Friday, August 16, 2002
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Friday, August 16, 2002 |
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School choice issue finally decided By JOHN
THOMPSON
Parents at Coweta County Schools finally learned this week that only two school would be offering a "school choice" program this year. School choice will be offered at Jefferson Parkway and Elm Street Elementary Schools during the 2002-2003 school year, following the issuance of state guidelines that indicate that the Coweta County School System has only two schools identified for voluntary school choice under state and federal rules. The school system's curriculum department said that parents of six students at Jefferson Parkway and parents of one child from Elm Street Elementary School have asked for transfer under the policy, which goes into effect Aug. 12. The voluntary school choice provisions for the two schools were called for under the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary School Act (the federal "No Child Left Behind Act"). Under that act, schools receiving federal Title I funds that are listed as "needs improvement" and who do not then make "adequate progress" face various provisions, including voluntary school choice with transportation services provided by the school system. Earlier in the summer, an original list of two schools affected by the federal law rose to five schools, following a change in state standards in administering the law. Those schools included Elm Street, Jefferson Parkway, Atkinson, Eastside and Arnco-Sargent Elementary Schools. The state Department of Education sent a revised list of standards on Aug. 7, removing the other three schools from the "needs improvement" list. "Arnco-Sargent, Atkinson and Eastside all made adequate progress last year, and are not required to offer school choice for the 2002-03 school year," said Dr. Judy Robinson, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum. The school system notified parents at all five schools in June of the policy administering the school choice provisions. Parents at the three schools coming off the list were notified by writing last week of the change in policy. "We regret any inconvenience parents and children may experience," said Dr. Peggy Connell, Superintendent of the Coweta County School System. "We have acted on the best information we have received throughout the summer." Students from Jefferson Parkway can transfer to Northside Elementary School under the policy, and Elm Street students can transfer to Newnan Crossing Elementary School. Adequate capacity at both schools allowed for all requested student transfers.
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