School Choice

PROCEDURES CODE D42

INTRADISTRICT SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Guidelines:

• Requests to attend a school in another town within the CVSD will be granted based on space availability and with the goal of creating balanced class sizes in all schools.
• Regardless of residence, every family will have a choice of enrolling in any grade-level appropriate school operated by the district (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston).
• Transportation to PK-8 buildings will be provided for students attending school within one’s town of residence. For students choosing to attend school in a neighboring town, transportation is not provided by the CVSD, unless the existing bus route passes the child’s residence on the way to or from the choice school and there is sufficient space on the bus..
• Younger siblings entering school after a child who has exercised school choice may attend the same school as his or her older sibling.

Procedures:

Town of Residence Assignment

All students will be assigned to the school in their town of residence. Students residing in St. George will be assigned to Williston.

School Choice Program

Prior to the start of the intraschool district school choice program, the Superintendent will announce how many openings exist at each school and each grade level for the next school year. The number of available slots will be determined based on the following criteria:

Space available in the building
Space available in each grade level
Right Sizing Classes and Compliance with Class Size Guidelines

Optimal Educational Environment (In order to achieve optimal class size, the District in the spring of the preceding school year, the Administration may solicit requests to balance class sizes across the district in a given grade level.)

Parents will then submit the Intraschool District School Choice Election form by the annual deadline. Slots will be awarded as follows:

1. Younger siblings of existing school choice participants will be assigned to the same school as the older sibling. This only applies to the K-8 program. The PreK program will have its own enrollment program.

2. Individuals on the wait list from the year prior

3. In the event there are more requests than there is remaining space available, a lottery system will be used to select participants to fill open spots.

Wait lists

• Champlain Valley School District (CVSD) will create wait lists for all schools where there are more applicants than available seats for a particular grade.
• A student’s place on the waitlist is based on a lottery for all choice applications received prior to the deadline.
• When seats become available, students will be assigned from wait lists based on the order the children were selected in the lottery, and the priorities.
• From mid-March through mid-August, as space become available, children are automatically moved off the waitlist into their chosen school. Families receive notification about their new school assignment with a letter sent in the mail.
• Families interested in school choice who submit an application after the deadline will be placed at the end of the wait list.

School Changes

In extenuating circumstances, school changes mid-year will be considered on a case by case basis. Parents should apply through the CVSD central office in Shelburne.

Length of Placement

Once a student is placed, they shall remain in the choice school until Grade 9. Requests to return to the school in the town of the student’s residence will be considered as a part of the next year’s intraschool district school choice program. Once school choice is elected the school in the student’s town of residence becomes a choice school and the school of placement becomes the student’s home school.

This plan will be reviewed and may be modified yearly and any changes to the guidelines will be completed by February 1st of subsequent years.

K-8 IntraDistrict School Choice Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is school choice and who is allowed to exercise school choice? Children entering grades K-8 who live in the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston may exercise school choice. Our goal is to both allow options for families and also make balanced class sizes to provide a positive learning environment for all of our children. Parents may apply for choice in any of the K through eighth grade schools. Given space availability, we will work to meet as many families’ needs as possible. By exercising a local school choice options we can:

Create balanced class sizes in all schools
Eliminate, combine or divide too small or too large classes
Create optimal learning environments in all schools
Meet diverse needs that parents and families have for their children Provide options

Who gets school choice? School choice will be limited to the amount of available space in each building. If you are interested in choosing a school other than the one located in your town, you complete and submit the school choice form. Once we receive all the applications, we will assign students. If there is more interest in one particular school than spaces available, we will conduct a lottery.

Does this mean that one of our schools will close? There are no current plans to close any schools.

Will my child be able to attend this same school for all of his/her elementary or middle school years? Your child will be able to attend the same school and continue through the highest grade offered at that school.

If we exercise school choice and we have younger child(ren), will he or she also be able to attend the choice school? Younger siblings entering school after a child who has exercised school choice may attend the same school as his or her older sibling. We will make every effort to meet the needs of families so children in the same family can enroll in the same school- both younger and older siblings.

My child is currently attending one particular school and we feel a change of schools would be in his/her best interest, we would like school choice next year. School choice is extended to all students K-8 next year.

What do we do if, after a year or two of exercising school choice, we want to change back to our original school? In future years we hope to continue school choice, and you would re-apply for school choice for your hometown school. Choice will be provided if space is available.

If more children want to exercise school choice than spaces available who gets priority? First priority goes to children who live in the home-based geographic area of a school. If parents list a choice school that is not in their home-based geographic area, and there are more children interested than spaces available, the school will conduct a lottery. Once school choice is established, siblings will be given priority for school choice. Please refer to the school choice guidelines for more information.

Who will my child's teacher be? At this point we have not made teacher assignments for any of our classes. Once we receive all applications, teachers will be assigned based on numbers. We will send out classroom teacher assignments to elementary families in late spring and to middle school families mid-summer.

Is _____teacher teaching ___ grade at _____ school next year? At this point we have not made teacher assignments for specific grades. Once we receive all applications, teachers will be assigned based on numbers.

What if I miss the deadline for school choice? We will honor requests for school choice after the deadline only if there is space available on a first come, first served basis.

How will I know if my child got their first choice school? We will notify parents of their school in May via email.

Timeline

For the following school bases: Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Williston (Allen Brook & Williston Central)

March

CVSD Elementary and Middle Schools communicate to parents the availability of school choice and where to access information if they wish to apply for school choice, pending the CVSD’s final approval of the policy on April 4, 2018.

March

Parent(s) or guardian(s) fill out a school choice form for each child - indicate school of choice, and include a brief letter of explanation why you are requesting school choice, and return the form:

• via email to the Superintendent’s executive assistant at sraymond@cvsdvt.org,
• by mail – CVSD, 5420 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482 ATTN: Sandy Raymond,
• or in person to the Champlain Valley School District office in Shelburne

April

School Choice applications due. If parents want to exercise school choice, all forms are due either via mail, dropped off in person at the Champlain Valley School District office, or via email.

May

Schools will mail letters to parents/guardians explaining the school choice placement for their child and general information and timelines for their child’s individual school.

Late Spring (elementary schools) /Midsummer (middle schools)

Teacher assignment will occur within each school and letters will be sent home with the teacher placement.

Application Form
Due: April 1st

Please Note:  If your child is entering Kindergarten or is new to the district, please attach all other registration forms to this application.

Submit completed form:

• via email to the Superintendent’s executive assistant at sraymond@cvsdvt.org
• by mail – CVSD, 5420 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482 ATTN: Sandy Raymond
• or in person to the Champlain Valley School District office in Shelburne

STUDENT INFORMATION:
Please Circle grade child will be entering in the fall:

K     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8

Student First: ________________________ Middle: ________ Last: _____________________

Gender: ___________________________

Date of Birth: ________________________

Current Mailing Address: _________________________________________

_________________________________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION:

Parent/Guardian #1:

Name: ____________________________ Relationship: _______________

Preferred Email: _____________________________________________________________

Home Phone: _________________Cell Phone: ______________Work Phone: _______________

Physical and Mailing address (if different from student): __________________________________

Parent/Guardian #2:

Name: ____________________________ Relationship: _______________

Preferred Email: _____________________________________________________________

Home Phone: _________________Cell Phone: ______________Work Phone: _______________

Physical and Mailing address (if different from student): __________________________________

Student lives with: Parent/Guardian #1 _____ Parent/Guardian #2 _____ Both _____

SIBLING INFORMATION:

Name(s) ______________________________ M ___ F ____ DOB: __________ Current Age: ______

Name(s) ______________________________ M ___ F ____ DOB: __________ Current Age: ______

Name(s) ______________________________ M ___ F ____ DOB: __________ Current Age: ______

Name(s) ______________________________ M ___ F ____ DOB: __________ Current Age: ______

What will be your current town of residence for the upcoming school year (circle one)?

Charlotte     Hinesburg     Shelburne     Williston

What is your school of choice for the upcoming school year (circle one)?

Charlotte: Charlotte Central School

Hinesburg: Hinesburg Community School

Shelburne: Shelburne Community School

Williston: Allen Brook School & Williston Central School

Reason for School Choice Request?

 

 

Parent/Guardian Signature:

I understand that if approved, I will be responsible for transportation for my child to the choice school. If at any time my child’s attendance becomes a concern due to transportation related reasons, the administration may choose to revoke the school choice decision.

Parent/Guardian: ____________________________________________ 

Date: ____________________________________________________