By DIANE D’AMICO Education Writer | Posted: Saturday, September 11, 2010

TRENTON — Parents could get more opportunities to send their children to public schools in another district under a new school-choice law signed by Gov. Chris Christie Friday.

The choice program could also help participating school districts get more state aid by accepting students from other areas.

The new law expands the current choice program, opening it to any interested school district in the state. School districts interested in accepting students from other districts would have to apply to the state Department of Education for approval, outlining the programs they offer and the effect their program might have on diversity in all participating districts.

“Public school choice is an important step to ensuring each child has the ability to attend a school that is best-suited to their individual needs and talents,” said Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, D-Essex, a sponsor of the bill and a former member of the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. “More importantly, public school-choice programs can improve educational outcomes for students without seeing taxpayer money funneled out of New Jersey’s strong public school system.”

The law expands a five-year pilot program that allowed just one choice district in every county. That program expired, but despite DOE support, had difficulty getting Legislative action to expand. But with a new pro-school choice governor in place and bipartisan support, the bill was approved unanimously in June by both the state Senate and Assembly.

Several local school-choice districts are among 15 in the pilot program, including Folsom in Atlantic County, Lower Township in Cape May County, Stafford Township in Ocean County, Cumberland Regional High School in Cumberland County and Washington Township in Burlington County. Those programs have been allowed to continue, but not expand.

The new bill had the support of both the New Jersey Education Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association because it kept state aid in the public school system. Both groups have opposed a bill to create a scholarship fund to allow students in failing schools to attend private schools.

Folsom has one of the most successful choice programs in the state. The district received more than $655,000 in state choice aid this school year. Superintendent Robert Garguilo has been one of the most vocal supporters of the choice program.

A state analysis of the bill said it is likely to increase state costs since the state would provide choice aid to the districts that accept choice students, while the school funding law makes it unlikely that districts that lost those students would lose an equivalent amount of aid.

The students’ hometown district would also be responsible for transportation to the choice school as required by state law, which could generate some additional costs for those districts. A sending district could limit the number of students leaving the district to attend choice schools to 10 percent per grade or 15 percent of the total enrollment.

Under the provisions of the law, districts would apply to the state by April 30 of the year before the school year in which they would start the program, though the education commissioner could set a different date for the first year. Districts would have to identify the programs they would offer and the number of seats available in each grade level. They would also have to show how they would maintain diversity in all participating districts, and have a plan to screen out students who may want to attend the choice school solely for athletic, extracurricular or social reasons.

Students applying to the choice school must spend at least one school year in their hometown school district, unless they already have a sibling in the choice district. If more students apply than openings allocated, applicants would be chosen by lottery.

Contact Diane D'Amico:

609-272-7241

DDamico@pressofac.com