Resources

Differentiated Accountability Flexibility

Public School Choice Notification Waiver Information

All students enrolled in Title I schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring are eligible to transfer to another public school (which may be a charter school) that is not in school improvement. Under NCLB, notification letters of eligibility to participate in public school choice must be sent to ALL students attending Title I schools in improvement status.

The flexibility approved in the Differentiated Accountability proposal will allow districts that have limited space available for students to receive transfer students to request a waiver from ISBE to prioritize notifications to parents of students eligible for public school choice.
Districts must submit a Waiver of Public School Choice Notification Application Cover Sheet and all applicable supporting information to ISBE no later than Friday, July 31 2009.

Districts seeking a waiver of the choice notification requirements will need to submit:

  1. rationale and basis of prioritization,
  2. enrollment and space limitation information,
  3. plans to increase choice options and/or why such options are not feasible, and
  4. assurances that no eligible student would be denied placement if available.

Waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis dependent on the information provided by the district.This waiver does not relieve a district from the obligation to provide school choice if available. The waiver allows the district to target the choice notifications only.

Until the district receives written notification that a waiver has been granted, the district must continue to send notification letters to ALL students in schools in improvement status and list available choice schools as required by law.

Please contact Ev Deimel with Grants & Programs at 217-524-4832 or via email at EDEIMEL@isbe.net with questions related specifically to the WAIVER request.