JOHNSONVILLE, SC (WBTW) – Florence County School District Five passed a new policy in a June board meeting to get more students enrolled in the district.
Florence School District Five has three schools and twelve hundred fifty students, according to Superintendent Randy Smiley.
Smiley says the old out of school district policy require residents to own property and pay a $2,000 tuition fee.The new policy which is now in effect doesn’t require residents to own a piece of land in order for their child to attend a school in the district.
However, people coming from outside the city limits of Johnsonville will still have to pay a $2,000 tuition.
School officials say residents who already own land will receive a reduced tuition fee of $1,500 and a rebate of $500.
Superintendent Randy Smiley says he thinks allowing residents to pay the tuition and not own real estate will be beneficial for families.
“Parents in the past who have asked information about students coming here had difficulty in buying property, so the board over a number of months discussion decided to make that change in that policy,” mentioned Smiley.
Smiley says in the past eight years the numbers of students in Florence County School District Five have declined so this change will give parents and students more opportunities.
Shannon Prosser has kids that attend Johnsonville Elementary and Johnsonville High School.
Prosser says the benefit of living in Johnsonville is the school district, so he hopes this new policy will not only have a positive impact for students outside the city but for students who are already there.
“As long as my child or my children education are not affected or downgraded, as long as we have a safe and moral environment in our schools, I would be happy with that change,” Prosser said.
Smiley says registration will start next week and school starts on August 15.