With enormous cuts to education budgets statewide, it is no surprise Los Angeles Unified School District, one of the state’s largest and most cash strapped districts, is taking drastic measures to recoup losses. Effective immediately, LAUSD plans to eliminate all grants to interdistrict permits.

Students must receive a “release” from their home district before they are granted a permit for their chosen district. Most children on permit in Beverly Hills Unified School District come from LAUSD.  

BHUSD stands to lose all classes of permitted students, including most opportunity permits granted exemption by the Board of Education Jan. 12.

Exceptions to LAUSD’s policy will be made for students entering their last year of school (i.e. fifth, eighth or 12th grade) or for students with parents who work in their desired district (as mandated by state law).

According to James Hanson, BHUSD child welfare and attendance specialist, BHUSD anticipated 457 returning permitted students for the 2010-2011 school year. Of those, 121 would be allowed to actually attend BHUSD schools under the new policy.  

“Basically the word coming out is that LAUSD has severe budget issues and every student they let go costs them,” said BHUSD Superintendent Jerry Gross. “It’s big money for them if they have around 12,000 students granted permits (to other districts).”

LAUSD receives $4,960 in average daily attendance (ADA) dollars per student. Last year, LAUSD lost a total of $449,449 to BHUSD.

“(LAUSD’s new policy) will not hurt us financially, but you have to feel for the kids,” said Gross.

“For many in the community this is a positive thing, but you have to feel for the families that just went through that struggle and may have the rug pulled out from under them.”

Although the policy is effective immediately, the majority of families will be affected for the 2010-2011 school year.