who brought up the abuses of the school''s policy at a meeting in September. School administrators said last month that some parents have entered into provisional custody agreements with other Ascension residents just so their children could attend the school of that person''s choice. The previous policy allowed parents of the student in question to sign a notarized agreement transferring school-related custody of their children to residents who live in the school district where they want their children enrolled. Hillensbeck and Superintendent Robert Clouatre said last month that school principals reported to them that students from other parishes, including St. James, Assumption and East Baton Rouge, were attending schools illegally in Ascension. Beginning in the 2001-2002 school year, no one will be allowed to attend school in Ascension outside his school district unless he shows proof of a court-ordered provisional custody agreement.

against a colonial government that tried to impose modest taxes on it from afar. In education, this sentiment came to be expressed as a staunch defense of local control of our schools. During most of the 19th century, the local school was the primary unit of educational governance physicaleducationlessonplans for most Americans. An individual community built a school, hired a teacher, raised money through local taxes and fees, and implemented education on its own terms. Outside help was neither offered nor physicaleducationlessonplans welcomed. This was the ultimate in local control. Even in large cities, control of education tended to rest at the ward level. Consider some numbers that suggest the radical degree of decentralization that has long characterized American education. It was not until 1937 that we started recording information about the number of individual school systems in the country.

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