Fayette

County students may be asked to provide a current power

bill, along with filling out emergency cards, medical

forms and bus route slips in August, if the board of

education decides to crack down on residency requirements

for children attending the county schools.

There may

be 300 or more students currently attending Fayette

County schools who live outside the county, according to

recent estimates.

While

parents must provide proof of residency when they enroll

a child in the county school system, there has never been

any follow-up. "My residency hasn't been checked in

12 years," said board Chairman Debbie Condon, who

has children in the system.

It's not

unusual for someone to move to a neighboring county and

continue sending their children to Fayette County

schools, according to Condon. "People want to send

their children here," added Mickey Littleton, school

board member. "Do we need a private detective to

check up on this?" he asked the board Monday night.

"Is it feasible?"

Littlefield

went on to say that he thought bringing in an

investigator would be cost effective. Educating a child

in Fayette County costs about $5,000 a year, he

estimated.

The issue

came up in response to the board's request in February to

have its attorneys review the current attendance policy.

They saw the suggested modifications as a means of

weakening the policy in place. "In my opinion, it is

making it easier to come to school here," said Dr.

John DeCotis, Fayette County school superintendent.

"Let's stay with what we have and adjust some

various points," suggested Condon.

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