In whole-grade sharing courtships, Maquoketa and Bellevue acknowledge formal intentions with Andrew

In the next few weeks, Andrew hopes to iron out the basics of sending high school students to Bellevue and Maquoketa, especially how much money goes with each student.

All three districts have formally announced their intention to pursue “whole-grade sharing agreements,” educational parlance for sending students from a district (in this case Andrew) to another district for a year or years of their education. Typically, the majority of funding goes to the school district at which the student will be attending classes.

“We plan to have an agreement to all three boards by their November meeting,” said former Andrew superintendent Kent Hammer, now a consultant for Andrew’s school board.

Andrew is looking at closing grades nine through twelve and sending high school students to their choice of Bellevue or Maquoketa, if they can come to an agreement with both districts. For Bellevue and Maquoketa, Andrew kids could bolster sagging enrollments, bringing additional money into their district.

For the full story, see the Oct. 21 Bellevue Herald-Leader.