"School choice money can be a major factor"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Each year, millions of dollars in state funding flows from school system to school system, following students whose parents send them to a neighboring community. 

In Massachusetts, a 1991 initiative known as inter-district school choice gives parents the option of enrolling their children in a public school district in a community other than their hometown. While the law lets each school district decide whether to accept out-of-district students, no district can deny its students the right to leave. 

“School choice money can be a major factor in determining both the revenue you gain and the revenue you lose for many school districts,” said Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. “Depending on where you are, districts may really depend on that money to sustain the services they’re able to provide to students ... School choice has made districts a little more competitive with each other.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180119/school-choice-has-big-impact-on-budgets

earlier this winter, Davis Thayer in the snow

While not mentioned by the article, Franklin had previously allowed for school choice but the School Committee in the past several years has voted not to use school choice. The decisions were primarily based upon the class size and available capacity. 

When school choice is opened, students can come into any grade and then the district is committed to serve them until their leave or graduate. While the funds provided would be nice, there wasn't sufficient capacity to provide for the option. If I recall correctly, the district peaked at about 70 students and the school choice enrollment has declined over the years to less than a dozen or so.

With capacity available in the elementary schools but not at the high school, the decision could be interesting but I would anticipate it to be another "No" for this year. The decision is usually made as part of the budget cycle.

Of note (and requiring further research) the article states that a student leaving a district for school choice going to a charter school, costs the community more than the normal state $5,000 transfer amount. That is new to me. I had not heard that before. There has not been a different amount associated with where a student went, it was always the state mandated $5,000.

Stay tuned!

From the archives on School Choice

Milford Daily News article from 2013
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/05/we-strategically-add-seats.html

The article from 2013 includes a table on the school choice enrollment from the 2003-2004 school year through 2013
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/04/franklin-public-schools-school-choice.html

School Committee decision in 2016
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/04/real-time-reporting-school-committee.html

School Committee agenda for March 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/03/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda_28.html

School Choice summary from June 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/06/for-lot-of-kids-its-fresh-start.html

“For a lot of kids it’s a fresh start”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Facing steadily rising costs to educate students each year, several MetroWest and Milford-area school systems are using school choice money to make upgrades and prevent cuts to programs and staff. 

Public school districts can vote to accept students from outside their district under the state’s school choice program. A student’s home district pays the receiving district a tuition – typically about $5,000 – each year a student is enrolled in the receiving system. Districts that enroll in school choice can limit the number of students they want to accept each year and into which grades, but cannot remove a student once he or she joins. 

Holliston has been a staple in the program since it was created in 1991 and has drawn several out-of-district students the past several years due, in part, to the district’s French immersion classes, Montessori education and small class sizes, said Superintendent Brad Jackson. 

“Some students and families are looking for a more intimate and small school district,” he said. “Others are just seeking a change in venue.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170618/school-choice-helps-some-districts-make-improvements-avoid-cuts

While not covered by the article, Franklin used to use school choice but the School Committee has voted not to use school choice. The decision was based upon the class size. When school choice is opened, students can come into any grade and then the district is committed to serve them until their leave or graduate. While the funds provided would be nice, there wasn't sufficient capacity to provide for the option. If I recall correctly, the district peaked at about 70 students and the school choice enrollment has declined over the years to less than a dozen or so.

Milford Daily News article from 2013
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/05/we-strategically-add-seats.html

The article from 2013 includes a table on the school choice enrollment from the 2003-2004 school year through 2013
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/04/franklin-public-schools-school-choice.html

School Committee decision in 2016
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/04/real-time-reporting-school-committee.html

School Committee agenda for March 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/03/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda_28.html

Parmenter school sign

In the News: School Choice; Dean Dash 5K

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The School Committee will decide at its next meeting whether to allow school choice students into the district. 

The matter was raised at the most recent committee meeting, with Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski noting that it had been some time since the schools have accepted such students. 

"We haven't taken school choice students since 2006-2007," she said, noting that seven students accepted at that time currently attend Franklin High School."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170330/franklin-school-committee-ponders-school-choice

"Years after the initial running of the "Dean Dash," organizers believe the 5-kilometer event has become the campus tradition they'd hoped it would be.

The fourth annual race - scheduled to take place at Dean Hall at noon on April 8 - is expected to draw between 200 and 250 runners, said college Recreation Director Carlos Aguilera. 

"It started in 2014," he said. "We were thinking of traditions that the school might call its own. I was always a runner myself, so I suggested a 5K." 

Aguilera said he thought the intent - to establish a new tradition - has been met; on student surveys, he said, the dash is often mentioned as a positive event."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170330/franklin-dean-dash-race-called-campus-tradition

set up for the Dean Dash 5K on the Dean campus in a prior year

Best Buddies to be 'a zip code event' for Franklin

Franklin is leading the way in expanding the Best Buddies program to the entire school district. The program began at FHS in 1997, expanded to the middle schools in 2007 and now to the elementary schools. Keller will begin a pilot this year for 3rd and 4th graders, and continue in September with those students in the 4th and 5th grade.

image from Best Buddies website

Assuming all goes well with the pilot, as early as September 2016 the program could begin expansion to other elementary schools in the district.

Dean College is looking to create their program so this would be "a zip code event."

Additional info on the program will be discussed at the Keller PCC meeting on Apr 9th.

After the Best Buddies presentation and discussion, the School Committee heard the latest stats on school choice (17 students remaining the program) and the recommendation not to open the program up. School Choice is the option for students from other communities to attend in Franklin. Due to capacity issues, the school district has not opened the program and the students who were part of it are allowed to complete their schooling. The peak was about 90 students several years ago.

The capital budget was adjusted to meet lower expectations on what funds would be available. The Franklin capital budget is funded by 'free cash' however the free cash is used to make up any shortfall in the snow/ice budget first. With the record winter this year, the snow/ice budget is about $500,000 over what was allocated. That is $500,000 less to fund our other capital requirements.

photo of presentation page touting the Dodgeball Tournament

The Best Buddies 25th anniversary video shown during the meeting can be viewed here:





My details notes reported live during the School Committee meeting can be found here:

• Live reporting: Action items to Closing
• Live reporting: Discussion only
• Live Reporting: School Committee - Mar 24, 2015

"We strategically add seats"

Today's issue of the Milford Daily News reviews the school choice program and how local districts use it. Franklin stopped adding students via school choice in 2007 due to the budget cuts.

Under the School Choice program, public school districts can vote to accept students from outside their district. The student’s home district pays the receiving district a tuition of up to $5,000 each year a student is enrolled in the receiving district. Districts that join School Choice can limit how many students they want to accept each year, but cannot remove a student once he or she enrolls through the program. 

Since School Choice was created in 1991, out-of-district students have enrolled in the Holliston school system at a high rate, drawn by the district’s French immersion classes and Montessori education, said Superintendent Brad Jackson. 

This year was no exception as 120 out-of-district students enrolled in the Holliston school system through School Choice, while just six students left the district through the program. Through the program, the district received about $650,000 in revenue, which Jackson said is used to offset budget costs and reduce the impact on Holliston’s taxpayers.

Read the full article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x776195535/School-Choice-a-boon-for-local-districts?rssfeed=true&utm_source=feedly#axzz2UOfO6EtM


Related articles
The history of school choice enrollments was covered in a Jan 2013 School Committee meeting
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/04/franklin-public-schools-school-choice.html

Coverage of the School Committee decision to opt out of school choice in 2012
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/schools-opt-out-of-school-choice.html

Franklin Public Schools: School Choice Enrollment History

The history of school choice enrollment for the Franklin Public Schools from 2003 to the present. This will be an input to the discussion on whether to offer school choice for the next school year.




The recommendation is to continue the recent policy of not enabling school choice. Those students already here can remain but no new enrollments would be accepted.


The full agenda for the School Committee meting Tuesday, Apr 9, 2013 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/04/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-apr.html

"schools opt out of School Choice"

As expected, the School Choice program will not be available to those outside of Franklin again for the next school year 2012-2013:

The district has 20 school choice students now, and even with the program discontinued, Sabolinski said she expects 28 classes to be over School Committee guidelines for class size. 

Students already in the schools by school choice may remain, and Franklin’s lack of participation does not prevent residents from using choice to send their children out of district.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1368168082/Franklin-schools-opt-out-of-School-Choice-program#ixzz1kSqryBFg


The School Choice history as previewed during the School Committee meeting
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/fps-school-choice-history-2003-2012.html

FPS: School Choice History 2003 - 2012

School Choice is a program whereby students from outside the Franklin Public Schools can apply and with a payment facilitated by the state (from their town/community to ours), the student can attend here.

As this summary shows, school choice stopped taking applications for the 2008-2009 school year and those students already in the program have continued to move through the system and as they leave, the numbers have declined.

This is scheduled for discussion at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012. It is a preliminary part of the budget discussion. While Franklin can gain some additional income via these students, the concern has been with the available space for these students. As the class size has continued to increase, it doesn't make sense to continue to add students to further create pressures on class size.

FPS School Choice History - 2003-2012

School Choice update

The Milford Daily News discloses that Franklin will not participate in School Choice this year.

Franklin won't participate in School Choice program

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Angel Roy/Daily News staff

What this means is that those student already enrolled will continue and that no "new" or "additional" students will be accepted into the program this year.

If I recall correctly from prior School Committee meetings, the district has approximately 50 students enrolled in the program. This is down from 2 years ago when there 70-plus students in the program.

The district's choice really was "Can we afford to fill in a few empty slots to gain the additional revenue?" When the slots would commit the district to providing the education to those students for the full program (K-12) and due to the significant reduction in teachers over the past several years, growing the average class size, the answer was "No."

Live reporting - school choice

Ogden - this is much influx because the budget is so influx. You have a need to vote to continue or not. We may keep the student population we have and not expand it any further.

Kelly - Can you explain how it works?

Ogden - once you vote in the affirmative, we will open up an application on the school website. Once the listing is acquired, we will see how many if any of the students could be accommodated. If there are any, there will be a blind lottery to select from amongst the applications.

About 25% of the existing students are children of school employees

Kelly - I know from conversations with school employees it is a great thing for them to have the kids here where they are working. They understand they may not be able to count on it.

Sabolinski - We'll need to look a couple of years out to see what seats could be made available.

Armenio - where are we on the kindergarten numbers?
Sabolinski - we have been flat
Ogden - I suspect that until you make the final decision on full day kindergarten, we may not see some of those that may be currently slotted with a private full day kindergarten.

Sabolinski - add backs would not change the middle school numbers