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<br />d <br /> <br />A Petition in Support of Open Enrollment at PACT Charter School and <br />Against the April 8th, 2008 Proposed Resolution by the Ramsey City Council <br /> <br />Note: The purpose of th is petition is to urge the Ramsey City Council to reject the <br />resolution before them which endorses and supports one interpretation of MN Statute <br />124D which would require PACT Charter School to offer preferential enrollment to <br />Ramsey residents. It further questions the wisdom of encouraging present and future <br />education providers that are located within the municipal boundaries of Ramsey to <br />consider enrollment policies that give preference to Ramsey pupils which we believe is <br />contrary to Minnesota law. <br /> <br />Background: Two Ramsey City Council members have chosen to sue the school in <br />District Court in order to increase the chances for their own children in the kindergarten <br />lottery while purporting to represent unidentified other like-situated Ramsey residents <br />with no indication that they share the view of the two council members. PACT Charter <br />School has been attempting to work with the MN Department of Education in providing <br />further clarification and reasonable interpretation of MN Statute 124D as it relates to <br />enrollment in a charter school. <br /> <br />TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF RAMSEY: <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Ramsey City Council is proposing a resolution that endorses and <br />supports an incorrect and unlawful interpretation ofMN Statute 124D that would require <br />PACT Charter School to give preferential treatment to Ramsey residents and encourage <br />both present and future education providers that are located within the municipal <br />boundaries of Ramsey to consider enrollment policies that give preference to Ramsey <br />pupils; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, PACT Charter School has an obligation to provide a PUBLIC SCHOOL <br />education open in enrollment to all students subject to certain lottery provisions if there <br />are more applicants for open seats than there are seats to fill. By example, for school year <br />2008-2009, there are 156 applicants for 36 kindergarten seats. There are 26 siblings of <br />current PACT students who are lawfully entitled to preference in admission; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, PACT Charter School was invited and welcomed by the City of Ramsey to <br />provide education facilities within the Ramsey Town Center beginning in the fall of <br />2004; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, PACT Charter School enthusiastically supported the City in its efforts and <br />invested over $11,000,000 into a structure within the Town Center to provide educational <br />choice within Ramsey; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, there was never any proposal that PACT provide, nor any agreement of <br />preferential treatment for Ramsey residents, between PACT Charter School and the <br />Ramsey City Council when both agreed to PACT Charter School building and providing <br />educational services in the Town Center; and <br /> <br />Ramsey City Council Petition <br /> <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />4/8/08 <br />