Order of Admissions

     Some marketing reference materials I've been reading advocate the practice of referring to a period of "application" rather than "registration."

     In this day of accountability, this is a very good suggestion.  With the new guidelines presented by the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (http://www.msdaz.org/espweb/NCLBIDEIA.htm), schools are responsible for accommodating children with special needs once they are admitted to the school.  An "application" allows a school to review potential students to determine if their learning needs can be met so they can achieve to their highest potential; a "registration" form infers that the school will admit everyone that "registers."  If a school registers a student, and then finds it cannot accommodate the child, it is incumbent upon the school to make provisions for whatever assistance is necessary in order for the child to succeed.  It may either be very costly for the school, or incur a lawsuit.  Either way, such action could close a school.

     Some marketing materials have also been quick to point out that an application process can also be seen as discriminatory.  Administrators must take great care that admissions are based on objective criteria provided on the application, and that no discriminatory practices be tolerated as defined by other long-standing statutes.

     Some of these materials have also said that since "economic status" may not be considered discriminatory, an application process could be a good way to bring diversity to a school as well as allow for a healthy bottom line....and that's where things become as gray as a springtime sky in Pittsburgh.

     Luckily, many Catholic Schools have adopted an "Order of Admissions" procedure, accepting students from their parish first, followed by other Catholic students, followed by other Christian and/or non-Catholic students.  Some schools have even adopted an "early application" period for current parents in order to assure that their child's place in school is reserved for the following year.  Such a window of opportunity should be short, especially if demand for seats in the classroom is great.  Once a classroom is filled, the Order of Admissions policy takes the "first come, first served" entitlement out of the picture.

     How does it work?  Say you have a full classroom of 25 students, and a waiting list of 5.  To split the class into two and hire another teacher would be fiscally detrimental to the school.  Parents choose to remain on the list because no other acceptable educational opportunities are available for their child.  For this illustration, let's assume those five children are: a Catholic non-parishioner; a parishioner; a non-Catholic; a parishioner; and a Catholic non-parishioner.  If an opening occurs, in first come, first served, the Catholic non-parishioner would be given precedence over the parishioner, which might elicit a call from your pastor or board of pastors regarding person #2 and #4 in line.  If an Order of Admissions policy is clearly spelled out in your parent handbook, then the first opportunity is given to the second in line.  If they decline the opportunity since they feel there's not enough financial aid for them, then the next parishioner (fourth in line) is contacted - then the first person, the fifth person, and finally, the third person.  If they choose not to take advantage of the opportunity, then they can remain on the waiting list until the next opening occurs.

     Some may complain that this is putting a lot of pressure on the parents - absolutely correct!  Nothing like pressure to turn carbon into a diamond.   Of course, if your waiting list expands to 20 students, then it might be time to open a second class.  However, make sure that those parents are indeed serious about enrolling their children.  There's nothing worse than opening a second classroom, hiring a new teacher, and finding that half of the 20 on your waiting list don't show up on the first day of school.   Some schools have opted to drop high registration fees that are applied toward tuition, and instead insist that tuition payments be paid on a 10-month basis beginning in July...so if a parent wants to "get in line" in August, two months of tuition is due to reserve a space.  If your programs are high-quality programs, and people are aware of the quality reputation of your school, the line will form.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007

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