School Choice and Supplemental Services

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has issued a new publication entitled Giving Parents Options: Strategies for Informing Parents and Implementing Public School Choice and Supplemental Education Services Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Pursuant to NCLB, children attending schools in need of improvement or in corrective action or restructuring may in some instances be able to attend a different public school or receive supplemental educational services (SES). The publication is part of an ED initiative to determine why some families have been unable to take advantage of these important options. It discusses how to give parents effective notices of their choice options, how to engage in outreach, and how to facilitate applications and enrollment. The publication also discusses "selected aspects" of implementing choice options, such as providing transportation effectively, helping students adjust to their new school, combating attrition and low attendance, and getting support from the state education agency. Earlier ED publications on SES are available at the next two links. The remaining links are to information on controversies over these provisions and NSBA recommendation that these interventions be focused on the students who need them, rather than every student at the school.

ED publication
ED guidance on Creating Strong SES Programs
ED draft final guidance on SES
NSBA School Law pages on parental involvement
NSBA School Law pages on tutoring controversies
KOTV 6 on Tulsa transfer controversy
NSBA "Why Report" on eligibility for choice and supplemental services