Outcomes of Previous Meetings

• October 28:  Organized task group.
• November 10:  Reviewed demographics, set work plan, received an overview of choice in the district.
• November 18:  Developed plan for input and described the current system.

Minutes Review:

Community Input

Each interest group will have about 15 minutes to meet at the beginning of the session to determine what to report to the large group. 

The groups will be asked to respond to the following questions, taking 5 to 7 minutes:

• What are your top issues related to school choice?
• What works best in the current program of choice?
• What is frustrating?
• Respond to the criteria identified by the task group?
• What would you change (or do differently) about the district’s choice program?
• What would an ideal system look like to you?

• Non-profit alternative education options:  Lynda Whitener, Hal Sadofsky, and Jan VanderTuin.
• District alternative education programs:  Sharon Schuman, Mac McFadden, Mike Garling, Mike Dubick, Cindy Hinton, Beckie Smolek, Susan Hirata, and Will Mueller.
• Neighborhood Schools:  Ollie Snowden, Diane Pergamit, and Robert Jackson.
• Charter Schools:  David Piercy will invite representatives of The Village School.  Sharon Schumann will represent the neutral to negative view.
• Home School:  Jan VanderTuin will represent this interest. David Piercy will invite a couple of parents and interested parties who favor home schooling.
• Transfer Students:  Carolyn Hopkins, Mike Garling, Linda Whitener.
• Private Schools/Voucher Advocates:  David Piercy will invite representatives of private schools.
• CyberSchool:  David Piercy will invite representatives from CyberSchool.

Key Issues Related to Choice

• How does the public know what options are available?
• Is there a planned approach to the district’s choice program?
• How do we maintain a sense of community when kids are scattered?
• How do you reconcile equality and choice?
• How are resources distributed among schools?
• What is the success rate for the programs?  Matriculation into college?  CIM/CAM results?
• What are the environmental impacts of transportation?
• If there is no transportation, is there an equity problem?
• How do we level the playing field about the public’s perception of public schools?  They all should be special.
• Should we subsidize transportation for low-income families?
• What is the ideal size of a school? 
• How will any changes in the choice program, increase and not decrease quality?
• What are the implications of the disparity of per pupil spending between schools?
• What is the effect of capping enrollment at alternative schools?
• How do we ensure stability in neighborhood schools when there are fluctuations in enrollment?
• What are the implications of the differences in SES between neighborhood and alternative schools?
• What is the impact of declining enrollment, district-wide?
• What are the implications of the location of alternative schools?  Most are in the south region.
• Is school size important?  Is there a size that matters?
• Is it feasible to start a HomeSource in 4J?
• How do we balance diversity (size, population, curriculum) and quality?
• Should there be a greater width of alternative choices?  The current choice program operates within narrow constraints.
• Can there be a clear understanding of how schools are funded:  information needs to be readily available and understandable.
• Does standardized testing fit with alternative schools?  Perhaps there should be different ways of evaluating alternatives.
• What are the transportation impacts on neighborhoods (e.g., environmental impact and breaking up of neighborhoods)?
• How do we help children feel positive about the schools they attend?
• There is a tension between choice and maintaining strong neighborhood schools.
• How can we dispel the public’s perception that neighborhood schools are just CIM/CAM schools?
• Language of choice is a problem:  e.g., you “win” or “lose” a lottery.
• What is alternative anymore?  What was alternative 20 or 30 years ago, may be routine now.
• There is increasing pressure to be different and stand out.
• Do neighborhood schools need to increase their perception as choices?
• Why are no special programs placed in alternative schools?
• Since there is no best way to learn, how can we provide an array of educational  options?
• How can we provide relevant options for all students?  Schools too often seem to place emphasis on students who are “college prep” and other students tend to have to fend for themselves. 
• Are there inequities with regard to the current choices available including funding, availability, and access to information about choice?
• How can the district offer a fair, non-two tiered system and still have choice?

Criteria for Evaluating the School District’s Program of Choice

Decision:   The group agreed to the following criteria:

• The district’s program of choice should be fair and should be perceived as being fair (e.g., funding, access, admission policies, and placement of special programs).
• The district’s program of choice should ensure program stability in all schools.
• The district’s program of choice should provide a variety of alternatives that meet the needs of different types of learners.
• The district’s program of choice should support overall community-wide goals (e.g., strong neighborhoods, compact growth, reduced trip making, and the relationship between school and community).
• The district’s program of choice should be sustainable and part of a long-term process.
• The district’s program of choice should improve the quality of education for all students.

Adjourn