Houston County Parents Frustrated with Central Registration Process

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A new process aimed at making enrollment easier is complicating things for some parents in Houston County; many of them using one choice word to sum up Central Registration—”ridiculous”.

“It’s like ridiculous, straight ridiculous,” Phillip Leslie said.

“We came once and we were missing the lease, so we had to turn around and go home,” said Jennifer Mullis, “it’s ridiculous.”

Phillip Leslie waited in line for 10 hours at Central Registration on Tuesday trying to get his nieces and nephews in school. Jennifer Mullis stood for four hours.

The new building on South Davis Drive serves as a one-stop-shop for enrollment. This year, the Houston County Board of Education streamlined the procedures to reduce paperwork and make it easier for parents with kids at schools across the county.

“We tried to open up a central location to make it easier, you can do all your kids at one place and not have to worry about what you have to bring,” said Valerie Noah, the Central Registration secretary.

In two months, the office has registered 2,000 students. On Tuesday, 400 parents stopped by. With two copy machines and six employees, Noah admits her office on South Davis Drive is a little understaffed. The average wait time on Tuesday was about two hours.

“With school starting in just few days there are long line, they have been very patient,” she said.

But not everyone is as understanding. Leslie wants registration to return to the schools.

“Just put it back to how it’s always been,” Leslie said.

Employees are searching for an online option for next year to minimize the crowd, confusion and the wait at Central Registration. For a list of what parents need to speed up the registration process, click here.

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