Before You School Choice - Avoid Making the Wrong School Choice Decisions

Ask your school how to access NCLB reports on why it failed to make AYP that will include:

• Assessment data in reading and math for students with disabilities and students from minority and low-income groups;
• The school's achievement goals and actual scores; and
• Whether the school failed to meet goals and whether school choice, free tutoring, or other sanctions are required.

Find out:

• If your child's group failed to make AYP;
• Which subject was failed;
• How your child's score compares to his group and the school average; and
• The percent of students tested, on alternate assessments, and with testing accommodations.

School NCLB Test Scores May or May Not Reflect Your Child's Learning:

• School scores estimate a school's own growth compared to itself. Your child's test scores may be very different from the overall school index.
• Some schools that fail to make AYP may actually have better scores than schools that are meeting AYP goals. Nationally standardized test scores, if available, may be better for understanding how your child is learning and the quality of the school overall.
• NCLB status is helpful, but not sufficient, to understand what is going on in the school and district or with your child's achievement.

Districts decide which schools to offer for choice based on issues such as space, student/teacher ratios, and transportation. Districts may offer tutoring in lieu of choice if no schools are available. If placement options are limited, and they almost certainly are, schools may prioritize the lowest performing, lowest-income students to receive school choice. They may also maintain waiting lists. Schools may reject students if they feel their staff, facilities, or other resources are inadequate to accommodate students. In short, even if school choice is required, it may not be available to your child.

Students in schools not making AYP may qualify for individual tutoring beyond the school day. This is typically not available in schools that are making AYP. Parents should contact their district Title I coordinator find out if tutoring is available to their children and carefully weigh the benefit tutoring in the current school versus changing to another school without it. Remember that IDEA and Section 504 students can get increased specially designed instruction through their IEPs during the day and extended school year services if they show regression in skills, regardless of the schools they attend.

Consideration of your child's individual learning experiences and relationships with teachers and peers is important:

• Do his teachers work cooperatively with you?
• Is she a valued and important part of her school community?
• Do his regular and special education teachers seem attuned to his learning needs?
• Can teachers go beyond methods and materials to elicit your child's love of learning and desire to achieve?
• Emotionally, could your child handle such a move?
• How long does it typically take your child to recover from a significant change?
• Are other aspects of your child stable and healthy?

Schools failing to make AYP make substantial changes. Intense analysis of instruction administrative practices is conducted. State departments of education and professional development agencies are often called in to help schools identify areas in need of improvement and implement research-based strategies to increase student achievement. Parents are often invited to participate in this process. Ask your school and district administrators what changes will be made in your child's school, how you will be informed, and what you can do to stay involved.