School Choice Program Aids Upper

PETERSBURG – It’s that time of year when Labor Day looms, temperatures start to cool off, and parents breathe a sigh of relief that school days are soon to begin.
Taking a few moments from this traditionally hectic time of year for school administrators, Upper Township School Superintendent Vincent Palmieri reflected on a program that many students and parents may not be familiar with: the School Choice Program.
According to the official website on New Jersey’s Interdistrict Public School Choice Program (“School Choice”), the initiative enables approved choice districts to enroll kindergarten to 12th-grade students who do not reside within their districts without cost to their parents.
The intent of the program is to increase educational opportunities by providing students with school options outside of their district of residence and giving parents the power to select a school program that best serves their child’s individual needs.
District participation in the program is optional but requires application to the state Department of Education. Once approved, the choice district designates the available seats in specific grades and programs that are open to Choice students.
Where Choice options are available, any student who resides in New Jersey is eligible to apply. For the school year 2017-2018, there are currently 129 participating districts.
Why do parents and their children choose to participate in School Choice? Choice programs might have smaller class sizes, increased instructional time, and a school culture more conducive to a student’s success in school.
Many Choice districts have established specialized and innovative programs and courses that focus on areas such as the arts, math, and technology, and are open to students who meet the eligibility requirements of the special programs.
Opening enrollment to students outside the district can bring in more students interested in taking advantage of these special programs and courses, allowing both the programs and students to grow and flourish.
The state also has many small districts and schools that sometimes experience population shifts that result in budget crunches. Opening enrollment beyond the district’s boundaries can alleviate the effects of these shifts and bring greater stability to operations since Choice students bring additional funding to the district.
The addition of students with different backgrounds and perspectives from those of the district’s resident students also can enrich the school community.
Palmieri noted that Upper Township schools hosted 42 School Choice students last year and will host 42 students this year.
The break out of grades is kindergarten, nine students; first grade, three students; second grade, two students; third grade, seven students; fourth grade, six students; fifth grade, four students; sixth grade, two students; seventh grade, five students; and eighth grade, four students.
The students represent highly diverse geographical sending areas including Egg Harbor Township, Middle Township, Galloway, Woodbine, Estell Manor, Dennis Township, Mullica Township, Vineland, Weymouth, Somers Point, Millville, and Commercial Township.
Palmieri further explained, “Each year, Upper receives over $400,000 in School Choice aid which really helps to sustain many of our programs and personnel. We have absolutely no issues with any of our Choice students or the program in general.
“We have enough interest to fill 60 seats and the transition into our district, from all sending districts, is both seamless and positive. The School Choice program is one of the best initiatives that has ever come out of the state Department of Education.”
Upper Township’s website on School Choice notes that for aspiring Choice students in the township’s school district, the program offers a quality education to all Choice students via participation in programs and activities that are currently in place throughout the district, including curricula that is aligned to core curriculum content standards and participation in various academic, social, after-school clubs, and activities.
When a school district may have more applicants than they can accept under available state funding for the maximum number of new students allowed, the district starts a waiting list and then holds a lottery for the available seats if warranted.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.