Illinois State Board of Education

1. Illinois State Board of Education Implementation of School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services District Technical Assistance Workshop June 2007

2. School Choice Guidance for Letter From Districts to Parents/Guardians

3. Recipients Parents/guardians of all students enrolled in Title I schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring

4. Sample Letter • Adapted from U.S. Department of Education’s Non-Regulatory Guidance on School Choice - June13, 2005 • Specific elements required • Helps ensure district meets the requirements

5. ISBE Requirement • Districts must submit parent letters to ISBE for approval prior to sending letter to parents • Helps district to ensure it meets federal requirements • Contact: Evelyn Deimel 217-782-2948 edeimel@isbe.net (preferred)

6. Recommendations • Notification must be in a comprehensive, easy-to-understand format and in a language the parents can understand • In the sample letter, the school district fills in appropriate information where the parentheses ( ) appear

7. To keep the letter brief, include the following attachments: School Report Card AYP Status Report List of schools to which students can transfer and information regarding their academic achievement

8. Sample Letter To assist school districts with the preparation of their letters, a sample School Choice letter is provided. Use this sample letter and the check list to ensure that the School Choice letter to the parents contains all the essential elements required in the statute.

9. NCLB Requirements • An explanation of what the school improvement identification means what year of improvement what is required

10. How the school compares in terms of academic achievement to other schools served by the Local Education Agency and State School Report Card

11. The reason(s) for the school’s being identified for school improvement Adequate Yearly Progress Report

12. An explanation of what the school identified for school improvement is doing to address the problems of low achievement initiatives at the school building level

13. An explanation of what the local education agency or State educational agency is doing to help the school address the achievement problem initiatives at the school district level or at the State level

14. An explanation of how the parents can become involved in addressing the academic issues that caused the school to be identified for school improvement places emphasis on parent involvement and investment in school’s success

15. An explanation of the parent’s option to transfer the child to another public school with transportation provided by the agency In small school districts or if the district has only one school per grade span, the school is required to send the notice and state that no viable School Choice option is available.

16. Option: Supplemental Educational Service during the first year of school improvement if no School Choice option is available

17. Supplemental Educational Services Guidance for Letter From Districts to Parents/Guardians

18. Recipients • Parents/guardians who are defined by the district as “low income” • “Low income” – district determined • Commonly, parents of students on free or reduced lunches

19. Sample Letter • Adapted from U.S. Department of Education’s Non-Regulatory Guidance on SES - June13, 2005 • Specific elements required • Helps ensure district meets the requirements

20. ISBE Requirement • Districts must submit parent letters to ISBE for approval prior to sending letter to parents • Helps district to ensure it meets federal requirements • Contact: Evelyn Deimel 217-782-2948 edeimel@isbe.net (preferred)

21. Recommendations • KISS • Preference: 1 page • Include attachments: Approved Provider List Provider Selection Form

22. Sample Letter To assist school districts with the preparation of their letters, a sample Supplementary Educational Services letter is provided. Use this sample letter and the check list to ensure that the Supplementary Educational Services letter to the parents contains all the essential elements required in the statute.

23. NCLB Requirements • An explanation why the child qualifies for SES (free tutoring) • Second year or later of school improvement • Family meets income limits under law

24. List of Questions to Ask When Selecting a Tutoring Program • When and where • How often; how many hours in total • What programs, by grade level and subject areas • What type of instruction • Tutor’s qualifications • Help for child with disabilities or limited English speaking • Available transportation

25. Selection of Students How students are selected if there are limited funds Priority is given to low-performing students District determines low-performing

26. Procedures and Timelines Procedures for selecting service provider Due date for selection Date of parent fairs (optional) Date by which school will respond to parents

27. Attachments List of Service Providers Currently approved Services provided Qualification Evidence of effectiveness Provider Selection Form Form that parents will complete and submit