Public School Choice

Public school choice is a critical component of "No Child Left Behind” because it offers a student enrolled in a Title I school that is identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring an opportunity to attend a public school that has not been so identified. The process of turning around a low-performing school is difficult and typically takes time, and during that time the school’s students are at risk of falling further behind if they do not have additional options. Together with the school improvement activities undertaken under Title I, public school choice can provide all students in low-performing Title I schools – including students with disabilities and limited English proficient students – the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.

An LEA must offer all students enrolled in Title I schools (that is, schools that operate programs funded under Title I, Part A of the ESEA) that have been identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring the opportunity to transfer to another public school in the LEA that is not so identified [Sections 1116(b)(1)(E), 1116(b)(5)(A), 1116(b)(7)(C)(i), and 1116(b)(8)(A)(i); 34 C.F.R. §200.44(a)(1)].

A school is identified for school improvement when it fails to make AYP for two consecutive years. A school remains in improvement, and continues into corrective action and then restructuring, until it makes AYP for two consecutive years.

The LEA is responsible for providing, or paying for the provision of, transportation necessary for students to attend their new schools.

A quality public school choice plan should embody the following principles:

1. Choice is an important opportunity for parents and students.

2. Choice is an important component of an overall LEA educational improvement plan.

3. An overriding goal is to provide students with access to quality instruction.

4. Communication with parents is timely and thorough.

5. Information on choices is provided to parents and students in a format that is easy to understand.

6. Real choice means giving parents more than one option from which to choose and adequate time to consider their options.

City of Baker School System Public School Choice Data