Department of Education Releases Report on the Choice is Yours Program
For Immediate Release: March 3, 2008 |
Contact: Christine Dufour |
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASES REPORT ON
THE CHOICE IS YOURS PROGRAM
~ School choice program exceeds participation goal ~
Roseville – Minnesota’s The Choice is Yours program has exceeded participation goals originally set in 2001, according to a report released today by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The Choice is Yours offers low-income Minneapolis students support, including transportation, if they choose to enroll in western suburban schools or Minneapolis magnet programs.
“Minnesota has a long-standing commitment to providing public school choice to our families,” Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren said. “The Choice is Yours program is an important component of our efforts to give parents greater flexibility and more choices as they strive to provide their children with a quality education.”
The Choice is Yours provides increased access to suburban schools and selected Minneapolis magnet schools for low-income Minneapolis families. Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches receive priority placement and free transportation through the program. Nine suburban school districts — Columbia Heights, Edina, Hopkins, Richfield, Robbinsdale, St. Anthony/New Brighton, St. Louis Park, Wayzata and Eden Prairie — participate in The Choice is Yours through the West Metro Education Program.
In 2001, the Choice is Yours program set the goal of eventually serving 2,000 students. This year, the program surpassed that goal with 2,080 participants. This year’s evaluation also found that 96% percent of suburban choice parents would recommend the program to others, a trend that has been consistent over the years.
Achievement levels
During the 2006-07 school year, third through seventh-grade students participating in the program were tested twice using the Northwest Achievement Level Tests in reading and mathematics. In an evaluation compiled by ASPEN Associates, the data was matched on a student-to-student basis with eligible, non-participating students based on demographic characteristics and baseline achievement.
In 2004-2005, suburban choice students performed better than non-participants, while in 2005-2006, suburban choice students were outperformed by non-participants. This year, with one exception, both groups of students tested in grades three through seven performed as well as matched samples of students who were eligible for the program but chose not to participate. In reading, suburban choice students, as a whole, were slightly outperformed by non-participants.
Analysis by Aspen Associates found that the most probable explanation for this change is that the suburban choice students tested each year are not the same students. As a result, the annual findings regarding student achievement should be viewed independently as they represent different groups of suburban choice students.
MDE will increase outreach and support efforts to improve year-to-year retention in this important school choice program and will focus a portion of a $9 million school choice grant received from the federal government toward that effort. Additionally, the grant will also be used to focus on increasing Post Secondary Enrollment Options outreach by 35 percent in Minnesota high schools.
The full report is available on the MDE Website.
MDE E-mail Updates