Fulton County Schools and Involved Riverwood Parent Differ on Magnet Funds from Overcrowding

Fulton County Schools spokesperson Samantha Evans told Patch that Riverwood International Charter School did not receive additional magnet funds as a result of an increase in student numbers and efforts by former principal Chris Triolo. 

An involved Riverwood parent, who is concerned about overcrowding, asserts that the school received magnet funds for additional students.

According to Fulton County Schools, Riverwood received a total of $498,233 in magnet funds for the current school year and nothing additional because it is no longer a magnet school under the current charter system. Evans said that by 10 days into the school year there were 50 more students from the first day bringing the population to 1,708 and that number has not increased. 

"Dollars are secured by projections at the start of the year," she said.

That differs with the parent’s documents showing students who come in from outside the school attendance zone. The involved source said former principal Triolo presented parents with a document on Aug. 30 showing the school received $78,131 in magnet funds for additional students. The source believes those monies are in addition to the $498,233 that Evans refers to.

Riverwood started the current school year with 309 students from outside the attendance zone, according to the source. The governance board voted to allow 50 additional students from outside the zone to bring the total to 359. However, by mid-December, there were more 462 (an increase of 103) students at Riverwood from outside of the zone, the source said.

“The magnet program is closed to students outside of Fulton County but the magnet formula has not gone away if you live in Fulton County and outside of the attendance zone,” the parent said. 

Wednesday was Triolo’s last day at Riverwood. He resigned to be closer to family after accepting a job in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System in North Carolina where he previously worked. 

Riverwood parents are concerned about overcrowding. Ideal capacity at the school is about 1,300, however more than 1,700 students attend.

See also:

Overcrowding at Riverwood Causing Safety Concerns

The Other Controversy at Riverwood

Riverwood Experiences Another Change in Principals