A legal representative for the Ames School Board presented a revised policy that determines how nonresident students will be admitted into the district at Monday night’s meeting.

Other major issues addressed were nonresident classification, tuition payments and the homeless.

District lawyer Ron Peeler outlined current policies and provided an admission formula to assist the board in allowing open enrollment at the secondary level.

The formula proposed would identify the pupil/teacher ratio and admit students based on that level of percentage.

Superintendent Ron Rice argued that the use of a formula would be “too cut and dry,” not allowing room for extenuating circumstances. Rice suggested using a policy that would allow for needed adjustments.

Board member Bill Summers said, “There are instances where judgment plays a much bigger role that a formula.”

The board passed the nonresident policy without the formula.

Also present at the meeting were representatives from the Boys and Girls Services of Sioux City.

Bob Sheehan, Rozy Warder and Brenda Geiseger summarized a day treatment program in Sioux City for students that have conduct disorders.

The representatives were present to ask the board to provide curriculum for the plan and to hopefully refer teachers to the project.

Starting in 1993, day-treatment services in Ames will be geared to provide an alternative for conduct-disorder students in the middle and high schools.

Board member Mike McGuiness questioned if the diverse age groups would hinder compatibility of the students.

Geiseger said students are grouped in the day treatment program based on needs, not by age. She said the program has had a 95 percent success rate since 1993.