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Create a Vision
Districts with thriving choice programs stress the importance of starting with a shared vision that clarifies the district's purpose in offering choice. When it is based on the needs and interests of the community, a clearly articulated vision can engender the broad stakeholder buy-in necessary for success. With the vision in place, a planning team can then map out the
steps for bringing it to fruition - researching, creating timelines, and beginning to identify the innumerable decisions that
must be made on the way to a successful program.
Take Stock
Each district has its own unique context for creating a choice program. It is important to take careful stock of your own district and community, identifying resources that can support choice as well as potential constraints, and deepening your understanding of the context (e.g., demographic, fiscal, political) in which your choice program would be implemented.
Articulate a Vision
"Seek parent involvement from the beginning," urges a district leader with experience in implementing a choice program. When parents and other stakeholders are invited into the early planning stages for any fundamental change, they are much more likely to actively support the change and, in this case, become champions for the choice program or a particular school of choice.
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.
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