PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR CHOICE SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS1 1 This Manual is referenced in School Board Policy 5.016 1. History and Purpose -a. The School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC) is committed to providing quality educational opportunities for all students. The School Board implemented magnet schools and Choice programs as a way to ensure that quality educational opportunities were available to all students in diverse settings. Choice programs are specialized educational programs that enable students to take advantage of additional resources and innovative teaching techniques that focus on the student’s individual talents or interests. b. Choice schools and programs maintain the goals of: i. Improving achievement for all students who are participating in choice programs; ii. Providing a unique or specialized curriculum or approach; and iii. Promoting and maintaining the educational benefits of a diverse student body. Diversity and/or diverse, for the purpose of this manual, are defined as students’ first language, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students with disabilities, the socioeconomic status of the students (based on free and reduced-price lunch data), gender, and race/ethnicity consistent with the state of Florida classification for reporting. 2. Types of Choice Programs -- At the elementary, middle, and high school levels, the District may implement total-school (full Choice) programs or Choice program(s) within a school. In a full Choice school, all students enrolled in the school participate in the Choice program while Choice program(s) within a school have both students enrolled in the Choice program(s) as well as those who do not participate in the Choice program(s). The SDPBC full Choice schools are: Morikami Park ES, Northboro ES, Poinciana ES, S.D. Spady ES, Bak MSOA, Don Estridge High Tech MS, Dreyfoos SOA, and Suncoast HS. 3. Recruitment -- To ensure that all students have equitable educational opportunities and to promote diverse Choice school enrollment, it is the goal of the District to provide all students with the opportunity to access Choice schools and programs. a. The Superintendent and/or Chief Academic Officer ensure that recruitment strategies are developed by each Choice school or program and are designed to achieve a diverse applicant pool. b. The District seeks to provide information and assistance to all parents/guardians as they make choices for their children. The District’s Department of Choice and Career Options is responsible for educating parents/guardians regarding the many options available to students. The Department of Choice and Career Options will provide parents with information, assistance, and other resources regarding choice schools and programs. Parents may visit the Department in the Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center or online at: www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms. The Department of Choice and Career Options is also responsible for coordinating outreach programs to assist Choice schools in the recruitment of diverse applicants. The Department may use Choice school fairs, newsletters, newspaper and radio advertisements, civic or local government organizations, the Internet, The Education Network (T.E.N.), promotional materials, and publicity through other local government agencies as part of a comprehensive recruitment plan. 1 4. Application Process -- To be considered for a Choice school or program, the parents or guardians of applicants must return the completed applications for the 2013-2014 school year to the Department of Choice and Career Options no later than December 14, 2012. Only applications for the 2013-2014 school year will be processed. Please note the following for the December 14 deadline: ● Mailed applications must be postmarked December 14, 2012, or before. ● Hand-delivered applications to the Choice and Career Options (District) office will not be accepted after 4:00 PM on December 14, 2012. ● Online applications will not be accepted after 11:59 PM on December 14, 2012 a. The Choice Programs Application (PBSD 1537) will be available on or around October 1st of each year for placement the following fall. Applications in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole will be available online at the Choice and Career Options website: www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms. Applications will also be available at each public school and at the Department of Choice and Career Options in the Fulton Holland Educational Services Center (District Office). b. The student applicant’s parent(s)/guardian(s) must be a full time resident of Palm Beach County in order to complete an application or audition for a Choice school or program in the PBCSD. Residency is verified for each applicant. c. One or two programs may be selected. Applicants must rank their program selections in order as first (1st) and second (2nd) choice preferences on the application if the student has more than one (1) Choice program preference. d. Only one (1) application may be submitted per student and no program selection changes will be allowed once the application is submitted. The address listed on the application must match the application as listed in the District's student database system (TERMS). Pursuant to Florida Statute, Section 92.525 and under penalties of perjury, parents/guardians will sign the application verifying that the information stated in the application is true and correct. e. The Choice Programs Application is available for submission online at the following website: www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms. When submitting this completed web-based form, the parent/guardian is verifying, under penalties of perjury, that his/her electronically submitted application is authentic, the information provided is true and correct, and that he/she is the parent/guardian authorized to submit the application. No program selection changes will be allowed once the online application is submitted. f. DUPLICATE PROGRAMS: i. If a Choice Program is offered at a student's home school, the student must select the program at the home school as their first choice or the application will not be processed. ii. If the student is applying for a program that is offered In-House at their home school, an In-House program application must be completed at the school site. Students are not eligible to apply for a program at another school if the same program is offered at their home school. iii. The only exception is that all students may apply to the following full choice schools: Suncoast HS, Dreyfoos SOA, Don Estridge High Tech MS, Bak MSOA, Morikami Park ES, Northboro ES, Poinciana ES, and SD Spady ES. 2 5. Academic or Related Eligibility Criteria -- In order for an applicant to participate in the computerized lottery, the applicant must meet the eligibility requirements for the program as described in the Choice Programs booklet. a. Elementary Level -- Elementary schools do not have academic or related criteria for Choice school eligibility. b. Secondary Level -- At the secondary level, the Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer allow the use of academic criteria, including grade point average and course prerequisites, and/or audition criteria for determining whether students are eligible for a Choice school or program. Eligibility must be determined for all students who apply to programs that have academic or audition criteria. Once an application is completed, it is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to make sure that the Choice school or program receives the student’s transcript or academic record, including all information related to Virtual School classes, if appropriate. i. Each year, the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee shall review proposed eligibility criteria and require that they be nondiscriminatory and provide equal access. The Superintendent or designee must approve any additions or changes to the eligibility requirements. ii. Secondary choice schools or programs that use academic and/or audition related eligibility criteria must use an eligibility committee to determine which applicants are eligible for participation in the computerized random selection lottery process. iii. All students applying to A. W. Dreyfoos, Jr. School of the Arts or Bak Middle School of the Arts must meet the eligibility criteria set by the school through their audition process in order to be part of the lottery selection process. 1. ESE, ELL and 504 students must provide their ESE IEP, ELL Plan or their 504 Accommodation Plan at the time of the audition sign-up or prior to the audition in order to request allowable audition accommodations. 2. Private school students without a District IEP or a District 504 Accommodation Plan may also request allowable audition accommodations if the parent provides appropriate documentation of the student’s disability to the school at the time of the audition sign-up or prior to the audition. 3. If a student becomes ill and is unable to audition on the scheduled audition date, he/she must provide the school with written proof of illness from a doctor within three (3) school days of the date of the student’s scheduled audition. The student’s audition will then be rescheduled at a time set up by the school only if there are more audition dates available. Students who have not auditioned before the scheduled lottery will not be eligible for the initial lottery selection process. iv. If a student is determined ineligible for his/her first choice program, the second choice selection on the application does not move to the first choice selection. 3 v. The greatest number of available seats at each school is for students entering Grades K, 6, or 9.The Choice booklet gives a range of available seats for each program. 6. Reciprocity -- Students who move into the District after the first day of school may be considered for placement in a program if they are eligible, have evidence of transferring from a like-themed program (i.e. IB, Arts, Technology), and there are available seats in the program/school for the student. If the student is requesting a Performing Arts Program (Dreyfoos or Bak), placement will only be considered if an audition is completed and passed. However, there is no guarantee of time, place, or availability of auditions. 7. Selection Process -- All eligible students who submit an application by the deadline date will qualify for participation in the initial computerized selection lottery according to the selections made on the Choice Programs application. The Choice and Career Options Director shall implement the procedures as set forth herein for the annual lottery selection process that will take into consideration the diversity of the PBCSD. a. Seats available for each program will be determined by the Department of Planning. Consideration will be given to Florida Inventory of School House (FISH) capacity, concurrency, and the Class Size Reduction Amendment. For programs housed in schools with a boundary area, seats will be allotted for students who reside within the school’s Study Area Codes (SAC areas) and for students who reside outside the school’s SAC areas (Out of Boundary - OOB). b. If there are fewer applicants than available seats, the PBCSD shall admit all eligible applicants to the Choice school or program. c. When there are more eligible on-time applicants than available seats for programs, a computerized lottery selection process will be used to ensure equity in the assignment of eligible students to programs. Preference in the lottery will be given as follows: 1) Up to 20% of the available seats may be selected by the principal for students who selected that particular program as their first (1st) choice for each Choice school program prior to the lottery. The number of available principal’s 20% seats in each school Choice program will be determined by taking the total number of out of boundary vacancies allotted by the Planning Department and multiplying that number by 0.20. That number will then be divided equally among the total number of full Choice programs at the school. The names and student numbers of the students selected as the principal’s 20% will be sent to the Director of Choice and Career Options immediately following the eligibility determination of all students who applied to the Choice school or program but no later than 5 school days prior to the first day of the lottery. All principals have the option to forfeit this selection preference and have 100% of available seats chosen through the lottery. 2) First (1st) choice applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the specified program may be admitted if they have a parent who is a full-time employee at the Choice school to which they apply and if seats are available. 3) Up to 25% of the remaining seats may be filled by first (1st) choice applicants who meet the eligibility requirement for the specified program and who belong to a district-approved priority group or population, which includes neighborhood designated SAC areas as indicated in Appendix A. 4 4) First (1st) choice on time applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the specified program may be admitted if they have a parent who is active duty military personnel. Active duty orders and other documentation are required. 5) After deducting the principal’s 20% students from each program, those students who have a parent who is a full time employee at the Choice school to which they apply, up to 25% of those students who belong to a district-approved priority group or population which includes neighborhood-designated SAC areas, up to 50% elementary and 25% secondary of the remaining available seats may be filled with first (1st) choice sibling applicants. Siblings are defined as the brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother or stepsister living in the same household of those students who are currently attending the same first choice school and will continue to attend the choice school the next year. Siblings who are submitting an application for a Choice program/school at the same time are not included in this preference. 6) After deducting the preferences listed above, up to 25% of the remaining seats may be filled with eligible first (1st) choice applicants who have participated in and completed a program in the same preparatory theme at the lower grades (completed is defined as participating in at least grades 7 and 8 in the middle school program or at least grades 4 and 5 in the elementary school program). The program need not be a magnet or choice program, but student participation must be indicated on the Student TERMS A26 panel for current School District of Palm Beach County students. Strand preference for IB MYP students: Since the MYP is a five year program from Grades 6-10, first choice applicants for the high school continuation of the IB MYP who have satisfactorily completed Grades 7 and 8 (MYP Levels 2 and 3) and who meet the IB eligibility requirements will be admitted to the partner high school IB MYP. (Carver MS-Atlantic HS, John F. Kennedy MS-Suncoast HS, Conniston MS-Forest Hill HS, and Pahokee MS-Pahokee HS) d. If after all first choice applicants have been selected there are seats still available in a program, a computerized random lottery will be run for any second (2 nd) choice applicants who were not selected for their first (1st) choice until all seats are filled. This process is used for all programs in order to fill all available seats. The preferences used for first choice applicants do not apply to second choice applicants. Once a student has been selected for one of his/her indicated choices, he/she is immediately removed from the lottery for all other programs indicated on his/her Choice Programs application (PBSD 1537). e. Students that are not selected to attend a Choice Program in the initial computerized lottery will remain in the “wait pool” in accordance with the program selections made on the application. As openings for programs occur, students will be selected via random selection lottery from the first (1st) choice “wait pool” to fill these openings until the first (1st) choice “wait pool” is depleted. Once the first (1st) choice “wait pool” is depleted, students from the second (2nd) choice “wait pool” will be chosen to fill openings as they 5 occur. Once a student has been selected for one of his/her indicated choices, he/she is immediately removed from the “wait pool” for all other programs. f. Students are obligated to accept the program that they have indicated as their first (1st) choice if they are selected or they must return to their home school. g. If a parent does not want his/her child to attend the second (2nd) choice program if selected, the parent must decline the selected program and notify the Department of Choice and Career Options Director in writing that the student wants to remain in the “wait pool” for his/her 1st choice program. Students are obligated to accept the program that they have indicated as their first choice if they are selected or they must return to their home school. h. All students who are selected and accept placement in a Choice school or program must agree to participate on a full time basis in the Choice school or program. i. If a student is not selected to attend a Choice school or program in the lottery process, a new application must be submitted for the following year. j. Acceptance of a Choice program takes the place of all assignments for other programs including but not limited to, Reassignment, Opportunity Scholarships, and students currently enrolled in a school through NCLB. 8. Appeal Process -- If parents/guardians believe that their child was not allowed an equitable opportunity for a Choice school or program during the audition or eligibility process because of a technical problem or inequity, the parent/guardian may request an appeal. Appeals are only accepted for the following reasons: 1. A technical problem during the audition process (any relevant malfunction, such as defective equipment or a power failure in the building). 2. A technical problem during the eligibility process (such as a mathematical error). 3. An inequity (failure to provide appropriate accommodations according to the child’s documented disability or limited English proficiency during the student’s audition or eligibility processes). The appeals process is governed by Policy 5.016 and is described in the District’s Procedures Manual for Choice Programs (www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms). Parents may request an Appeals Committee hearing within ten (10) school days from the date of the notification letter indicating child’s program assignment, wait pool status, or determination of ineligibility. A Request for Appeal (Form 2418) must be submitted to the Director of Choice and Career Options and include a written explanation of the alleged technical problem or inequity. Any pertinent information supporting the appeal should also be attached to the form. After the written Request for Appeal is received from the parent/guardian, the Choice Appeals Review Committee will investigate the alleged inequity or technical problem to determine its merit. (A Choice Appeals Review Committee is established annually under the direction of the Director of Choice and Career Options and consists of a diverse group of professional educators and administrators with knowledge of Choice and Career Options programs and District policies.) 6 At the completion of the Appeals Committee review of appeals request, one of the following actions will occur within five (5) school days: The Department of Choice and Career Options Director will send a letter to the parent/guardian denying the appeal. The Department of Choice and Career Options Director will send a letter to the parent/guardian approving the appeal and notify the effected school of the need for a second eligibility review. 9. Transportation – At the time of this publication, the School Board shall provide transportation per approved District Transportation Standards for Choice Boundary Routes in 2013-2014, for all students who are enrolled in Choice schools and programs who reside more than two miles from the Choice school or program and who reside within a designated Choice transportation zone. Bus stops to Choice schools or programs may be limited and located significantly further from the student’s home than regular bus stops. Those students not residing in the transportation zone for a specific Choice school or program, but who are selected, may attend but will have to provide their own transportation to and from the school, the nearest school bus pick-up location within the transportation zone, or the nearest Tri-Rail Station location or Palm Tran bus stop. Available transportation bus stops are listed online at: www.palmbeachschools.org/transportation. Register for bus transportation at this website. 10. Student Continuation and Exit Procedures -a. Once a student is admitted to a Choice school or program, the PBCSD expects and shall allow the student to remain in that Choice school or program until the student reaches the highest grade level offered by that school. Students do not have to reapply for admission into the same program once they have been accepted to a Choice school or program. b. All Choice schools and programs shall require, as a condition for admission, that parents/guardians sign a contract agreeing to the student requirements of the Choice school. This may include required participation in school/program activities, acceptable attendance and conduct, maintaining a designated grade point average, or abiding by a specified dress code where such requirements are part of the Choice theme. c. A student who fails to meet the standards established in the contract will be placed on probation. If concerns continue or a serious offense occurs, a diverse committee of school representatives will be established to review, discuss and recommend the appropriate action, as per the school program requirements. d. If a student exits a Choice school or program, voluntarily or involuntarily, that student will forfeit the seat in the Choice school or program and may not apply in any future cycle to that Choice school or program. Schools may only exit students at the end of a semester unless a serious offense warrants such removal (Discipline Level 3 or 4 or recommendation of the school committee). The parent or guardian has the right to withdraw the student at any time but removal at the end of the semester or year is highly recommended. If removed for not following contract requirements, the student is no longer eligible to apply for the program or school in any future application cycle. e. Students who are exited from a Choice program are not eligible to remain at the Choice school through reassignment. 7 f. If a student is attending classes via Hospital Homebound Services, the student must complete the program required coursework by the end of the school year. Failure to do so may make the student subject to possible program exit. 11. Creating, Replicating, or Moving a Choice School or Program a. If the need exists for a new school or program, the Program Proposal form (PBSD 2079), must be submitted to the Chief Academic Officer for review by the Program Proposal Review Committee and can be found on the District’s website at: http://www.palmbeachschools.org/forms/index.asp. The Chief Academic Officer and Superintendent will then review the committee’s recommendation and approve the program, if appropriate, for implementation up to 18 months from the date of approval. b. In making this determination, the Superintendent shall utilize the goals for Choice schools and programs provided in Section (1) (b) above. In addition, the Superintendent shall use a number of other considerations, including: i. The geographic location of a potential site in order to ensure equitable access to Choice programs, including reasonable transportation time, for all students; ii. Any demographic changes in an attendance zone, such as declining enrollment or decreasing diversity; iii. The suitability and condition of the potential site; iv. The School Board’s priorities; v. the impact that implementing a Choice school or program at a potential site might have on displacing students currently assigned to the school and on the enrollment and diversity at the surrounding schools; vi. The potential for attracting a diverse enrollment to a proposed site; vii. The impact on class size reduction, concurrency and the capacity and utilization of a potential site; viii. The achievement data that demonstrates student learning gains; ix. The budgetary impact for creating a new choice school or program, or of replicating a theme at a new site. Consideration should include the available funds for existing Choice schools and programs and any other needs of the PBCSD. c. Once the potential sites and themes are identified, the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee shall invite principals at those schools to submit the Program Proposal form (PBSD 2079) for a Choice school or program at their respective schools. The Choice and Career Options Director shall provide assistance, as needed, in the development of the proposals. These proposals shall include: 8 i. The development of the Choice theme/program/design recommended by the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee; ii. Strategies for attracting a diverse population; iii. Strategies for improving academic achievement; iv. Strategies for aligning the Choice theme with the PBCSD’s course of study and career pathway requirements; v. How students in the PBCSD shall have access to the application and transportation process for the Choice school or program; vi. What the budget requirements are for the Choice school or program, including an explanation of why each budget item is reasonable and necessary for the Choice theme or program; vii. The impact on facilities and any future recommendations; viii. How the Choice school or program will be monitored and evaluated in addition to completed Choice program evaluation results. 12. Determining Continuation of Existing Choice Schools or Programs If a Choice school or program is not meeting or making satisfactory progress toward the three goals specified in paragraph (1) (b) above, the Director of Choice and Career Options shall initiate the activities of a technical assistance planning team. A technical assistance plan will be prepared for implementation the following year in the Choice school or program. a. If a Choice school or program has not made satisfactory progress after at least three years of implementation and one full year of technical assistance, the Director of Choice and Career Options shall notify the principal by the end of the technical assistance year regarding discontinuation of the Choice school or program. If a Choice school or program is discontinued, the Area Superintendent and the principal shall develop a plan to be presented to the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or designee to ensure an orderly transition of the Choice school or program to a non-choice school program. A Program Conversion/Closure form (PBSD 2168), found on the District’s website at: http://www.palmbeachschools.org/forms/index.asp must be completed by the school site and will be discussed at the next scheduled Program Proposal Review Committee meeting. The Committee’s recommendation will be sent to the Superintendent for approval to close a program. b. A Choice school or program may be recommended for closure by the Area Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer or the Superintendent/designee for lack of student participation, lack of funding, loss of teacher allocation, or other good cause. A Program Conversion/Closure form (PBSD 2168) must be completed by the school site and submitted for discussion at a Program Proposal Review Committee meeting. The Committee’s recommendation will be sent to the Superintendent for approval to close a program 9 13. Diversity and District-Wide Maintenance of School Populations -- If necessary, the eligible ELL/LY students may be prioritized for placement if there are a disparate number of LY students in each choice school or program. If necessary, the eligible ESE students with disabilities may be prioritized for placement if there are a disparate number of ESE students with disabilities in each choice school or program. 14. Budgeting and Funding Implications -- No later than February 1st of each school year, the magnet schools budget will be reviewed and revised for the upcoming year. The review will be led by the Director of Choice Options and a group of representative principals as well as representatives of the Budget Department as needed. 15. Monitoring and Evaluation -- The Superintendent may submit to the School Board a report regarding the implementation of Choice schools and programs. This report may include: a. data on the pool of eligible students for each Choice school or program; b. the diversity of the recruitment pool (in evaluating whether a Choice school or program meets or will meet the goal of diversity, the PBCSD broadly considers various types of diversity); c. marketing plans that list recruitment techniques that have increased and decreased the diversity of the pool of eligible students; d. data on the students who were accepted into each Choice school or program, including the diversity of the students who were accepted into each Choice school or program; e. data on the eligibility committees that are used to determine student eligibility for Choice schools or programs, including the diversity of these committees; f. identification of any perceived barriers to students being eligible for and admitted into Choice schools or programs and recommendations for eliminating any barriers; g. data on the unique nature of the program or specialized curricular approach, and its impact on attracting a diverse population; h. data on how students are performing in each Choice school or program, including how students from diverse populations are performing; i. data on the withdrawal of students from each Choice school or program; and j. any recommendation for improving Choice schools and programs, particularly as to the participation of students in Choice schools or programs, and the development of outstanding Choice schools or programs. 16. Annual Review -- The Department of Choice and Career Options shall review these procedures annually and submit any recommendations for revision to the Chief Academic Officer and Superintendent, who may recommend that the procedures be amended accordingly. 10 APPENDIX A Choice Programs Priority SAC Areas 2013-2014 School Program Morikami Park Elementary International Baccalaureate Primary Years Choice Priority SAC Areas 296B, 306A, 306B Poinciana Elementary Math, Science and Technology 257, 406A, 406B Northboro Elementary Montessori 099B, 105A, 105B, 115A, 115B, 389A, 389B S.D. Spady Elementary Montessori 288, 290*, 294 BAK Middle School of the Arts Visual, Performing, Communications Arts 102, 103, 097C Suncoast High Innovative Interactive Technology 081A, 081B, 081C, 081D, 081E, 081F, 081G, 081H, 081J, 082, 083, 084, 093C, 093D, 093E, 094A, 094B, 094C, 094D, 094E, 11 Comment Students must submit an application by the deadline *Former SAC 290B N – NW 4th Street (only) E – Swinton Avenue (only) S – NW 2nd Street (only) W – NW 4th Avenue (only) Must submit an application by the deadline and pass the audition Must submit an application by the deadline
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