A study group will examine the Mehlville School District’s participation in the Voluntary Transfer Student program and recommend options to the school board.

Court-ordered desegregation ended and was replaced with a settlement agreement beginning with the 1999-2000 school year. The Voluntary Transfer Student program now is operated by the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corp.

The Board of Education voted 6-0 last week with Vice President Matthew Chellis absent to establish the committee that will study the VICC settlement agreement and provide the board with various options for future participation in the VICC program.

A group of 20 to 25 members, including parents, staff, students, VICC students, residents and school board members, will study the current program, identify opportunities for program continuation, modification or withdrawal, and analyze the current settlement agreement. The group will analyze various scenarios should the program continue, change or end. It will determine the fiscal effect on ending or continuing the program, as well as the educational effect on ending or continuing the program.

The committee will meet twice a month for a total of eight to 10 meetings beginning in August. Open forums also may be conducted. At the end of the process, the committee will recommend various op-tions to the Board of Education.