports with or took classes with, on this special day.”

Still, Superintendent Willie Stone said he didn’t quite agree with Leyva’s framing.

“In my mind, the word, ‘Inclusive’ is somebody that doesn’t have a choice, and they’re left out,” he said. “If you want to have them be involved, great, but if somebody has chosen not to be involved, I don’t know if, ‘Inclusive’ is the word we should be using.”

Stone said only two nearby districts included home-schooled students in a shared commencement ceremony: WACO and Iowa City Community Schools.

Board Member Eric Turner said he had no strong feelings either way, but would want any policy change to be specific about who could and could not walk the stage.

“Where do we draw that line if we do extend to other groups?” he said. “My only concern is, where does this lead down the road. And, if you start down this path, if somebody else wants to be involved … at some point, you have to create a boundary.”

A special meeting is scheduled for April 19 at 7 p.m. with an agenda that includes a first reading for new language in the board’s commencement policy chapter, according to a public notice from the district sent on Friday. If that passes with the support of at least five of the six voting members, state law would allow decision-makers to waive the third reading and enact the policy before this year’s May 28 commencement ceremony.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com