Date:July 31, 2002
Parents Notified of School of Choice Options
The three schools; Lonsdale, Maynard and Sarah Moore Greene have been placed in School Improvement by the State of Tennessee, and based on the recently passed “No Child Left Behind” legislation, the Knox County School System must offer parents the option to transfer to a school not in school improvement.
“The state notified us late last week that we should proceed with offering school of choice at these three schools,” said Lois McSwine, Knox County Schools Title I Supervisor. “The letters explain the parents’ options and tell them how and when to apply for transfer if that is the decision they make. We want to have the process complete by the first day of school on August 13 so that any child who is transferred will start the school year at his or her new school.”
The school of choice option will impact about 1,100 students, and under the legislation, the Knox County Schools Title I Office is required to provide transportation for students who wish to transfer.
“We really see this as a temporary condition at these three schools,” said Sarah Simpson, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “We have closely scrutinized the test data from these schools, and we have begun to address weak areas In fact, we have already seen improvements in the achievement results in a number of areas. Additionally, all of these schools are Project GRAD schools, and we expect to see greater improvement as this program is fully implemented.”
Requests for transfer will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the current transfer policy approved by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. Priority for transfer will be given to students with the greatest need based on 2002 Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Program tests and enrollment in the free and reduced price meals program.
If parents of students zoned to Lonsdale, Maynard or Sarah Moore Green Elementary Schools have questions about their school of choice options, they should contact staff members at their zoned school.