Westbrook Public Schools

School Choice

TO:              Parents of Public School Students

FROM:           Jack Hasegawa, Bureau Chief
                    Office of Educational Equity

SUBJECT:      Public School Choice in Connecticut  

DATE:  March 15, 2005 

Over the last 10 years, the State of Connecticut has expanded the range of public schools available to parents and students.   

The traditional and most common choice has been to send your child(ren) to one of the schools operated by your local or regional school district.  The expanded range of public school choices now available to you and your child(ren) includes:

·        charter schools;  

·        magnet schools;  

·        public schools in neighboring districts through the OPEN CHOICE program;

·        vocational agriculture centers; and  

·        ConnecticutTechnical High Schools.

 In order to provide you with information on all of these choices, the State Department of Education has published a parent information booklet called Public School Choice in Connecticut:  A Guide for Students and their Families.  To get a copy of the booklet, please complete the attached request form and send it to school with your child or call or stop by your local school.  The booklet is available in both English and Spanish.  It is also available on the internet at www.state.ct.us/sde (under the Educational Equity button).

If you think that you would be interested in one of the choice schools, you should contact that school directly for further information. 

I would like to receive a copy of Public School Choice in Connecticut, A Guide for Students and their Families.  Please send a copy home with my child.

 

Name of child ___________________________________________________

 

Name of parent __________________________________________________

 

Name of school district ____________________________________________

 

Charter schools were founded to (1) improve academic achievement, (2) provide for educational innovation, (3) provide a vehicle for the reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation, and (4) provide a choice of public educational programs for students and parents.

Interdistrict magnet schools are designed to reduce, eliminate or prevent the racial, ethnic or economic isolation of public school students while offering a high-quality curriculum that supports educational improvement.  

OPEN CHOICE is a program that allows urban students to attend public schools in nearby suburban schools. It also allows suburban and rural students to attend public schools in a nearby urban center.  Enrollments are offered by school districts on a space- available basis in Grades K – 12.  Lotteries are used to place students when there are more applicants than spaces available.  The program currently operates in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and New London. 

Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers provide educational programs in the field of agriculture and related occupations, serving students within a region.  These occupations include farming, aquaculture and horticulture. 

Connecticut-Technical High Schools provide high school-age students with academic and technical education leading to a high school diploma.  The schools offer technical education in 39 areas.  Students can earn college credit during their high school years through tech-prep articulation programs with local community colleges.