ACES OPEN CHOICE

Family Information Handout

Open Choice Contacts

Carolyn McNally – Director, Development(203) 498-6842

email:cmcnally@aces.org

Lynn Bailey – Open Choice Coordinator(203) 498-6843

Email: lbailey@aces.org

Ryki Pearce – Family School Liaison(203) 498-6845

Email: rpearce@aces.org

Karen Gay-Eaddy – Family School Liaison(203) 498-6877

Email: kgayeaddy@aces.org

Fax #: (203) 498-6891

ROLESSENDING DISTRICT

• SEND STUDENT RECORDS -responsibility shared with families

• PARTICIPATE IN PPTs- Kathleen Abate, New Haven representative

• PAY FOR EXCESS SPED COSTS

RECEIVING DISTRICT• NOTIFY ACES OF OPEN SEATS• PROVIDE EDUCATION• COMMUNICATE WITH and provide

info to FAMILIES/ACES• COORDINATE PPTS (invite sending

district and ACES)

ACES• CONTACT DISTRICTS• SEND APPLICATIONS TO FAMILIES• CONDUCT LOTTERIES• MATCH SEATS WITH STUDENTS• ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION• PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF• MEET WITH FAMILIES AND STAFF• TROUBLESHOOT• LIAISON SERVICES

ROLES

FAMILIES• REGISTER STUDENTS• PARTICIPATE IN

SCHOOL/COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES• SUPPORT STUDENTS• PARTICIPATE IN ACES INFO MTGS• MAKE SURE RECEIVING SCHOOL

HAS ALL STUDENT RECORDS• PARTICIPATE IN PPTS• TRANSPORT STUDENTS IN CASE

OF ILLNESS OR DISCIPLINE

CT STATE DEPT ED.

• PROVIDE FUNDING THROUGH LEGISLATURE

• COLLECT REPORTS• SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND ACES

Open Choice Staff Roles

Coordinator

LYNN BAILEY• Applications and

enrollments• Transportation• After school activities

(HS)• Lottery• Verifications /

Information updates

Family/School Liaison

RYKI PEARCE (Middle & High Schools)• Home visits• School visits• Attend PPT meetings• Foster communication

students / families / schools

• Track student success

Family/School Liaison

Karen Gay-Eaddy (Elementary Schools)• Home visits• School visits• Attend PPT meetings• Foster communication

students/families/ schools

Development Director

Carolyn McNally• Administrator of Open

Choice Program

Open Choice Staff Roles

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How do you get your openings?2. What’s the application process?3. Why is the bus ride so long?4. If my child goes to a private school can

s/he participate in Open Choice?5. What if I’m unhappy with the school—

can my child go to another school?6. What happens if my child is retained or

doesn’t have enough credits?

ACES - Open Choice

Open Choice is part of a law passed by the legislature of the State of Connecticut to help reduce the racial, ethnic, and economic isolation of public school students. This law (P.A. 97-290) allows students from New Haven to attend school in the other districts and students from other districts to attend school in New Haven, where there are appropriate grade openings. Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) is coordinating Open Choice for New Haven and the surrounding school districts.

Q. How do I enroll my child in this program?R. The families of all children wishing to participate in Open Choice must fill

out the an application and return it to ACES by designated deadline, indicating your preferences for districts and schools. You will be notified if your child has been accepted or is placed on a waiting list. If accepted, at that time, you may either accept or refuse placement.

Q. My child lives in New Haven or the suburbs. Is he or she automatically eligible to participate in Open Choice?

R. No, your child must be currently enrolled in and attending a Public School at the time of the application.

Q. How will my child get to his or her new school outside of our home district?R. ACES will provide transportation for all students in Open Choice. In selecting an

appropriate district for your child, bear in mind that the bus ride will be longer than the ride to your local school. Transportation for approved after-school activities will be provided for high school students. For middle school student transportation will be provided until 2012.

Q. How long will my child be able to attend his or her new school? And can my child participate in all activities in the new school?

R. As long as the child continues to reside in your current district, any child entering a school in another district through Open Choice may choose to attend school in that district through graduation from high school. Your child will be considered a member of the new school, and therefore, can participate in all activities, and is subject to all of the school’s policies.

Q. How will I know which districts have openings?R. A list of all the districts and schools with openings by grade level will be published

each year in the Open Choice application. They also will be posted online at www.aces.org. Click Services, Program Development then Open Choice.

Q. May I apply for enrollment for my child in one particular district or school?R. Yes, you may request first, second and third choice. We will try to accommodate

these choices.

Q. What if I’m unhappy with the school – can my child go to another school?R. Once your child has been placed at a school, you would have to re-enter the lottery

for the following year and s/he would lose her/his place at the school s/he was attending.

Q. Will my child’s sisters and brothers be allowed to attend the same school outside of my district?

R. Siblings who are requesting to be in the same school district will be given preference in the lottery. However, a slot is not guaranteed.

Q. What if my child attends a school identified as “in need of improvement?”

R. Your child will receive preference in the lottery. However, a slot is not guaranteed.

Q. Who pays for this program? Will the parent have to pay tuition for the student?

R. The state pays a grant of $3,000 per student enrolled in the program to the receiving districts. There is no tuition cost to parents.

Q. Does the program provide for the needs of special education students?

R. Yes. The first $2,000 of extra costs is paid by the receiving district and the remainder is paid by the district where the student lives. The responsibility for holding the planning and placement team meetings, and developing an IEP belongs to the receiving district.

Q. How do you get your openings?R. Every year Open Choice receives our openings from the superintendents of each

district.

Q. What’s the application process?R. Application will be distributed to your child’s school in March of each year. The

application must be received by the specified deadline on the application in order to qualify for the lottery.

S. Why is the bus ride so long?R. The bus has to pick up several students throughout New Haven or the suburbs.

The bus makes several stops along the way and then must drive out to the districts. Also, some buses may have students from 2 to 3 different schools on them.

Q. If my child goes to a private school can s/he participate in Open Choice?R. No, your child must be enrolled and attending a public school.

S. What happens if my child is retained or doesn’t have enough credits?R. If your child is retained or does not have enough credits to move to the grade your

selected, s/he will lose the spot.

ACES Programs and Schools are not part of the Open Choice lottery.

Open ChoiceImpact on Families

• Transportation-long bus rides

• Participate in school activities/meetings

• Student self esteem

• Racial and cultural diversity

• Student goals (college prep)

• ACES program support

OPEN CHOICE OUTCOMES

• STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

• STUDENT AND FAMILY SATISFACTION

• FRIENDSHIPS

• SPORTS/CLUBS

• OVERCOMING STEREOTYPES

• COLLEGE