Did the study address awareness of choice? A few years ago I did a graduate paper on school choice and found evidence that though parent satisfaction is always greater at a school which is "chosen" over one that is "assigned". It was also clear that not all parents had the same level of information about what sort of options that are available to them. Generally speaking the parents that know they have options are those that are either exceptionally pro-active or those who have children that experience problems with the school they initially attended. Even though the idea of school choice is 20 years old, the relevant choices have become far more diverse over time. High school kids can go to neighborhood schools, magnet schools, charter schools, alternative schools or attend college classes through post-secondary option. These are all public options, but are they all equally apparent to everyone? I say all of this as someone without children in the public school system. Are the people on this list serve confident that parents and students have the information necessary to make a "pro-active" choice? Any thoughts?
Matt Flory Mac Groveland List Manager <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Very interesting article in todays Pioneer Press that is directly relevant to topics which have come up in our forum on many occasions. The issue of Neighborhood Schools and School Choice. Apparently, the district is considering a proposal designed to reform our current system of school choice, while potentially strengthening neighborhood schools (POTENTIALLY). The plan would limit choice somewhat, by creating four attendance zones and opening up enrollment in all schools to anyone who lives within that schools zone. This would decrease the number of "city-wide" schools, but increase the number of choices in ones own "zone" of the city. If this plan were implemented, is it assumed that students already enrolled in city-wide enrollment schools would be "grandfathered in" and allowed to keep their space until 6th grade. All High Schools would continue to draw students City-Wide. -------------------------------------------------- Posted on Tue, Oct. 05, 2004 http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/9836591.htm School-choice changes take shape A St. Paul task force calls the system 'flawed' and favors steps to strengthen neighborhood schools. BY JOHN WELBES "The school-choice system in St. Paul public schools, though popular, is "fundamentally flawed" because of built-in inequities, says a report from a task force that Superintendent Pat Harvey formed last spring." ------------------------------------------------- -- Tim Erickson List Manager St. Paul Issues Forum http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ Hamline Midway Resident 651-643-0722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] St. Paul Links - http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/links.html "The St. Paul Issues Forum is a interactive e-mail discussion on important issues about St. Paul public policy. Participation is free and open to anyone. We currently have about 350 concerned citizens and community leaders subscribed to our discussion." _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish. _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
