Polisena Looks to Stop Out-of-Town Kids Attending Johnston Schools

In an effort to ensure that only Johnston residents are attending local schools, Mayor Joseph Polisena has scheduled a press conference for 9 am this morning at to announce steps that local officials will be taking against homeowners who are found listing their home addresses as the residence of children who, in reality, don't live in town.

"People are registering kids who are not living in Johnston," Polisena explained during a recent interview, adding that the town may pursue fines and elimination of the homestead exemption [a 20 percent reduction in the assessed valuation of a home] against property owners who use their addresses improperly.

Polisena said he has invited school Supt. Dr. Bernard DiLullo and other officials to this morning's announcement to address the issue.

By comparing town assessment data and school records, Polisena said local officials can determine whether a home is being used for out-of-town kids — for instance, if a house is a one-family and several apparently unrelated children are listed as living there.

Watch JohnstonPatch for coverage from today's press conference — and click the "Keep me posted" link below to get email updates about this story.