Should Students Be Able To Choose Their Schools?

Every child should have a chance to succeed in education, including those attending underperforming schools - right?

Until recently, Palm Beach County students in failing schools were allowed under a federal law to transfer to better schools, according to the Palm Beach Post.

But now, the federal government has granted Florida a waiver that overhauls some of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind School Choice law.

That means, starting in the upcoming school year, school districts like Palm Beach County are able to decide if they no longer will allow a child to transfer from an underperforming school to a higher-performing school.

It's a debate the school district will take up this summer.

Much of the discussion boils down to money, the newspaper reported. Allowing children to transfer to better performing schools requires the district to pay the transportation costs of moving those students back and forth further away from their neighborhoods.

Another matter under consideration: student flight. Enabling students to move to other schools has created overcrowding at the better-performing schools and further tarnished the reputation of under-performing schools.

So what would you do? Allow students to transfer or not? Or, is there another option?

Share your thoughts below. Or, submit an article offering your ideas and we'll post it on YourPBC.org.

You can also post your ideas on Twitter using the hashtag #ParentalInvolvement and on our Facebook page.

 

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