Highlands Today
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School Choice An Option For 3,400 Elementary Students
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Published: July 17, 2008
SEBRING - A School Choice transfer will be offered to students who attend any of the five district elementary schools that are "in need of improvement," based on the recently released Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report.
The Highlands County School District is sending letters this week to the parents of children who attend Park, Sun 'N Lake, Woodlawn, Fred Wild and Lake Country elementary schools. The letter will inform parents of the transfer and tutoring options available for their children.
The five elementary schools had a combined enrollment of 3,407 students on the last day of school - June 4.
All parents will have two options for their children: remain at their zoned school or transfer to one of two choice schools.
A third choice is available for students who qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch. Parents who keep their child at their zoned school may choose free tutoring services.
The transfer options follow:
• Park Elementary students can request a transfer to Avon or Memorial elementary schools.
• Fred Wild, Sun 'N Lake and Woodlawn students can request a transfer to Memorial or Cracker Trail elementary schools.
• Lake Country Elementary students can request a transfer to Lake Placid or Cracker Trail elementary schools.
If a large number of parents choose a transfer or tutoring option for their child, Landress said the lowest achieving students and those from low income families will receive priority.
"I haven't had to do that in the past, but we spent just about all the money we had for it last year," she said.
Last year about 150 students transferred to another school and about 500 received tutoring services.
The district received more money this year, but with rising transportation costs, Landress could not estimate the maximum number of students who will be able to transfer or be tutored this school year.
Landress hopes she will receive the parent responses by Aug. 11. Those who did not choose to transfer their child will receive another letter explaining the free tutoring service.
Many times parents choose the transfer option for convenience such as the child's babysitter is close by, Landress said. "I have found if parents feel comfortable and good about a school - they don't transfer."
Under the federal No Child Left Behind regulations, to become a "school of choice" (which accepts transferring students) a school has to earn AYP for at least two consecutive years. A school would lose its "choice" designation if it does not make AYP two years in a row.
A school earns AYP when all its subgroups of students meet proficiency levels in all tested subjects. The subgroups include: economically disadvantaged, English language learners, students with disabilities and the ethnic subgroups: white, black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian.
As a brand new school, there is no student test data for Memorial Elementary, which makes it choice option for at least two years.
FAST FACTS:
Under the federal No Child Left Behind regulations, to become a "school of choice" (which accepts transferring students) a school has to earn AYP for at least two consecutive years. A school would loose its "choice" designation if it does not make AYP two years in a row.
A school earns AYP when all its subgroups of students meet proficiency levels in all tested subjects.
Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com
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