Develop a Plan
Once district leaders have reviewed relevant district and community data, engaged the full range of stakeholders, committed to choice, and made some initial decisions about the types of choice they will offer or will add to an existing program, a planning team can focus on developing an implementation plan.
Program Practices
| Each practice below comes from an individual school choice program. |
Build and Manage a Community Council
Over 20 years ago Miami-Dade County Public Schools created "the schools of choice" school board-sanctioned advisory committee to help support the district.
Create a Choice Implementation Timeline
In order to manage the implementation of their Voluntary Public School Choice Program, Desert Sands Unified School District has created an annual calendar of activities and events.
Define School-based Program Structures
Houston Independent School District created three basic structures for its magnet programs: add-on programs; school-within-a-school programs; and separate and unique schools.
Draft a Choice Options Strategic Plan
In 2004, Miami-Dade County Public Schools created a simple strategic plan that outlines the key goals, objectives, and strategies for their overall choice program.
Extend the Number of Hours Children are in School
KIPP students average 60% more time in school than traditional district school students.
Facilitate the Opening of New Charter Schools
To help facilitate the successful design and implementation of Brighter Choice schools, the Foundation developed a list of recommendations for implementation based on the practices of other successful programs.
Initiate Interdistrict Programs
Community leaders from Monadnock Region Public Schools of Choice recognized that more consolidation of educational opportunities would benefit students in their community of 8 towns and a single regional high school.
Invest Extra Resources in Traditional Receiving Schools to Attract Students from Low-Performing Schools
In order to attract students from low-performing schools to higher-performing schools within the district, New Haven Public Schools has developed five Lighthouse schools.
Launch a Movement to Create New Schools in Areas of Need
Renaissance 2010 is an initiative that was launched by Chicago Public Schools in 2004 with the goal of creating 100 high-performing schools in designated communities of need by 2010.
Make Choice a Prominent Part of Your Strategic Plan
Desert Sands Unified School District restructured their strategic plan to make sure that choice was visible, highlights diversity, and includes specialized curriculum and options.
Offer Tuition-Free Preschool to Promote Interdistrict Magnet Program Enrollment
To attract students from neighboring districts, New Haven Public Schools offers tuition-free preschool.
Place New Schools in Traditionally Under-resourced Neighborhoods
In order to ensure that a new KIPP site will best serve the target population of low-income children, the program reviews a wide range of data, including anecdotal evidence from elected officials and community leaders, area demographics, feeder school patterns, and local schools’ academic performance.
Publish Scheduled Program Events
To help coordinate their marketing and recruitment process, Houston Independent School District creates an annual district event calendar.
Replicate Successful Charter Models
After opening the first two Brighter Choice charter schools, the Foundation found that replicating successful models was more effective than creating new models, and gave them a higher chance of success and sustainability.
Offer Commuter Schools (aka Special Interest Schools) to Expand Interdistrict School Choices
In response to fluctuating neighborhood populations and to provide choice options to parents working in the downtown area, Miami-Dade County Public Schools opened several commuter schools.
Partner With a State-Level Interdistrict Choice Program
A variety of choice options, including magnet, community, and traditional schools are provided for families residing in Minneapolis through the interdistrict program "The Choice Is Yours."
Partner With a Virtual School
Miami-Dade County Public Schools, in partnership with the state-funded Florida Virtual School, established the Miami-Dade Virtual School.
Participate in Options That Promote Diversity in Your District
To diversify its public schools, Minnesota developed interdistrict programs in the Minneapolis metro area. Two interdistrict magnet schools were created as a result of parent feedback and the district’s desire to capitalize from partnerships with area resources.
Sample Materials
| All sample materials under the topic of "Develop a Plan": |
Amistad Model
This website offers an overview of the Amistad model that is used in one of the current Albany charter schools that the Brighter Choice Foundation supports.
Brighter Choice Website on New Charter School Offerings in Albany
This comprehensive website offers information on new Albany charter schools supported by the Brighter Choices Foundation, including the schools’ models; academics; policy and governance issues; and admissions and application timelines.
Chicago Public Schools Website
Within the Chicago Public Schools website is a section on Renaissance 2010, an initiative to create 100 high-performing schools in designated communities of need by 2010.
KIPP Foundation Website
This site contains a range of information for those interested in joining KIPP and to support existing KIPP sites across the country.
KIPP Model
This website offers an overview of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), which is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools in under-resourced communities throughout the United States. Brighter Choice Foundation backed the creation of a KIPP school in Albany.
Monadnock Region Public Schools of Choice Overview
This web page provides an overview of Monadnock Region Public Schools of Choice, an interdistrict program that was created to better meet the educational needs of a rural community.
New York Charter School Association
The New York Charter School Association promotes charter schools by providing technical assistance to charter school staff and working to protect and advance pro-charter school legislation. The Albany Charter Schools’ staff and Brighter Choice Foundation work closely with the association to assist charter applicants through the application and implementation processes.
School Choice Poster
Hillsborough County Public Schools and district partners receive this poster to advertise information about the district's choice programs and application periods.
West Metro Education Program
The West Metro Education Program is a voluntary consortium of 11 urban and suburban school districts in the Minneapolis metropolitan area that was formed to address integration issues.
Minnesota Department of Education
This local education agency collaborates with two other educational organizations to provide the interdistrict program "The Choice Is Yours".
Satellite Learning Centers
Miami-Dade County Public Schools offers four commuter school options to parents who work in the downtown area as part of their school choice program, including these two located at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center and Assurant Group Solutions business complexes.
Minneapolis Parent Information Centers
These centers collaborate with two other educational organizations to provide academic support to student who participate in "The Choice Is Yours" interdistrict program.
District Event Calendar
This event calendar is used by the Houston Independent School District magnet office to keep track of district events including open houses, magnet school presentations, and deadlines for the application process.
Magnet Dates and Deadlines Flyer
This flyer is given to prospective parents in the Houston Independent School District to inform them of deadline dates and awareness events.
One-page Plan
This plan outlines the goals, objectives, and strategies for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools choice programs.
Miami-Dade Virtual School
Miami-Dade County Public Schools partnered with the Florida Virtual School to provide online options to their students.
Miami-Dade Virtual School Brochure
Miami-Dade County Public Schools created this brochure as part of the marketing strategy for the district’s virtual school.
Annual Calendar of Activities and Events
Desert Sands Unified School District uses this timeline to coordinate all of the events and promotional activities related to implementing their choice program.
Strategic Plan
This Desert Sands Unified School District strategic plan highlights educational choice as a central component of the district's mission. The plan outlines their beliefs and goals, describes the strategies they will use to implement their objectives, and establishes the parameters they set for reaching their goals.
Interdistrict Downtown School
The Interdistrict Downtown School, a K-12 interdisciplinary program, emphasizes multicultural and experiential learning, and focuses on promoting best practices that benefit a diverse student population.
Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School
The Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School serves grades 4 – 8 in a uniquely designed site that includes sophisticated fine arts rehearsal and performance spaces, and a curriculum that integrates fine arts throughout all content areas.
Lighthouse Information Packages
Before school starts in August, New Haven Public Schools sends parents of students attending low-performing schools these information packages describing the Lighthouse Schools Program.
Applicant Support Workshops
Design teams submitting RFPs for new Chicago Public Schools charter schools are offered private consultation and workshops to assist in the process.
Commuter School Partnership Agreement
This is the agreement that Miami-Dade County Public Schools uses to establish partnerships with businesses to create commuter schools.
Miami-Dade Virtual School Student Survey
Miami-Dade County Schools surveys its online students annually in order to learn more about their experience with the virtual school program. A two-step survey process provides information on the virtual school, as a whole, as well as feedback on the overall quality of courses and teachers.
Interdistrict Agreement
West Metro Education Program’s interdistrict agreement outlines student enrollment policies and procedures for the participating districts.
The Choice Is Yours Liaison Position Description
To facilitate a student’s transition from one school setting to another, member school districts of the West Metro Education Program each hire a liaison who is fluent in the community’s language and culture.
The Choice Is Yours Evaluation Summary
An annual evaluation is conducted to determine the impact of "The Choice Is Yours" interdistrict program.
New Site Request for Proposal Questions
KIPP posed these questions to community coalitions as part of the new site expansion application process in the summer of 2006 for projects starting in 2008. These questions may be revised prior to reopening the RFP process.
Media
| All media under the topic of "Develop a Plan": |
Three Things to Consider
- Creating a choice calendar or timeline that maps out important dates and events can help organize your program
- It is important to create a choice options strategic plan that outlines the key goals and strategies of your choice program
- Partnering with community organizations can strengthen your program
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–Rudolph F. Crew, Ed.D., Former Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools
