School choice: How it works

1. School choice: How it works April 2019

2. Table of contents 01 Program highlights and timeline 02 School choice claim and special education increment forms CONTENTS 03 School choice report and common questions

3. Section break 1 Program highlights and timeline 01

4. School choice has been an option for students and families for over 27 years • 32 districts in FY92, 189 districts (including virtual schools) in FY19 • The regular education tuition rate is $5,000 per student • Special education increments are added to the $5,000 rate • There is no cap on special education charges • State average special education increment based on current estimates is $5,557 • School choice is a local program • We are working on releasing an updated guidance document

5. School choice enrollment and tuition have grown steadily and is getting closer to the statewide 2% enrollment cap

6. There are a number of important milestones throughout the year • Spring: School committee vote • July-November: DOR-DLS tuitions based fiscal year projections • December: DESE publishes choice tuitions based on October 1 SIMS, releases choice rosters, and DOR-DLS adjusts payments • January-March: LEAs submit roster corrections • April: LEAs submit school choice claim and special education increment forms • May-June: DESE publishes final choice tuitions, DOR-DLS adjusts local aid payments • Post June: DESE adjusts any FY19 errors during FY20, up until June 2020

7. Section break 2 School choice claim and special education increment forms 02

8. The school choice claim form allows districts to finalize their school choice enrollment for the entire year • Add or remove students • Update SIMs information, including special education placement codes • Enter addresses • Update start and end dates • Enter special education increments and transportation amounts • Enter multiple records as needed • Both forms are due April 26, 2019

9. Its important that you check your data thoroughly before you submit it • VERIFY that special education increments match the amounts entered on the special education increment form • ONLY enter dates for individual students if they differ from the district's start or end dates (see the instructions) • DO NOT include PO boxes or zip codes with street addresses • USE the dropdown menu to enter the city or town of residence • CHECK all addresses before submitting your file • DO NOT leave blank rows in your data

10. During the month of May we work to validate your data before we submit final numbers to DOR in June • Changes preferred by email to rodonnell@doe.mass.edu • Only email student’s initials and the last 4 digits of their SASID • If you submit a new file, make it clear who the new students are (bottom of the file with comments at far right) • Any issues that are not corrected before the end of the year can be handled as prior year adjustments in the next year

11. The special education increment forms allows districts to cost out services for school choice students • Person completing the form should have CB training • Form includes students who had special education increments in FY18 • If there were no students reported last year, then a blank file is available • Do not change the filename • Add, remove, or update student information based on valid IEPs to cost out services • Changes made to a student’s IEP during the year may require 2 placement records to cost out services • Increment forms are subject to audit

12. Important changes that may affect claiming on the special education increment form • Mobility Training: Name changed to Orientation and Mobility and moved from row 42 to row 26. • OSD authorization required for unapproved programs and Individual Price Authorizations (IPAs) • New online process for IPAs > $20/hour • Out-of-state public programs: Any costs for additional services must be claimed as supplemental in-district • Settlement agreements must lead to an IEP and if placed in unapproved program, OSD authorization is required

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14. School districts are required to accept school choice students unless they vote otherwise • All districts must report their school choice participation plans by June 1, 2019 • Starting in FY20, we are fully implementing an electronic reporting system, eliminating the need to submit letters or emails: http://bit.ly/2mOotdY • If you still plan to participate, your school committee does NOT need to vote, but you still need to complete the form

15. Common questions • Can sending districts see special education increment form? Yes, upon request • Can siblings be given preference in lottery? Yes, if there are openings • Can choice pupils be out-placed? Yes • Can a resident student who moves out of town mid-year be converted to choice? Only if the district has open seats (no lottery) • How is split custody handled? Adjust start/leave dates, add extra record if both towns are out of the district • Can a student choice in to free FDK if their home district doesn’t offer it? Yes • Who receives Chapter 70 aid for choice students? Sending district • Can teachers’ non-resident children get preference in the lottery? No

16. Contacts

17. Thank you THANK YOU