Written by Matt Bromme on 03-31-2003
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)...
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the New York City Department of Education is required to offer parents of students in identified Title I schools in need of improvement, Title I corrective actions schools and SURR (collectively, �schools in need of improvement� or SINI) the option to request a transfer to a school that has not been identified as a school in need of improvement.
As you know, on March 3, 2003, Chancellor Klein sent a letter to parents of all students currently enrolled in New York City�s identified schools in need of improvement informing them that for the school year beginning in September 2003, they have this and other options including the possibility of obtaining Supplemental Educational Services (SES). (Please see the Department�s website at http://www.nycenet.edu/nclb for copies of the letter and other related documents.)
The deadline for responding to the March 3rd mailing is today, March 31, 2003 and responses are currently being tabulated. During the week of April 7, 2003, parents who selected the option requesting a transfer out of the SINI will receive a letter offering them eight (8) non-SINI school options to which they may transfer their children. The letter instructs parents to rank their choices in order of preference from 1 to 8. Please be aware that students attending the same school will NOT necessarily receive the same eight choices. Parents will also all be offered the opportunity to keep their children in the schools they currently attend. Parent responses to the April 7th letter are due back to the Department in the postage-paid envelope provided by Friday, May 9, 2003.
As required by NCLB, the letter also indicates that before May 9th, parents will be given the opportunity to call and/or visit the various schools being offered to them. In order to implement this phase of the NCLB Public School Choice program, your leadership and assistance are critical. You and your staff need to be knowledgeable about this process and must be prepared and willing to assist parents as they make the difficult decision about transferring their children out of their current school and into one of the schools options provided in the letter.
Please use the attached guidelines when assisting parents. Guidelines are provided for principals of both schools in need of improvement and schools that have not been identified as being in need of improvement.
NCLB Choice Phase II Memo
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I. If you are the principal of a school that has been identified as a school in need of improvement, we ask that:
A. School staff including administrators, counselors, parent coordinators, school secretaries, school safety agents, and other staff who receive school phone calls or greet visitors to the school, should be identified, trained and prepared to welcome and direct parents to designated school staff who can help parents with questions about the choice process or the options provided in their letter.
B. School staff should be knowledgeable about what the school is currently doing and planning to do to address the academic concerns which led to the identification as a SINI.
C. School staff should assist parents in contacting any of the schools that have been offered as choices in order to obtain additional information or to schedule a visit to the school(s).
D. School staff should assist parents in completing the individualized school transfer option form as per instructions and returning them as indicated.
E. School staff should maintain a log of parents who call or come into the school for assistance related to NCLB Choice.
II. If you are the principal of a school that has not been identified as a school in need of improvement (eligible to receive students from SINI), we ask that:
A. School staff including administrators, counselors, parent coordinators, school secretaries, school safety agents, and other staff who receive school phone calls or greet visitors to the school should be identified, trained and prepared to welcome and direct parents to designated school staff who can help parents with questions about the choice process or the options provided in their letter.
B. Those answering the school phones should be familiar with NCLB and the content of the April 7th letter. During telephone conversations, staff should check that parents have this form and that your school appears as one of their eight choices. Parents who wish to visit the school should be instructed to bring the April 7th letter with them.
C. Tour dates and times should be established to accommodate parents who may wish to visit the school before making their selections. Those answering the school phones or stationed at the visitors� entrance should be familiar with the schedule, times and procedures for these tours. You may wish to have a general orientation before the tour and a question and answer time at the conclusion of the tour. You may also wish to make materials about the school available to parents who visit. If possible, enlist parent and student volunteers to assist with these tours and school visits. School staff should be helpful and welcoming.
NCLB Choice Phase II Memo
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D. School staff should assist parents in contacting any of the other schools that have been offered as choices for additional information or to schedule a visit.
E. School staff should assist parents who request help in completing the individualized school transfer option form as per instructions and returning them as indicated.
F. School staff should maintain a log of parents who call or visit after receiving the April 7th letter.
If you have any questions regarding this memo, please contact the Director of Pupil Personnel Services or Supervisor of Guidance in your current District Office.
On behalf of the Chancellor, we thank you for your assistance with the continuing implementation of the No Child Left Behind Public School Choice Program.