For This Family, a House Divided Makes a Lot of Sense After All

HARTFORD, Conn. —  A family has given new meaning to the term “bedroom community,” purposely building an addition to their house that puts their children’s bedrooms in another town so they can go to school there.

Until recently, Donald and Charnelle Rana’s house was entirely in Hartford, where they pay most of their taxes. But they wanted their children to go to school in neighboring West Hartford.

The town line crosses their lot, so they are building a $20,000 addition that crosses the line and puts their children’s bedrooms in West Hartford.

Based on Site of Bedroom

“The issue of residency is up to the local board of education, but usually it is determined based on where the student sleeps,” said Karen Flanagan, a legal consultant for the state Education Department.

West Hartford policy allows a child to be educated in the jurisdiction where his bedroom is located, said Lloyd Calvert, West Hartford’s associate superintendent of schools.

Calvert said the Ranas have one child in first grade and one preschool child.

Charnelle Rana, a $35,309-a-year executive assistant to Lt. Gov. Joseph Fauliso, and her husband, a vice president with the West Hartford-based Connecticut Building Corp., declined comment.

Calvert said that the Ranas cited quality of education as the reason for wanting their children to attend schools in West Hartford.

The Connecticut Public Expenditure Council Inc. said that in 1985-86, West Hartford spent $5,111 per pupil for education, while Hartford spent $3,752.

“They did feel very strongly about it, and they stuck to their guns,” Calvert said. “I know, because all along, when I spelled out the rules, I was not all that encouraging.”

Seen as a First

About 30 properties straddle the Hartford-West Hartford line, but Charles McCarthy, West Hartford building inspector, said this is the first time in his 21-year tenure that he can recall anyone adding to a Hartford home specifically to establish residence in West Hartford.

“My immediate reaction is that you have to give people the individual rights to make these choices,” said Thelma E. Dickerson, Hartford School Board president.

Tax records show that the Ranas this year paid $4,309 in taxes to Hartford and $163 to West Hartford, a figure that is expected to rise when the addition is completed.