| More than one-third of the students in the | | | | the San Diego schools. Like the Choice |
| San Diego schools were enrolled in the Choice | | | | Program, acceptance is based solely on the |
| Program for the 2005-2006 school year. The | | | | space available, and transportation is the |
| program gives parents the ability to transfer | | | | parents' responsibility. |
| their children from their assigned school to | | | | |
| one that offers more academic opportunities | | | | Charter Schools Program. These independent |
| or specific school attributes. The program | | | | schools within the San Diego schools are on |
| offers six methods of eligibility. | | | | space available only and often use a random |
| | | | lottery for application acceptance. Some |
| Program Improvement School Choice. Children | | | | require that the students applying meet |
| assigned to San Diego schools that have | | | | specific criteria. If you are interested in |
| failed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) | | | | transferring your child to a Charter School, |
| academic standards may apply to better-ranked | | | | inquire early - they set their own |
| San Diego schools. Students applying for | | | | application deadlines. |
| transfer under this program generally receive | | | | |
| a higher priority than others and receive | | | | If you find that your child does not meet any |
| free transportation. If in the future the | | | | of these criteria or their acceptance |
| assigned San Diego schools pass the NCLB | | | | priority would be low, there are two other |
| standards, parents may choose to move their | | | | methods of gaining transfer acceptance that |
| children back to the assigned schools or | | | | are not part of the overall Choice Program. |
| continue in the new schools. | | | | They are through special request and the |
| | | | Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE). |
| Magnet Schools Program. These San Diego | | | | You may submit a special request to the San |
| schools are each based upon a theme, such as | | | | Diego schools, when your child's assigned |
| performing arts, with the curriculum centered | | | | school does not offer specific coursework. |
| around it. Though they provide all the state | | | | These requests are handled on a case-by-case |
| required basics, students can immerse | | | | basis. If the GATE program is not offered in |
| themselves in the particular subject; whereas | | | | your child's assigned school and your child |
| in other schools, the theme may only be | | | | qualifies, again you may request a transfer |
| offered as an elective class or two. Magnet | | | | to a school that does. |
| schools are designed to attract a diverse | | | | |
| cross section of students from throughout the | | | | Other than in the Charter Schools, |
| city. Free transportation is provided to | | | | applications to San Diego schools by March |
| students who live outside a specific mileage | | | | 15th for the following school year are given |
| range. Acceptance priority is given based | | | | priority. |
| upon: | | | | |
| | | | Though the Choice Program offers a great |
| • Demographics - they encourage San | | | | opportunity to all San Diego schools |
| Diego schools students living in demographic | | | | students, there are a lot of choices. With |
| areas different from where the Magnet School | | | | 212 public schools, including the 31 Magnet |
| is located to apply, | | | | Schools and 35 Charter Schools, investigating |
| | | | the schools and their offerings can be |
| • Continuity - San Diego schools | | | | overwhelming and time consuming for the |
| students in a performing arts elementary | | | | parents. |
| school, for example, would be given | | | | |
| acceptance priority when applying to a | | | | San Diego schools officials offer the |
| performing arts middle and high school, | | | | following advice: |
| | | | |
| • Siblings - San Diego schools | | | | • All schools offer the required |
| students with brothers or sisters already | | | | basic coursework, so do not get caught up in |
| enrolled in the school are given priority, | | | | "only one school will do" - look at the many |
| | | | other schools, too; |
| • Program Improvement - receives a | | | | |
| lower priority than the others listed above, | | | | • Look beyond test scores - schools |
| and | | | | have a lot more to offer, such as specialized |
| | | | education programs; |
| • General Applications - receives the | | | | |
| lowest priority. | | | | • Visit the school campus - what |
| | | | looks good on paper may be different in |
| Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP). | | | | reality, sometimes better and sometimes |
| VEEP was designed to provide a better racial | | | | worse; |
| and cultural integrated, educational | | | | |
| experience in the San Diego schools. | | | | • Talk to parents and educators at |
| Predominantly Caucasian-populated schools are | | | | the school, find out first-hand; and |
| paired with minority schools for the program. | | | | |
| Most transfer students receive free | | | | • Ask if they offer parent seminars |
| transportation. | | | | and tours before the application deadline. |
| | | | |
| Choice Program. Any San Diego schools | | | | If you are interested in applying for a |
| student is eligible to apply to any school | | | | transfer to any of the San Diego schools, |
| not in the Magnet program. Acceptance is | | | | begin early, list the criteria you wish to be |
| based solely on the space available, and | | | | provided by the school, look at all the |
| transportation is the parents' | | | | available schools, choose those that seem to |
| responsibility. | | | | fit your requirements, and then thoroughly |
| | | | investigate each one. It is a lot of |
| Inter-District Transfer Program. Any student | | | | homework for the parents, but it can be the |
| with the state may apply to any school within | | | | best foundation they can give their children. |