Issue: School Choice

Issue Overview | Critical Questions | Resources

Overview

The Greater Rochester Area includes some of the best suburban school systems in the country. It is also home to the Rochester City School District, among the country's worst-performing districts, where thousands of children are trapped in failing schools, simply because of poverty or location of their home.

Unlike internal school reforms, school choice works by empowering parents as consumers. It gives parents—not education bureacrats—the power to select the best school for their children. With choice also comes competition and a new pressure from the community—or market—to improve traditional schools that have long been resistant to change. Schools that fail to serve their students and families lose students to better-performing and more responsive schools. Over time, under-enrolled schools are closed.

Choice programs range from district choice programs, like the Rochester City School District's Managed Choice program, to public charter schools, to scholarships and vouchers for private tuition. Choice is also an important component of the No Child Left Behind Act, which gives students trapped in chronically failing schools or dangerous schools the right to transfer to a better school or supplement their education with tutoring.

Critical Questions

District Parent Choice

What information is available to Rochester parents making enrollment decisions? How many parents receive their first enrollment choice?
What resources are available to families during the Middle School and High School application process? What internal controls are in place to ensure equity in secondary enrollment admission and placement?
Of those families of children eligible for transfer under the No Child Left Behind Act, how many exercise their transfer right? What resources are available to transfer students and their receiving schools to ensure a successful transition?

Rochester’s Education Market

Are Rochester parents/consumers satisfied with Rochester’s schools?
What proportion of Rochester district families transfer to public charter, private, parochial or home schools? What is the demand (enrollments + wait list) for charter schools? What is the out-of-district transfer/relocation rate?
Which schools—district public, public charter or private schools—provide the best education for Rochester’s children? Opportunities for enrichment and advancement? Opportunities for parent involvement? Most qualified educators?

Resources on School Choice

NYS Report Cards—NYS Education Department provides comprehensive school performance, teacher qualification, student discipline data by state, district and school. Includes both traditional public and public charter school data.

US Department of Education—Provides information on NCLB-required school choice and supplemental educational services for families in chronically failing schools. Includes tips on selecting and enrolling in a school.

NYS Education Department—The Office of Public School Choice reviews charter school applications and proposed charters, monitors charter schools, administers the Charter Schools Planning and Implementation Grants Program, and provides technical assistance to charter schools. A good resource to community groups considering opening a charter school in New York State.

New York Charter School Institute—Formed by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, the Institute provides information on all current and prospective charters schools in New York State. Site includes information on charter applications and funding opportunities as well as charter school contact information and performance data.

School Choice New York—Provides information on educational options of parents in New York State, including charters, scholarships and tuition tax credits.

Parents In Charge Foundation—A national nonprofit focused on empowering parents through school choice. Advocates for funding that follows students and expanding educational options to all parents.

Center for Education Reform—A Washington, D.C.-based organization providing advocacy, research and grassroots support on parent empowerment and education choice. Includes a grassroots action center, national and state organization directories and Parent Power! newsletter.

Alliance for School Choice The nation’s vanguard organization for promoting, implementing and enhancing K-12 educational choice.

Heartland Institute—Publisher of School Reform News. Site also includes PolicyBot an extensive clearing house of studies and commentaries from over 350 think tanks and advocacy groups working in the field of school choice.

SchoolChoices.org-- A nonprofit organization providing information on the impact of school choice on families, communities, and schools.

© 2007-09 Rochester Fund for Educational Accountability.



	Issue: School Choice Issue Overview \| Critical Questions \| Resources Overview The Greater Rochester Area includes some of the best suburban school systems in the country. It is also home to the Rochester City School District, among the country's worst-performing districts, where thousands of children are trapped in failing schools, simply because of poverty or location of their home. Unlike internal school reforms, school choice works by empowering parents as consumers. It gives parents—not education bureacrats—the power to select the best school for their children. With choice also comes competition and a new pressure from the community—or market—to improve traditional schools that have long been resistant to change. Schools that fail to serve their students and families lose students to better-performing and more responsive schools. Over time, under-enrolled schools are closed. Choice programs range from district choice programs, like the Rochester City School District's Managed Choice program, to public charter schools, to scholarships and vouchers for private tuition. Choice is also an important component of the No Child Left Behind Act, which gives students trapped in chronically failing schools or dangerous schools the right to transfer to a better school or supplement their education with tutoring. Critical Questions District Parent Choice What information is available to Rochester parents making enrollment decisions? How many parents receive their first enrollment choice? What resources are available to families during the Middle School and High School application process? What internal controls are in place to ensure equity in secondary enrollment admission and placement? Of those families of children eligible for transfer under the No Child Left Behind Act, how many exercise their transfer right? What resources are available to transfer students and their receiving schools to ensure a successful transition? Rochester’s Education Market Are Rochester parents/consumers satisfied with Rochester’s schools? What proportion of Rochester district families transfer to public charter, private, parochial or home schools? What is the demand (enrollments + wait list) for charter schools? What is the out-of-district transfer/relocation rate? Which schools—district public, public charter or private schools—provide the best education for Rochester’s children? Opportunities for enrichment and advancement? Opportunities for parent involvement? Most qualified educators? Resources on School Choice NYS Report Cards—NYS Education Department provides comprehensive school performance, teacher qualification, student discipline data by state, district and school. Includes both traditional public and public charter school data. US Department of Education—Provides information on NCLB-required school choice and supplemental educational services for families in chronically failing schools. Includes tips on selecting and enrolling in a school. NYS Education Department—The Office of Public School Choice reviews charter school applications and proposed charters, monitors charter schools, administers the Charter Schools Planning and Implementation Grants Program, and provides technical assistance to charter schools. A good resource to community groups considering opening a charter school in New York State. New York Charter School Institute—Formed by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, the Institute provides information on all current and prospective charters schools in New York State. Site includes information on charter applications and funding opportunities as well as charter school contact information and performance data. School Choice New York—Provides information on educational options of parents in New York State, including charters, scholarships and tuition tax credits. Parents In Charge Foundation—A national nonprofit focused on empowering parents through school choice. Advocates for funding that follows students and expanding educational options to all parents. Center for Education Reform—A Washington, D.C.-based organization providing advocacy, research and grassroots support on parent empowerment and education choice. Includes a grassroots action center, national and state organization directories and Parent Power! newsletter. Alliance for School Choice The nation’s vanguard organization for promoting, implementing and enhancing K-12 educational choice. Heartland Institute—Publisher of School Reform News. Site also includes PolicyBot an extensive clearing house of studies and commentaries from over 350 think tanks and advocacy groups working in the field of school choice. SchoolChoices.org-- A nonprofit organization providing information on the impact of school choice on families, communities, and schools. © 2007-09 Rochester Fund for Educational Accountability.
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Are Rochester parents/consumers satisfied with Rochester’s schools?

What proportion of Rochester district families transfer to public charter, private, parochial or home schools? What is the demand (enrollments + wait list) for charter schools? What is the out-of-district transfer/relocation rate?

Which schools—district public, public charter or private schools—provide the best education for Rochester’s children? Opportunities for enrichment and advancement? Opportunities for parent involvement? Most qualified educators?

Resources on School Choice