N.B. schools right to root out nonresidents Note to North Brunswick school parents: Check your mail. In May, the school district began a process of soliciting proof of residency for about 1,500 students - about one-third of those enrolled - seen as possibly living outside of North Brunswick but attending its schools. To date, school officials say about 30 percent of those asked to update their status have not responded. For those families living in North Brunswick with nothing to hide, the failure to respond is an oversight that may carry serious ramifications. Students whose parents have not responded have already had their report cards held, and can't receive their schedules, bus passes and other materials essential to prepare for next year. These parents should contact the school district immediately to update their records before they make the situation worse for their children. Those who haven't responded because they've cheated the system may have real reason to worry. Those caught attending the district illegally will be removed, while parents may face prosecution and the mandatory reimbursement of the North Brunswick taxpayers who footed the bill for their kids' educations. North Brunswick has good reasons for going ahead with this. A few years ago, a private investigator was hired by the district to explore reports of students living out of town but attending the schools. Of 126 cases in 2004-05, 34 were found to be nonresidents, and as of the spring, 18 of 50 suspected were found to be living elsewhere. That may not sound like anything to worry about, but it does translate into serious money. According to state Department of Education data, the total cost per pupil in the township for 2004-05 was $11,012. Multiply that by the 34 pupils who were caught living out of the district that year, and on paper that's $374,408. For a district that has struggled mightily to pass its ballooning budgets over the past few years, those funds could have come in handy. Much was made a few weeks ago about the district's decision to reduce its expenses by cutting back on its air conditioning use; how many nonresident students' tuitions could have covered that bill, one or two? For those who haven't responded, a final notice will be mailed out asking them to provide documentation of their residence. They should answer fast. And if they don't, the district should do what it must, and not look back. It's understandable why a parent living in a town with a poor school system would use a false address, but these "residents" have been given fair warning, and North Brunswick has an obligation to put its children first.