Intra-district choice policy is a mechanism that provides parents the opportunity to apply to send their children to a portfolio of schools within a traditional school district in which the family resides by allowing students to transfer out of their assigned campus based on attendance zone. The impact of such policy has not been examined in the…

With the expansion of school choice systems, policymakers and researchers are increasingly focused on making the school choice process accessible and clear for families. Essentially, school district offices of enrollment and outreach are acting as "choice architects" for parents and students: those who design the environment or organize…

School desegregation and equitable access to educational opportunity takes alignment in the housing and education sectors. Racist housing policies and practices have systematically limited access to opportunity for generations of people of color, profoundly affecting their wealth, and perpetuating racial disparities in opportunity and well-being…

Community and staff surveys, conducted in 1982, were commissioned by the Sacramento City (CA) Unified School District Board of Education as part of a project designed by the District's five high school principals. This report is limited to a presentation of the survey results. A subsequent report to be developed will present conclusions and any…

This volume of profiles, third in a series of guides on parent choice and schooling, provides short descriptions about the range of exemplary parent information strategies from 21 school districts in 11 states across the nation. The profiles were chosen to be representative of efforts public school districts make to inform parents about available…

Among many publicly-funded school choice initiatives that have earned Florida the label "school choice central", none has reached as many children and families as charter schools. Charter schools have flourished in Florida largely because of the state's rapid population growth: many of the districts that are experiencing more than a 10…

New York City's Special Education School Articulation Program, which fosters informed student and parent choice about available high school program options, is described. Initial program objectives for the 1990-91 school year included hiring of school articulation coordinators and development of specific articulation plans by middle and high…

A random sample of Minnesota school districts participated in a study that examined the participation rates of students with disabilities in school choice options and tuition agreements. Surveys were sent to 100 Directors of Special Education; the response rate was 74%. The Directors of Special Education were asked to document the number of…

Summarizes the work of seven National Governors' Association task forces (on teaching, leadership, parent involvement and choice, readiness, technology, school facilities, and college quality) and the "action agenda" proposed. The governors' recent report is unique for its authorship, the tough issues tackled, and its follow-up plan.…

For Michigan, like many other states, providing noninstructional services strains public school district budgets. School districts provide more transportation, food, maintenance, and counseling services than ever before. In some cases, noninstructional expenses exceed classroom expenses. Seven states, including Michigan, employ more nonteachers…

This document reports on a pilot project called "The Consortium of Schools for the Future," designed to anticipate and make necessary adaptations for the future of public education. A section describing the project precedes a discussion of the disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged students--particularly along racial and ethnic…

This education plan sets out a vision for instruction and school development so that Chicago Public Schools, Illinois, can become the premier urban school district in the United States. It represents a year of planning and program development in the areas of human capital, professional development, the Chicago Reading Initiative, the redesign of…