Riverview Charter School's enrollment period will be extended after the Beaufort County school board decided Tuesday to postpone a vote on the school's student recruitment plan.

Riverview's open enrollment period was to close Jan. 31 but will now be extended until the plan is voted on.

The plan is now slated for a vote Feb. 7 by the Beaufort County Board of Education.

The plan details efforts the school in Beaufort has made to recruit students, especially minorities. Efforts include outreach at local child care centers and black churches.

The school has failed to meet diversity targets set by the federal Office for Civil Rights, which has said it is the school district's responsibility to ensure the school complies with a 1970 desegregation agreement that binds the county schools.

Riverview must decrease its percentage of white students and increase the number of black students over the next few years to meet the targets.

School board member Bill Evans said Tuesday the board has discussed plans to increase minority enrollment at the school immediately, but those plans have been rejected. Riverview has asked to be allowed to enroll more students to meet diversity targets, but Evans said that hasn't worked.

The motion to postpone voting on the recruitment plan and extend the enrollment deadline was approved 10-1. Board member Steven Morello dissented.

Attempts to reach Riverview director Alison Thomas on Tuesday night were unsuccessful.

Follow reporter Rachel Heaton at twitter.com/HomeroomBft.

District to revise Riverview's enrollment methods; May 18, 2011

Riverview Charter School delays enrollment lottery; May 11, 2011