Some West Lafayette school board members call for closer look at student transfers

New law changes West Side’s ability to recoup property tax referendum money from families who don’t live or pay taxes in the district. Plus, some This and That ...

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SOME WEST LAFAYETTE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CALL FOR CLOSER LOOK AT STUDENT TRANSFERS

Facing a new law that strips a school district’s ability to charge the additional costs of a property tax referendum to families of transfer students who live and pay taxes somewhere else, West Lafayette schools will hold pat for now on a standing arrangement that allows some Tippecanoe School Corp. students to attend West Side schools.

During a school board work session last week, Superintendent Shawn Greiner recommended keeping the district’s practices the same and to continue to accept TSC students to keep West Side’s enrollment near 2,300 students – a level he said would allow the district to make best use of its facilities and staffing and continue to offer the current mix of curriculum and activities.

Greiner said that closing off all transfer students for the 2026-27 school year – including current students who live in the neighboring TSC – would cut $1.2 million a year in funding that follows them. Approximately 160 students who live in TSC will be in West Lafayette schools in the coming academic year, school board members were told earlier this year.

(Photo: Dave Bangert)

“Our team would not recommend consideration of that, unless you were going to pursue a (property tax) referendum much earlier than the (current) referendum expires,” Greiner said during last week’s school board work session. “And you would want to certainly ask for quite a bit more money, or cents to the dollar, to make up for that $1.2 million. … We are not recommending any changes at this time, unless the board chooses to explore changes.”

Another option: Opening the transfer policy to students who live in other districts would mean turning to a lottery system to fill slots in West Lafayette classrooms. Greiner told school board members that the district could handle up to 2,500 students in current facilities.

Still, some school board members pressed for public forums to gauge the community’s support for the transfer student practices, particularly with the changed rules on the new law.