Barrow County students now have the option to enroll their child in any school in the district, provided there is room at the school.

House Bill 251 required that each school district in the state establish a process to manage such transfers by July 1. In a called meeting June 30 held after its work session, the Barrow County Board of Education voted to formalize its process.

Letters will be sent to parents explaining the process and informing which schools have available space. Currently, only four schools have room for transfers – Auburn (all grades), Kennedy (all grades) and Bramlett Elementary (grades 1, 2 and 3) and Haymon-Morris Middle School (all grades).

The determination of space is based upon the school’s capacity. The elementary schools have a 900 student capacity, while the middle schools can accommodate 1,200 students and the high schools have a capacity of 1,500.

In the called meeting, the board also approved the 2009-2010 budget which included $3,257,729 in federal funds under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Ken Cato, assistant superintendent of business services, presented an explanation of how the ARRA funds could be used.

"We must identify $3,257,729 worth of salaries," said Cato. "We’re basically exchanging state and local funds for federal funds."

The exchange included four art teachers at the elementary schools; three elementary PE teachers; six graduation coaches; and 20 teachers at each high school.

District 5’s Lynn Stevens commented that she didn’t support the plan stating the federal government should "get out of the business of education."

Cato said the downside of the 2010 budget was the cuts in the operational budget.

Rickey Bailey, who represents District 6, asked if maintenance was being shortchanged.

"We’re not doing preventive maintenance," replied Jake Grant, assistant superintendent of facilities, "and this will hurt us in the long run."

"We’ve withstood this first wave [in the economy]," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ron Saunders, "and I’d like to commend the principals and the staff here for doing without. We may have to come back and make some heart-wrenching decisions on how to withstand the second and even third wave."

Revenues are anticipated at $95,936,647 -- down by 2.1 million from 2009 -- and expenditures are expected at $99,181,276, less $1,338,644 than the year before.

The board will meet in its regular session Thursday, July 2, at 7 p.m.