Surveys school superintendents in Washington State for their views on interdistrict school choice and their perceptions of its advantages and disadvantages. Replies of 98 superintendents generally do not support interdistrict choice, although superintendents in districts with higher dropout rates tend to be more supportive. (SLD)

The experience of St. Louis (Missouri) has shown that desegregation has fueled educational reform, and that it is important for communities to understand its benefits in order to work toward maintaining the components that have benefited all children, regardless of race. The interdistrict transfer program has been largely successful. (SLD)

Public school-choice programs are diverse and offer within- and outside-district flexibility in meeting student needs. This bulletin examined data available from the 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), to answer questions about regional differences in choice programs,…

This report presents a second look at the effects of Minnesota's School District Enrollment Options Program, usually referred to as the Open Enrollment Program. This interdistrict enrollment program allows families and students to apply for enrollment in any school district other than the one in which they reside. This document focuses on the…

THIS ARTICLE CRITICIZES THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION'S (USOE) "INEFFECTIVE" ENFORCEMENT OF SCHOOL DESEGREGATION AS REQUIRED UNDER THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, TITLE VI, AND THE DISCRIMINATORY DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION. IT IS FELT THAT DESPITE THE NONDISCRIMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 601 OF THE TITLE FEDERAL AID TO…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential role of selected fiscal incentives in attempting to achieve greater racial and socioeconomic integration through open enrollment programs. Three premises underlie this paper: first, that past experience with district wide unrestricted (color-blind) open enrollment plans indicate that this…

Magnet schools are public schools that offer specialized subject themes or educational methodologies as a way of achieving desegregated student bodies. This document reports on a study of school districts in three communities--St. Louis (Missouri), Cincinnati (Ohio), and Nashville (Tennessee)--that have made wide use of magnets in meeting their…

Initial studies of school choice in Massachusetts have concentrated on the mechanics of the program, but this report examines why parents choose school choice. A survey of Massachusetts families participating in school choice was completed by 826 families (return rate of 41.8%), representing 987 choice students, or about 23.5% of the estimated…

In this book, an overall analysis of the urban crisis is presented and concrete suggestions are made for renewing urban education through a unique design called the "public-schools-of-choice system." Fundamentally a plan in which a range of optional school programs would be offered to diverse student groups in every community, the public schools…

This study analyzes the establishment of public alternative schools and programs from the perspective of school district management. An alternative school or program is defined as one that is full-time, is available to students on a voluntary basis, and is in some way distinctive from the district's standard program. Chapter 1 is introductory.…

This paper presents findings of a study that analyzed participation patterns and the movement of students and state funds in Ohio during the 1993-94 school year, the first year during which Ohio's interdistrict open-enrollment law was fully implemented. The theoretical framework for the study was drawn from economics and business theories of…

This document examines the implementation and early effects of Minnesota's open-enrollment option, which allows families to apply to enroll their children in a public school in any nonresident school district in the state. During 1989-90, surveys were mailed to 2,663 participating families, 1,966 secondary school students, and all 432 district…

Major arguments, both pro and con, for applying the "schools of choice" approach to educational improvement in Detroit (Michigan) are described, and the results of a recent public opinion survey are reported. The main argument of proponents of school choice is that it will improve the quality of public education. Opponents of choice do…

THIS REPORT IS A CHRONOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION GUIDELINES FOR DESEGREGATING THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE GUIDELINES WAS AUTHORIZED UNDER TITLE VI OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. IT IS FELT THAT ANTI-DESEGREGATION PRESSURES FROM SOUTHERN SCHOOL AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS, "FEAR OF…

This paper discusses implications of open enrollment polices for students with disabilities and for districts that gain or lose students with disabilities through transfer. An introductory section examines how open enrollment differs from other "choice" options and offers general arguments for and against open enrollment. The remainder of the…