The District 225 Board of Education has recently subscribed to Clear, an online service that compiles and organizes publicly available

documentation about individuals.

According to Dr. Michael Riggle, District 225 superintendent, Clear will initially be used solely for residency cases determined to be questionable or

suspicious.

“What we’ve been concerned about is gaining access to information that we think will bring clarity or accuracy to processes in the District that are

important to us,” Riggle said. “One of them is residency.”

South Principal Dr. Brian Wegley said he believes that the district has a duty that implementation of Clear will help to accomplish.

“We have a responsibility to our community to ensure that the students we are educating live in our community,” Wegley said. “I believe that is the

focus of [Clear].”

According to Riggle, students who do not live in the district but attend South prevent educational dollars from being used to their full capacity.

“When I’m spending on students who really shouldn’t be here as students, then I can’t spend it on things that [students living in the District] actually

want or need that can enhance their whole experience,” Riggle said.

Approximately 100 families each year require additional residency documentation for the district, according to Frank Santa, director of Glenbrook

Evening School.

“Suspicious residency is not a prevalent issue in our district as compared to other school districts,” Santa said.

Riggle said, as of now, only a few individuals have access to the information Clear provides and that Clear will be used only when necessary.

“The Board and myself are concerned that we not go overboard pulling out information on people, because even though it’s out there and you can

do it, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is something that we ought to do,” Riggle said.