PUTNAM COUNTY CONTROLLED CHOICE PLAN Applications must be filed no later than April 30, 2008 SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM 2008-2009 Download 2008-2009 Applications for Contolled Choice Applications for the Putnam County School District’s School Choice program for the 2008-2009 school year are also available at Putnam County schools and the Student Services office beginning April 1, 2008.  Completed applications must be turned in to your child’s school or the Student Services office no later than April 30, 2008. Any questions you have about the program may be answered by calling the Student Services office at (386) 329-0538. The Putnam County District School Board adopted a Controlled Choice Plan for assigning students to school beginning with the 1998-99 school year.  This plan gives all parents the opportunity to choose a school for their child to attend from a range of school options.  The plan creates three geographic zones and parents may select any school in the zone of their residence.  There will be educational capacities set for each school and students unable to be assigned to their first choice school, due to overcrowding, will be assigned to their next choice with available seats.  Transportation will be provided to any school in a student’s zone.  In an effort to assist parents with the school choice plan, each student presently attending a school in their new school choice zone, may automatically remain at that school next year, if the parent so desires. The listing of schools by attendance zones is included below: SOUTH ZONE CENTRAL ZONE WEST ZONE Browning-Pearce Elementary Browning-Pearce Elementary Melrose Elementary Middleton-Burney Elementary Moseley Elementary Ochwilla Elementary. Miller Intermediate James A. Long Elementary Interlachen Elementary Crescent City Jr/Sr High Mellon Elementary Price Middle   Kelley Smith Elementary Q.I.Roberts Middle   River Breeze Elementary Interlachen High   Beasley Middle     Jenkins Middle     Palatka High     Download 2008-2009 Application Frequently Asked Questions For additional information contact Joe Warren or Students Services at 386 329-0538     SCHOOL  DISTRICT  OF  PUTNAM  COUNTY CONTROLLED  CHOICE  PLAN I. OVERVIEW OF CONTROLLED CHOICE Controlled Choice is a method of student assignment which is intended to provide parents the opportunity to place their child in the school of their choice.  This plan expands current attendance zones to allow parents the opportunity to select any school in the county provided the parents are able to transport their child and space is available at that school. The attendance zones will continue to determine the child’s “home school” assignment and transportation will be provided for any child to attend the school in their attendance zone. II. EDUCATIONAL CAPACITIES Each school’s educational capacity will be determined prior to making student assignments. Educational capacities will be set for each school and will also be determined by grade level for each elementary and middle/junior high school in an effort to accommodate the maximum number of students.  Educational capacities will be approved by the School Board and may only be changed through action of the School Board. Capacities will be reviewed periodically throughout the school year.             To comply with NCLB requirements and section 200.44 of the non-regulatory guidance for school choice, capacity is not to be determined as a limiting factor.  Under our district controlled school choice plan, in effect since 1997-98, our board policy allows for space limitations.  Under mandatory school choice (NCLB) this no longer  is a determining factor when applied through the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) provisions of the State Accountability Plan for NCLB.         III. STUDENT ASSIGNMENT The only students required to participate in the Controlled Choice school selection process are students who wish to attend a school other than their assigned school.  Student assignments will be made in accordance with the socioeconomic, demographic and racial balance of the schools per F.S.1002.31.   When the established educational capacity of the school has been met, only new students residing in that school’s attendance zone will be assigned. Students with verifiable hardshipsituations will be considered on a case by case basis. In the event that students cannot be placed at their choice school, their name will automatically be placed in an eligibility pool for possible reassignment to their choice school when space becomes available.  Assignment preferences will be given in the following order:  1)  students   residing in the school zone,  2)  students enrolled in the school as of  May 2004, who reside in a different attendance zone  3)  siblings of children presently enrolled in the school,  4) children of school personnel,  5) hardship transfer requests, and  6) lottery.  Students in the eligibility pool who decline an available seat shall have their name removed from the pool and their seat will be offered to another student.                 Students residing in their home school attendance zones are permitted to attend the school in their zone to the highest grade offered.  Transfer students attending through Board approved hardship waivers, are permitted to attend the new school of assignment during that school year of the waiver as long as space is available and that student maintains an acceptable standard of behavior and attends school regularly. IV.  SCHOOL CHOICE ZONES The Putnam County Controlled Choice Plan, approved by the school board, establishes the attendance zones which are in effect for the current school year as the attendance zone which will determine students’ home school assignment for the 2004-05school year and thereafter.  Parents, however, may apply for their child to attend any school in Putnam County as long as they are able to provide transportation and space is available at their chosen school. V.  TRANSPORTATION Transportation will be provided for students attending any school in their 1997-98 attendance zone in accordance with School Board Transportation policy 8.15.  Parents will be responsible for transportation of their child if they choose a school in an attendance zone other than where they live.  This also applies to parents who have requested and received a hardship waiver for their child to attend school in another school zone.  Such students may, however, be transported on a space available basis from a bus stop inside the attendance zone of the school they are attending (School Board Policy 8.15).   Transportation under the NCLB Choice Plan will be made available to parents under the provisions of the State Accountability Plan. (NCLB, Section 1116, School Improvement)   VI. TRANSFER BASED UPON HARDSHIP Parents may request a transfer of their child to another school based upon hardship conditions. Hardship conditions shall be considered by the Board on a case by case basis. Applications for hardship waivers shall be filed with the Student Services Office.  The Student Services Office shall make a written recommendation to the Board on each request. VII. APPLICATION FOR SCHOOL CHOICE Parents who wish to apply for a change of school assignment must file an application.Applications are available at the Student Services Office in the Campbell Administrative Building, 200 South 7th Street, Palatka, and at Parent Information Center located at each school.   VIII. APPEAL PROCESS An appeal process is available to parents who believe that the assignment process adopted by this plan has not been followed or who have extreme hardship.  Parents who desire to file such an appeal must submit a written statement detailing the reason for their appeal and including any documentation supporting their concern.  The letter of appeal is to be filed with the Area Director in the South or West Putnam area or with the Director of Student Services.  The appeal will be considered by the appropriate Director and the parent will be notified of the decision.  The decision of the Director will constitute final agency action for the District School Board. IX. PARENT INFORMATION CENTERS Parent choice is a vital part of this District’s assignment process.  Since parents may not always have information necessary to make informed choices, it is our intent to provide information and assistance to all parents as they select their child’s school.  A Parent Information Center will be maintained in each school to provide parents specific information about available schools. Information pertaining to student population, test scores, special programs, transportation, choice zone maps, Control Choice Program description and other information as may be appropriate for each school will be available.      Read about the No Child Left Behind School Choice Plan