Most high school students are enjoying a winter break before returning to class in January. But a few are done with high school, after being allowed to graduate mid-school year.
Last week, the Valparaiso School Board approved a list of 20 mid-year graduates.
"These students are eligible to attend the spring commencement ceremony," Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Dr. Nick Allison told board members. "However, with your approval tonight, they will be validated for immediate enrollment and enlistment."
While some will be heading to the military or getting an early start on college classes, for others, it's a chance to work full-time and save money for college.
But in recent years, December graduates have posed a financial challenge for school districts. Since they're no longer in the school building during the February enrollment count, schools lose that state tuition support for the second half of the school year.
Allison said state officials have agreed to make up for some of that lost funding this year. "They have seen fit to build $1,500 per mid-year graduate into the academic performance grant, and that is paid out in the spring," Allison explained. "So, we're not completely losing the dollars from them in the spring."
The Valparaiso School Board also agreed to transfer $780,000 from the education fund to the rainy day fund and to increase the monthly transfers from the education fund to the operations fund.