Public School Choice

Public School Choice: County Level Contact Person Kephanie Dunn-Henderson Clayton County Public Schools kephanie.dunn-henderson@clayton.k12.ga.us 678-817-3100 As of June 30, 2012, there will no longer be a Public School Choice (Choice) transfer option under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) as reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and local educational agencies (LEAs) will no longer be required to implement Choice or pay for Choice transporation as implemented under the ESEA. On November 2011, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), submitted to the United States Department of Education (US ED), a flexibility waiver requesting flexibilty through ten ESEA requirements and their associated, regulatory, administrative and reporting requirements. One of the ten requested waivers directly affects the Public School Choice (Choice) transportation under ESEA. Any student that has previously transferred to another school by exercising the ESEA Choice must be allowed to attend that school until they complete the school's highest grade; however, the district is no longer required to pay for the students' transportation cost during the duration of the student's attendance at their current Choice school. Clayton County Public Schools will pay for Choice transportation for the 2012-2013 school year for the students who are currently exercising the ESEA Choice option. Please note that the ride for the transfer students can be as long as two hours. Pick up/drop off times will be earlier/later than normal bus routes. Pick up times can be as early as 5:30 a.m. (Transportation will not be offered to the Choice schools for the 2013-2014 school year. The child may remain at the Choice school until the highest grade, but the parent must provide transportation.) However, parents will still have the Choice transfer option under House Bill 251: The Quality Basic Education Act; Intra-District School Choice. House Bill 251 allows parents of students enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school to enroll in a school other than the assigned school that is located within the school district, if classroom space is available after the assigned students of that district have been enrolled. Under House Bill 251, transportation will not be paid for by the district. The parent shall assume the responsibility and cost of transportation of the student to and from the school. The Out of District Transfer process will open at the beginning of May and close at the beginning of June. This process will address House Bill 251, Senate Bill 10, and Hardship student transfers. The application process for transfers will be online and can be accessed by going to the Clayton County Public Schools website at www.clayton.k12.ga.us. In order to apply for a student transfer, you will need your child's student identification number. For all questions about the Out of District Student Transfer process, please check the Clayton County Public Schools website for Frequently Asked Questions or contact Student Services at 678-814-3097.   ESEA Public School Choice Historical Data Year Number of Students Eligible to Participate in ESEA School Choice Transfer Number of Students Who Applied for an ESEA School Choice Transfer Option Number of Students Approved for an ESEA School Choice Transfer Number of Students Who Transferred under the ESEA School Choice Option 2007 - 2008 16,081 540 540 480 2008 - 2009 16,296 509 509 389   2009 - 2010 11,242 306 306 246   2010 - 2011 2,207 144 144 143   2011 - 2012 9,236 111 106 94 ESEA Public School Choice Options for 2011-2012 Applications will be mailed to all eligible students. Schools Required to offer ESEA Public School Choice Transfer Choice Options   Jonesboro Middle School (DNM)   Adamson Middle School   Riverdale Middle School     Lovejoy Middle School (DNM)   Kendrick Middle School   Mundy's Mill Middle School     Jonesboro High School (Made AYP)   Forest Park High School   Lovejoy High School     Morrow High School (DNM)   Drew High School   Forest Park High School     Mt. Zion High School (DNM)   Forest Park High School   Lovejoy High School     Mundy's Mill High School (DNM)   Drew High School   Lovejoy High School     North Clayton High School (DNM)   Drew High School   Forest Park High School     Riverdale High School (DNM)   Drew High School   Lovejoy High School   The Clayton County Public School System can't guarantee that your child will be approved for a transfer to your first choice. Providing only one choice or not all of the available choices in order of preference for a transfer will not guarantee that you will receive the first choice or the choice listed. If you would like for your child to remain at his or her zoned school, you do not have to complete a request form.             If you have any questions about NCLB Public School Choice, please contact Kephanie Henderson at 678-817-3100 or kephanie.dunn-henderson@clayton.k12.ga.us