Little change in SINA transfers in Iowa City

A year ago, Iowa City school officials were caught off guard by the number of students who sought to transfer from their schools as allowed under a federal education law.

As part of the No Child Left Behind law, districts must let students at schools designated “in need of assistance” to transfer within the district. Schools are cited for failing to meet state-established goals on standardized tests.

The day before school started last year, 159 students had taken the Iowa City school district up on the transfer offer, which was a 130 percent increase from the year before.

As mentioned in an article posted earlier today, the number of so-called SINA (school in need of assistance) transfers this year is 156.

Those students are from Hills, Kirkwood, Lucas, Roosevelt, Twain and Wood elementary schools. They were transferred to Hoover, Horn, Garner, Lincoln and Shimek. (See the document embedded below.)

Assistant Superintendent Ann Feldmann said it was nice that the number of SINA transfers was stable this year. She said everything related to it has run smoothly, particularly busing, for which she gave credit to Teresa Cretin, who coordinates busing for the district with its bus provider, Durham School Services.

Feldmann said most of the transfers were assigned to Hoover and Shimek, and Hoover added a teacher to accommodate the transfers there.

SINA Transferes