TRENTON — A little known pilot program that allows children to attend school in districts they don’t live in would be made permanent under a bill that cleared the state Senate today. The bill makes the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which started in 2000 and has continued as a pilot program since expiring in 2005, permanent. It passed...
View from above the Senate Chamber dais in this January 2010 file photo.TRENTON — A little known pilot program that allows children to attend school in districts they don’t live in would be made permanent under a bill that cleared the state Senate today.
The bill makes the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which started in 2000 and has continued as a pilot program since expiring in 2005, permanent. It passed 38-0 and is set to be taken up by the Assembly this afternoon.
"Students should not be handcuffed to a school solely based on their zip code or home address,” added state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), the bill's sponsor. “This bill will enable families across New Jersey to tap into all the best that our public education system has to offer.”
There are 15 districts that participate in the program — the maximum allowed under the pilot program — with about 900 students attending participating districts they don’t live without having to pay tuition. If the bill becomes law, there would be no limit on the number of districts that will be able to participate. Districts that want to join the program would apply to the commissioner of education.
Districts would be able to restrict the number of their students going to other districts at 10 percent of the students in each grade level or 15 percent of their total student enrollment.
To enroll in another district, students will have to spend at least one year in their local districts.
Previous coverage:
• Gov. Christie to review proposed changes to N.J. school-choice bill
• N.J. school choice bill is expected to change in effort to gain legislative approval
• N.J. students, teachers rally in favor of school voucher bill at Statehouse
• N.J. school choice advocates rally efforts amid school budget debates