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The
final decision on whether the parent receives their first choice
of schools is up to each school district. |
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If
the child’s current school is subject to both public school
choice and supplemental educational services requirement, some
parents, once they understand the transfer options, may elect
to have their child remain in his or her original school and
receive supplemental educational services. |
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Parents
that elect to choose another school cannot receive supplemental
educational services, unless the school they chose is identified
as ‘needing improvement’ AFTER they make the transfer
and the school subsequently qualifies for offer supplemental
education services and is in the second year of needs improvement,
or if the school voluntarily provides supplementary education
services when the school is in the first year of improvement. |
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If
the parent’s choice school is identified as needing improvement
after their child is enrolled, but their original school gets
out of the improvement status, the parent has the right to choose
another school or return to the original school. However, if
the parent chooses another school, the district is not obligated
to provide transportation. |
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Issues
that may limit parental choice is in school districts where: |
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ALL
schools are in the needs improvement category, and there is
no school that qualifies for school choice; |
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Transportation
money has run out and the district must tell parents that free
transportation will not be provided to the school that they
chose to transfer their child to; |
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Schools
are so remote from one another that choice is impracticable,
such as in rural areas. The law is ambiguous about defining
what is “remote” or too far away while still being
considered a reasonable choice for parents; |
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All
schools at a grade level are in school improvement or when the
district has only a single school at that grade level; |
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Health
and safety factors enter into a district’s decision to
identify a school for choice; |
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There
is not sufficient funding to provide transportation to all of
the students who wish to transfer. In that case, the district
may prioritize based on the lowest achieving of the low income
students; |
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If
a parent chooses another school not selected by the district
as a transfer option, there is no requirement that Title I funds
will follow the child to the new school. However, in subsequent
years, the receiving school may become eligible for Title I
funds if enough low-income students apply to the school; |
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If
a child’s original school is no longer on the school improvement
list, the school district is not required to provide transportation
after the end of the school year. However, the child is allowed
to stay in the choice school until the highest-grade level; |
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If
a parent chooses a school within the school district’s
definition of walking distance, the district is not obligated
to pay for transportation; |
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When
parents move from the original school’s attendance area,
the school must allow students to finish the highest-grade level
at the school of choice, but the district is no longer obligated
to provide transportation; |
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Students
who change schools are not required to remain in their choice
school, but may return to their original school if parents decide
it is in the best instructional interest of the child; and |
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A
transportation zone system would be established where the district
could decide to fully pay transportation costs for students
attending choice schools within the zone, but only partially
pay for costs if students chose a school outside of the zone. |
