Stricter guidelines could be considered for the Bismarck School District school transfer policy.

The policy allows students to transfer schools within the district. Students use the policy because of transportation, friends or extracurricular activities, according to school officials.

The Bismarck School Board could refine the policy so that requests are in by the deadline. It discussed the policy at its meeting Monday.

Changes to the policy are meant to curb requests. The policy started requiring a parent's signature on the form, along with interviews with the assistant superintendent before a decision was made. Consequently, applications declined.

It hasn't squelched rumors, however, of schools recruiting for athletics. Parent Michelle Mund approached the board about this concern earlier this month because of requests approved after the transfer deadline and in what appeared to be outside the new procedures.

For the upcoming school year, the district received 180 transfer requests. Only 17 were denied, all at Bismarck High School. Bismarck High School received 62 requests, Century High School received 58 requests, Horizon Middle School received 35 request, Simle Middle School received 12 requests and Wachter Middle School received 13 requests. While Horizon received significantly more requests than the other middle schools, all but 11 were for location or transportation reasons, according to a report presented by assistant superintendent John Salwei.

Possible changes to the policy could mean changing the transfer request deadline to Dec. 15 from Jan. 31, not allowing a late application to be turned in or appealed; and middle school students could start applying in 8th grade. Along with the possible changes could be an exception for people who move into the district after the deadline to be able to apply for a transfer.

No changes were made to the policy Monday.

In other board news:

Lunch prices went up a quarter for lunch and 10 cents for breakfast, bringing breakfast prices to $1.25 for elementary, $1.50, $1.75 and $2 at secondary grades and $2.40 for adults. Lunch prices are $1.50 for elementary, $1.75 and $2 for secondary grades and $2.50 for adults. Reduced breakfast and lunch prices will stay at 30 cents per meal and 40 cents per meal respectively. The federal government sets the prices for the free and reduced lunch program, which are based on household income and size.

Board member Parrell Grossman attended his last meeting and board member Lawrence King attended his first meeting.

Board member Steve Marquardt was elected by the board to be president, and board member Marcia Olson was elected by the board to vice president.

Construction continues at Simle Middle School. The auditorium has new seats and masonry work is ongoing outside. The lease for the portable classrooms at the school is up in January, and there is a potential to sell four of the units to the Fargo Public Schools. Bismarck might buy two.

Getting schools ready for all-day kindergarten involves some construction, as well. Most of the work is done at Corpus Christi, work continues on an assistant principal's office at Northridge Elementary School, modular classrooms and four spaces are being worked on at Murphy Elementary School, one classroom is under construction at Miller Elementary School, two rooms are worked on at Grimsrud Elementary School and a modular classroom is in the works at Centennial Elementary School.

Work on a science classroom at Wachter Middle School will be ready by the beginning of August, and the dining center at Bismarck High School will be ready soon after.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)