Public School Choice and Supplementary Education Services to be Available
this Fall to Students at Schools Needing Improvement
On July 1, 2002, Secretary
of Education Rod Paige announced that students in an estimated 8600 schools nationwide
will be offered the opportunity to attend a higher-performing school in their
district. Most of these students will also be offered the opportunity to access
supplementary education services, such as tutoring, paid for with federal funds.
Both the public school choice and supplemental education services were established
under The No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Under the 1994 Elementary and Secondary
School Act, the precursor to NCLB, states were required to develop standards and
assessments and to establish "adequate yearly progress" criteria for
schools on these assessments. Schools that failed to make the state-defined AYP
for two or more years were identified as schools in need of improvement. In July
2002, the Department of Education released a list showing the number of Title
I schools in need of improvement under the 1994 Act. The NCLB attaches
new consequences to failure to make AYP. Among the first to take effect are the
school choice and supplementary education services provisions. Beginning in the
fall 2002, districts must offer students at most schools designated in need of
improvement under the 1994 Act the opportunity to transfer to other public schools
within the district that are not designated in need of improvement. Federal Title
I money will be used for transportation costs. Districts are also required to
arrange for the provision of supplemental education services, also funded with
federal Title I money, to students attending most schools designated in need of
improvement. For both programs, the lowest achieving students from low-income
families are to be given priority. The Secretary of Education has written
an open letter providing preliminary guidance to superintendents on the public
school choice and supplementary education services provisions, as well as on the
effect of the NCLB on collective bargaining agreements, but the Department has
not yet issued regulations on these provisions. Many school administrators are
concerned that the school choice provisions will place unreasonable burdens on
already struggling schools and districts and that they will distract administrators
from focusing on improving the failing schools. Administrators also express concern
that high performing schools rarely have seats available for students. Some states
are also complaining that they are being penalized for having established high
standards. For more information, go to the No
Child Left Behind Act overview. Prepared July 11, 2002. | 
