Interdistrict Public School Choice

INTRODUCTION

The Interdistrict Public School Choice Program (School Choice Program) is a five-year pilot program designed to increase educational opportunities for New Jersey students and their families by providing students with the option of attending a public school outside their district of residence without cost to their parents. Under the School Choice Program, interested New Jersey school districts apply to become choice districts, that is, districts that designate specific open seats into which they will accept non-resident students at the expense of the state. Each year the New Jersey State Department of Education selects the choice districts from those districts that have submitted a competitive application. For more information click on Becoming a Choice District.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT:

	Approved Choice Districts

	Student Application Process

	Student Application Timelines

	Student Application Forms

	Becoming a Choice District

	Application to Become a Choice District

	Sending District Procedures

	Interdistrict Public School Choice Act of 1999

	Interdistrict Public School Choice Regulations

HISTORY

On September 1, 1999 the State Board of Education adopted regulations that established a program of interdistrict public school choice.

Thirteen districts submitted applications to the school choice program. On November 29, 1999 the department announced the Commissioner's approval of the first 10 choice districts:

County	District	County	District
Atlantic	Folsom	Hunterdon	Bloomsbury
Bergen	Englewood	Monmouth	Upper Freehold Regional
Burlington	Washington Township	Morris	Mine Hill
Cumberland	Cumberland Regional	Salem	Salem City
Hudson	Hoboken	Union	Kenilworth

During the first application cycle, the 10 choice districts opened approximately 700 seats to out-of-district students.

Although the student application process took place during the winter holidays when most schools are closed, the 10 choice districts received applications from 150 students interested in participating in the school choice program.

Ninety-six (96) students enrolled in the first ten choice districts and attended those districts in the 2000-2001 school year.


	In December 1999 the New Jersey State Legislature passed, and on January 18, 2000 the Governor signed into law, the "Interdistrict Public School Choice Program Act of 1999." The new law established in statute a program similar to that established in regulations.

The State Board of Education amended the regulations to create a two-cycle student application process and to make the regulations consistent with the new law and more user-friendly. The amended regulations were adopted at the November 1, 2000 meeting of the State Board.

In April 2000, five districts submitted applications to the school choice program.

On July 14, 2000, the Commissioner approved the Belvidere School District in Warren County as an additional choice district.

For the 2001-2002 school year, the 11 choice districts opened approximately 740 seats to out-of district students.

In the first application cycle for the 2001-2002 school year, 134 students filed Notices of Intent to Enroll in the choice districts. In the second application cycle 78 students filed Notice of Intent to Enroll.

The total of 212 new choice students for the 2001-2002 school year is more than double the number of new choice students enrolled in the 2000-2001 school year.

The total number of choice students enrolled for the 2001-2002 school year is 308, more than triple the total number of choice students enrolled in the 2000-2001 school year.

In April 2001 six districts submitted applications to become school choice districts.

In July 2001 the Commissioner approved the Brooklawn School District in Camden County and the South Harrison School District in Gloucester County as additional choice districts.

	For the 2002-2003 school year the 13 choice districts opened a total of 632 seats for choice students.

	In the 2002-2003 school year 460 students participated in the school choice program.

	In July 2002 the Commissioner approved the Stafford School District in Ocean County as an additional choice district.

	Approximately 700 students are expected to participate in the school choice program in the 2003-2004 school year.

	In July 2003, the Commissioner approved the Passaic Manchester Regional High School District as the fifteenth choice district.

For more information on the choice districts approved for the 2004-2005 school year, click on Approved Choice Districts.

For more information on the school choice regulations, click on Interdistrict Public School Choice Regulations.

For more information on the statute governing the program, click on Interdistrict Public School Choice Program Act of 1999.

For more information on each year of the school choice program, click on Annual Report.

PROGRAM PARAMETERS

CHOICE DISTRICTS

A school district is eligible to participate in the program as a choice district if it:

has classroom space available,

submits a completed application form in a timely manner, and

receives department approval to participate.

The choice district application for the 2005-2006 school year will be released by the department in early January 2004.

Completed applications will be due to the department by April 30, 2004.

The districts that apply to become choice districts include those that:

have declining enrollment,

want to diversify the student population,

want to implement innovative programs, and/or

need to increase financial resources available to the district.

A choice district may open seats only in grades 1 through 10.

A choice district cannot discriminate in admissions policies and must accept students on a first-come, first-served basis. If there are more applicants than there are seats, the choice district must hold a lottery to select its choice students, and to establish a waiting list based on the results of the lottery.

While a choice district cannot prohibit the enrollment of a student on the basis that the additional cost of educating the student would exceed the amount of state aid generated by that student, a choice district may reject the application for enrollment of a student classified as eligible for special education services if:

that student’s IEP could not be implemented in the district; or

enrollment of the student would require the district to fundamentally alter the nature of its educational program; or

enrollment of the student would create an undue financial or administrative burden on the district.

A choice district may give preference for admission to the sibling of a choice student already enrolled in the choice district.

A choice district must accept all credits towards graduation that were awarded by another district for each enrolled choice student.

Choice districts are responsible for the transportation of choice students who reside more than two miles in grades K through eight, and more than two and one half miles in grades nine through 12, and who reside 20 miles or fewer from the choice district’s school.

The choice district will receive transportation aid for all transported students.

A choice district may provide aid in lieu of transportation.

The parent of the choice student is responsible for transportation beyond the 20 miles.

A choice district may not maintain a parent-paid tuition program pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:38-3 simultaneously while participating in the school choice program.

A choice district must establish a regionwide public information program to provide information to the public about the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program in general, and the choice program offered by the district in particular. At a minimum the public information program must include:

notification that the district has been selected as a choice district;

information regarding the district, its schools, its programs, and its student and course policies; and

information regarding student application procedures.

Each choice district must establish and maintain a Parent Information Center. The center must:

collect and disseminate information about participating interdistrict public school choice programs and schools;

create and maintain a system for responding to questions and requests for information; and

assist parents and guardians in submitting applications for enrollment of choice program students in appropriate programs and schools.

The telephone number of the Parent Information Center for each approved school choice district is listed on an Interdistrict Public School Choice web page describing that district's interdistrict public school choice program. For a list of approved choice districts and a link to each district's Interdistrict Public School Choice web page, click on Approved Choice Districts.

CHOICE DISTRICT FUNDING

CHOICE DISTRICT FUNDING

Each choice district receives a new form of categorical aid called "School Choice Aid" for each choice student who enrolls in the choice district. Even choice districts that do not currently receive core curriculum standards aid receive school choice aid for each enrolled choice student.

In addition, choice districts receive all associated categorical aids for each enrolled choice student.

Choice districts in district factor group A or B receive school choice aid at a rate equal to the weighted per pupil maximum T&E amount; all other choice districts receive school choice aid at a rate equal to the weighted per pupil T&E amount.

PER PUPIL SCHOOL CHOICE AID AMOUNTS

School Level

A & B Districts

All Other Districts

Elementary 1-5
$8,309

$7,913

Middle School 6-8
$8,605

$8,195

High School 9-12
$9,221

$8,782

The benefits that the current choice districts have received from school choice aid include:

reduction of a possible 25 cent tax increase to five cents;
replacement of lost state aid;
hiring of additional teachers;
providing additional course offerings;
increase in instructional hours or days;
expansion of specialized programs such as Reading Recovery;
purchase of new classroom computers; and
installation of an interactive video distance learning classroom.
School choice aid is outside the cap and unrestricted. A choice district can expect to receive current year
funding for all choice students actually enrolled during the first application cycle, and for those estimated to
be enrolled during the second application cycle.
Final funding for choice students is calculated based on the October ASSA and subject to the state aid adjustment process.

SENDING DISTRICTS

A sending district may not prohibit the participation of its students in the school choice program.

However, in order to limit its students' participation in the school choice program, a sending district may adopt a resolution limiting its students' participation to

a minimum of 2 percent per grade per year and/or 7 percent of the total student enrollment, or to
a maximum of 10 percent per grade per year and/or 15 percent of the total student enrollment, or
anywhere between the minimum and maximum.

Any resolution that sets the limitations above the minimum must be approved by the Commissioner.

The regulations require a sending district to hold a lottery and develop a waiting list based on that lottery when the number of students who file a Notice of Intent to Participate in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program exceeds the percentage limitations established by the district.

A sending district receives impact aid for each of its resident students enrolled in a choice district. In the first year of a student's enrollment in a choice district the sending district receives 75% of the Core Curriculum Standards Aid, in the second year 50%, and in the third year 25%.

For more information, click on Sending District Procedures.

CHOICE STUDENTS

There is no cost to the parents of students selected to attend choice districts. The state provides the tuition payment directly to the choice district for each choice student.

To be eligible to participate in the school choice program a student must be enrolled in grades K through 9 in a public school in his or her district of residence for at least one full year immediately preceding enrollment in the choice district.

Each choice district designates the grade levels, schools, programs and numbers of seats available to choice students. The choice district may open seats only in grades 1 through 10. For information on the choice seats available for the 2004-2005 school year, click onApproved Choice Districts.

A choice district cannot discriminate in admissions policies. If there are more applicants than there are seats, the choice district must hold a lottery to select its choice students, and to establish a waiting list based on the results of the lottery.

A choice district may give preference for admission to the sibling of a choice student already enrolled in the choice district.

The choice district will receive transportation aid for all choice program students.

A choice district may provide aid in lieu of transportation.

The parent of the choice student is responsible for transportation beyond 20 miles.

For information on the student application process, click on Student Application Process.

PROGRAM TIMELINES

The regulations establish the two-cycle student application process and timelines. The dates for applications for the 2004-2005 school year are:

FIRST CYCLE Must be received by:	Document	Sent from/to:	SECOND CYCLE Must be received by:
November 3, 2003	Notice of Intent to Participate in the School Choice Program	Parent/Guardian must submit this notice to the Superintendent of the district in which the student resides.	March 3, 2004
November 25, 2003	Written notification to the parents that the student may or may not participate in the school choice program	District of residence sends notification to parent/guardian.	March 25, 2004
December 5, 2003	Student Application to choice district, including written notification from district of residence*	Parent/Guardian submits the application to the choice district.	April 7, 2004
January 6, 2004	Choice district Notice of Acceptance or Rejection of the student's application	Choice district sends this notice to parent/guardian and to the district of residence.	May 5, 2004
January 15, 2004	Student's Notice of Intent to Enroll in the choice district	Parent/Guardian sends this notice to the choice district. Choice district notifies district of residence.	May 17, 2004

The regulations also require a choice districts that holds a lottery to establish a waiting list based on that lottery. The waiting list timelines for the 2004-2005 school year are:

January 27, 2004	Notice of Acceptance to next student(s) on waiting list.	If the choice district does not receive Notices of Intent to Enroll by the due date from all students accepted in the first round, the choice district sends the Notice of Acceptance to the next students on the waiting list, in order, to fill the seats available.	May 26, 2004
February 5, 2004	Student's Notice of Intent to Enroll in the choice district	Parent/Guardian sends this notice to the choice district. Choice district notifies district of residence.	June 7, 2004

For a full discussion of the student application process, click on Student Application Process.

For a full explanation of the student application timelines, click on Student Application Timelines.

For student application forms, click on Student Application Forms. Please note: the choice district to which you are interested in applying may have specific forms or requirements that you must meet. Please be certain to contact the district directly. The Parent Information Center telephone number, as well as an e-mail address and website for the district may be found on the individual district’s page. Click on Approved Choice Districts and then on the district in which you are interested.

REPORTS AND EVALUATION

Each choice district must file interim and annual reports with the department.

The Commissioner must submit an annual report on the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program to the State Board of Education and to the Legislature.

The law requires the Joint Committee on the Public Schools to commission a study of the first two years of the school choice program.

For Interdistrict Public School Choice Program Annual Reports, click on Annual Report.

Please review all the information available on the Interdistrict Public School Choice web pages. We believe that most of your questions will be answered. However, if you have questions that have not been answered, or you require more information, please call the Interdistrict Public School Choice Coordinator:

Anne Schettino Casale
(609) 633-1997