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## Study of the 

## Voluntary Public School Choice Program

## Interim Report

## 

For

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

Prepared by

Robert K. Yin

Pirkko S. Ahonen

Dawn Kim

COSMOS Corporation

Bethesda, Md.

2007

This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education under
Contract Number ED01CO0038 (Task Order No. 001) with COSMOS Corporation.
Adrienne Hosek served as the contracting officer's representative. The
views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or
policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the
U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred.

**U.S. Department of Education**

Margaret Spellings

*Secretary*

**Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development**

Doug Mesecar

*Acting Assistant Secretary*

**Policy and Program Studies Service**

Alan Ginsburg

*Director*

**Program and Analytic Studies Division**

David Goodwin

*Director*

September 2007

This report is in the public domain, except for the photograph on the
front cover, which is used with permission, © 2005, Getty Images.
Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While
permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the suggested
citation is: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning,
Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service,
*Study of the Voluntary Public School Choice Program: Interim Report*,
Washington, D.C., 2007.

This report is available on the Department's Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html.

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as
Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette. For more
information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at
202-260-0852 or 202-206-0818.

Number range CHAPTER**CONTENTS**

**Page**

**LIST OF EXHIBITS** v

**PREFACE** vii

**EXECUTIVE SUMMARY** ix

**1. OVERVIEW** 1

The National Evaluation of the Voluntary Public School Choice\
(VPSC) Program 1

Previous Research 4

**2. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY** 9

Evaluation Design 9

Data Collection 12

> Analytic Priorities 14

**3. VPSC PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS** 17

Types of Choice Arrangements 17

Core Activities 22

**4. EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE** 31

Enrollment Trends 31

Progress on Program Priorities 37

Progress in Collecting Data to Examine Student Achievement Trends 40

**5. INTERIM CONCLUSIONS** 47

Preliminary Findings 47

Useful Choice Practices 49

**REFERENCES** 53

**APPENDIX: Questionnaire for Individual Schools** 59

**EXHIBITS**

**Page**

###### 

Exhibit ES-1 Eligible, Applying, and Enrolling Students During the First
Three Years

of the VPSC Program (Fall 2002 to Summer 2005) xiii

Exhibit 1 Location of the Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC) Grantees
2

Exhibit 2 Other Public School Choice Options at the VPSC Program Sites

(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005) 11

Exhibit 3 Context of the VPSC Sites: Community Characteristics 18

Exhibit 4 Brief Descriptions of the VPSC Program's Choice Initiatives\
(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005) 19

Exhibit 5 Four Types of Choice Arrangements Implemented by VPSC Sites 20

Exhibit 6 Characteristics of Schools Participating in the VPSC Program,
2004--05 21

Exhibit 7 Efforts to Involve Parents and the Community in the

VPSC Program's Choice Initiatives (Fall 2002 to Summer 2005) 23

Exhibit 8 Parent and Community Outreach Activities (Fall 2002 to Summer
2005) 24

Exhibit 9 Schools Surveyed on Parents' and Families' Understanding of\
Choice Options at VPSC Sites, 2004--05 27

Exhibit 10 Efforts to Notify Parents of Their Choice Options, 2004--05
28

Exhibit 11 Schools Involved in Capacity-Enhancing Activities at VPSC
Sites 29

Exhibit 12 Teacher Professional Development 30

Exhibit 13 Eligible, Applying, and Enrolling Students During the\
First Three Years of the VPSC Program (Fall 2002 to Summer 2005) 32

Exhibit 14 Site-by-Site Variations in the Numbers of Students\
Participating in the VPSC Program's Choice Initiatives, 2004--05 33

Exhibit 15 Participation Rates in the VPSC Program (Fall 2002 to Summer
2005) 35

Exhibit 16 Continuing Scale-Up of the VPSC Program, Based on the
Program's\
Existing and Anticipated Expenditure Rate 36

Exhibit 17 Student Transfers from Low- to Higher-Performing Schools,
2004--05 38

Exhibit 18 Changes in Transportation Costs at VPSC Sites 41

Exhibit 19 Number of Student Records Submitted by the Sites, Compared
to\
Enrollment Officially Reported By the Sites 43

Exhibit 20 Potentially Useful Choice Practices from the VPSC Program 50

**PREFACE**

This report, *Study of the Voluntary Public School Choice Program
Interim Report*, discusses the evaluation findings during the first
three years of implementation of the Voluntary Public School Choice
(VPSC) Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

The report is part of an ongoing national evaluation of the VPSC Program
being conducted by COSMOS Corporation. Robert K. Yin of COSMOS
Corporation is the project director, and he, along with Pirkko Ahonen
and Dawn Kim, authored the present document. The evaluation is supported
under a task order and contract with the Department. Adrienne Hosek of
the Department's Policy and Program Studies Service served as the
contracting officer's representative during the preparation of this
report.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

**The National Evaluation of the**

**Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC) Program**

The *No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)*[^1] expanded public school
choice opportunities for students, particularly for those attending
schools in need of improvement. The new accountability requirements in
Title I of the *Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)* (Title I,
Section 1116\[b\]) require districts to offer public school choice to
students in Title I schools that are identified for improvement,
corrective action, or restructuring as a result of not meeting state
definitions for adequate yearly progress (AYP) (U.S. Department of
Education, 2005).[^2] In addition, Congress created the VPSC Program
(Title V, Subpart 3, Section 5241) to support the emergence and growth
of choice initiatives across the country. The purpose of the program is
to assist states and local school districts in the development of
innovative strategies to expand options for students, and to encourage
transfers of students from low-performing to higher-performing schools.

The VPSC Program functions independently from the choice provisions in
Title I and provides funds to a relatively small number of sites across
the country. In October 2002, the U.S. Department of Education (the
Department) awarded five-year grants to 13 applicants. Awards ranged in
size from \$3.4 million to \$17.8 million for an average award of \$9.2
million, or approximately \$1.8 million per year. The VPSC-funded sites
included: the state of Arkansas; Albany, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; the state
of Florida; Hartsdale, N.Y.; Hillsborough County, Fla.; La Quinta,
Calif.; Miami, Fla.; the state of Minnesota; Swanzey, N.H.; New Haven,
Conn.; Portland, Oreg.; and Rockford, Ill.

This report presents interim findings from the National Evaluation of
the VPSC Program, covering the first three years of implementation, from
the fall of 2002 through the summer of 2005. Over a five-year period,
the congressionally mandated evaluation is charged with assessing the
program's progress in meeting the goals and fulfilling the intent of the
VPSC Program's legislation. As directed by Congress, the evaluation
addresses three central questions:

1)  What are the characteristics of the VPSC Program's grantees?

2)  How and to what extent does the VPSC Program promote educational
    equity and excellence?

3)  What academic achievement is associated with the VPSC Program?

Question one relates to basic descriptive information about the program
sites and their implementation strategies, including activities related
to community outreach and capacity-building within participating
schools.

Question two relates to the stated goals of the VPSC legislation, which
stipulated four priorities in the selection of sites:

(a) Provide the widest possible choice to students in participating
    schools,

(b) Promote transfers of students from low-performing to
    higher-performing schools,

(c) Include interdistrict partnerships to allow students to transfer to
    a school in another district from their original school, and

(d) Require sites to use funds to support student transportation
    services or costs (on the assumption that this would more likely
    enable students to attend more distant schools).

The extent the program met the goal of providing "the widest possible
choice to students" is measured by the overall student participation and
participation rates in the VPSC Program's choice initiatives. When
available, the report also presents data on the numbers of transfers
from low- to higher-performing schools, and evidence of interdistrict
partnerships and transportation costs. Number range CHAPTERBy design,
these priorities do not necessarily reflect the only ways in which an
evaluation could define "educational equity and excellence." However,
they link directly to the legislation's stated priorities for
implementation. Exploring other definitions and collecting data to
address them were beyond the scope of the evaluation.

Question three pertains to Congress's interest in having the evaluation
investigate the achievement outcomes associated with the VPSC Program.
The current report includes a discussion of the efforts to date to
collect achievement data. The results of this analysis will be presented
in the final report.

# Main Findings

The evaluation is based on a mixture of quantitative and qualitative
methods (see chapter 2 of this report). Among other features, it draws
from multiple data sources, including site visits, surveys, program
documents, and student achievement records. Data collection will
continue through the end of the five-year grant cycle, which ends in the
spring of 2007. The evaluation data suggest the following interim trends
regarding the VPSC Program's choice activities, student enrollment, and
progress on its priorities.

**Characteristics of the VPSC Sites**

The 13 VPSC sites are located in various parts of the country. Ten sites
are located in predominantly urban areas, two in areas that cover both
urban and rural regions, and one in an entirely rural area. Ten of the
locales represent a residential population of over 100,000 people each.
The public school student populations in the communities are mostly
diverse and poor.  Nonwhite students comprise over 60 percent of the
student population at seven school systems represented by the sites.
Similarly, over 60 percent of the students are eligible for the Free and
Reduced-Price Lunch program[^3] at seven of the sites.  

The sites vary greatly in the design of their choice initiatives; they
differ widely in the number of students served, the number of
participating public schools, and the capacity to accommodate
transfers.  In addition, they differ by how they define choice zones and
manage the flow of students among participating schools. Despite this
variation, sites have pursued some common paths.

First, although unique, school choice initiatives tended to fall under
four major categories based on how sites have defined choice
arrangements and directed the flow of transferring students:

-   Five of the sites designated specific schools to be either sending
    schools or receiving schools but not both.

-   Five sites defined initiatives whereby the same schools could be
    both sending and receiving.

-   One site established a within-school initiative, in which students
    choose from education programs within the same school and do not
    transfer between schools.

-   Two sites have initiatives that have involved a mixture of the first
    three types.

Second, all sites focused on two core activities throughout the
implementation process: 1) engaging parents and community members; and
2) building capacity at schools to attract and accommodate choice
transfers. As part of the parent and community activity, Number range
CHAPTERsites' actions went beyond a rich array of outreach, marketing,
and communication efforts. The sites also engaged parents and community
representatives in developing and implementing the choice initiatives.

As part of the capacity-enhancing activity, sites started new academic
programs or subjects, purchased supplies and equipment for schools, and
provided professional development to teaching staffs. However, none of
the sites reported hiring more staff or taking other steps simply to
expand the number of seats. The sites' capacity-enhancing activities
were therefore not necessarily accompanied by an increase in the number
of seats or classrooms at the receiving schools.

**Educational Equity and Excellence**

Number range CHAPTERThe first three years of the VPSC Program has
produced considerable participation on the part of enrolling students.
The sites' experiences have been as follows:

***Participants.*** The numbers of eligible students, applicants, and
enrollees in the VPSC Program all have increased during the first three
years of the program.

-   The number of VPSC sites enrolling students each year has steadily
    increased. Out of 13 sites total, the number has increased from five
    the initial year, to ten and 12 in years 2 and 3 respectively.

-   The capacity within sites to accommodate greater numbers of
    enrollees has increased over time, from 1,087 students in 2002--03
    to 7,445 students in 2003--04, and to 16,163 students in 2004--05
    (see figure 1).

***Participation rates.*** Over the VPSC Program's first three years,
there were also increases in the rates of participation, measured by
three ratios, the number of: 1) enrolling to applying students; 2)
applying to eligible students; and 3) enrolling to eligible students.

-   The proportion of enrolling students to those who applied increased
    from 47.4 percent in 2003--04 to 56.9 percent in 2004--05.

-   Similarly, the proportion of eligible students who applied increased
    from 2.1 percent to 3.3 percent during the same period.

-   The enrollment-to-eligible ratio showed the greatest rate of
    increase, from 0.5 percent in 2002--03 and 1.0 percent in 2003--04,
    to 1.9 percent in 2004--05. This rate is similar to those
    experienced at the outset of other public school choice initiatives,
    including those implemented under the Title I accountability
    provisions in the *NCLB Act of 2001*.

Number range CHAPTER ***Variety of choices among educational
programs***. Progress has been substantial on the first of the four
priorities. The variety of educational programs within the VPSC-funded
initiatives and among other non-VPSC initiatives at each site has meant
that students can choose from a large and diverse number of academic
programs.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| | **E    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | xhibit |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | ES-1** |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | **Eli  |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | gible, |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | App    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | lying, |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | and    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Enr    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | olling |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Stud   |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | ents** |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | **     |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | During |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | the    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | First  |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Three  |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Years  |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | of the |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | VPSC   |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Pro    |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | gram** |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | *      |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | *(Fall |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | 2002   |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | to     |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | Summer |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | 2      |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| | 005)** |      |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| | **Enro | *    | *     |      | *     |       | **[    |      |      |
| | llment | *No. | *[Eli |      | *[App |       | Enroll |      |      |
| | School | of   | gible |      | lying |       | ing]{. |      |      |
| | Year** | s    | ]{.un |      | ]{.un |       | underl |      |      |
| |        | ites | derli |      | derli |       | ine}** |      |      |
| |        | e    | ne}** |      | ne}** |       |        |      |      |
| |        | nrol |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        | ling |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        | st   |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        | uden |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| |        | ts** |       |      |       |       |        |      |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| |        |      | **No. | *    | **No. | **No. | **No.  | *    |      |
| |        |      | of    | *No. | of    | of**  | of     | *No. |      |
| |        |      | sites | of** | sites |       | sites  | of** |      |
| |        |      | r     |      | r     | **st  | repor  |      |      |
| |        |      | eport | **st | eport | udent | ting** | **st |      |
| |        |      | ing** | uden | ing** | s\*** |        | uden |      |
| |        |      |       | ts** |       |       |        | ts** |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| | **2002 | 5    | 4     | 219  | 5     | 1,391 | 5      | \    |      |
| | --03** |      |       | ,690 |       |       |        | *\*1 |      |
| |        |      |       |      |       |       |        | ,087 |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| | **2003 | 10   | 10    | \*\  | 10    | \*\*1 | 10     | \    |      |
| | --04** |      |       | *755 |       | 5,721 |        | *\*7 |      |
| |        |      |       | ,387 |       |       |        | ,445 |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
| | **2004 | 12   | 11    | 862  | 11    | 2     | 11     | 16   |      |
| | --05** |      |       | ,396 |       | 8,388 |        | ,163 |      |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+------+      |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Applicant count is based on the number of applications received   |
| > by the sites.                                                       |
| >                                                                     |
| > \*\*Estimates of participant numbers differ from earlier reports.   |
| > Adjustments to the earlier estimates are based on new information   |
| > from the sites, as of August 2005.                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

***Transfer of students from low-performing schools to higher-performing
schools.*** These transfers are likely to have comprised only a portion
of the students enrolled in the VPSC initiatives. First, fewer than half
of the VPSC sites have created choice arrangements with predesignated
sending and receiving schools, and of these, only four have limited
their enrollment to transfers from low- to higher-performing schools.

Second, the majority of the sites permit a mixture of transfers that are
not limited to students moving from low- to higher-performing schools.
Moreover, the sites permitting this mixture have not always
distinguished the portion of transfers from low- to higher-performing
schools. Number range CHAPTEROf those that did, only 5 percent of their
students had transferred from low- to higher-performing schools.

Overall, combining these sites with those with predesignated sending and
receiving schools, the low- to higher-performing transfers only
represent 13.8 percent of the total transfers. However, the actual
portion could be larger or smaller, depending on the nature of the
transfers at the sites that did not track or document the pattern of
their transfers.

***Implementation of interdistrict approaches.*** Only four of the 13
sites provide interdistrict options, allowing students to transfer to
schools outside their home district.

***Student transportation services or costs.*** Relative to enrollment,
transportation costs did not increase proportionately as might have been
expected, as the VPSC initiatives permitted many students who were
already attending distant schools to select schools closer to home.

**Academic Achievement**

The final report for the National Evaluation of the VPSC Program will
contain results of the analysis of student achievement records collected
over the entire period of program implementation. The analysis will look
at both school and student level performance when possible, to assess
the achievement outcomes associated with the VPSC Program.

-   Individual-Level Student Achievement Data. The evaluation will
    attempt to compare the achievement outcomes of students enrolled in
    the VPSC-funded initiative to a similar group of students who did
    not enroll. The analysis will be limited to sites that have detailed
    and accurate records for individual students enrolled in the program
    and those in the comparison group. In preparation for the final
    report, the VPSC sites are now receiving technical assistance for
    collecting individual-level student achievement data. However, there
    are several issues with data quality and reliability, which may
    restrict future analysis.

-   Systems-Level Student Achievement Data. The final report will also
    measure performance trends for schools participating in the
    initiative. The achievement outcomes of students in these schools
    will be compared to students in a similar group of schools not
    participating in the initiative.

**Useful Choice Practices**

A major motive underlying the creation of the VPSC Program is the hope
that the sites' experiences might serve as models to districts across
the country wanting to initiate or strengthen their own public school
choice options and practices. Even at this early stage, several
potentially useful practices have emerged from the program. Part of the
national evaluation's work has been to document these and other workable
strategies. These strategies include the design of choice initiatives;
parent involvement in choice arrangements; and capacity-enhancing
activities to augment or strengthen schools' educational programs. In
this manner, the VPSC Program's experiences can ultimately help to
strengthen public school choice initiatives across the country.

Number range CHAPTER**1. OVERVIEW**

**The National Evaluation of the**

**Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC) Program**

The *No Child Left Behind Act of 2001* (*NCLB*)[^4] expanded public
school choice opportunities for students, particularly for those
attending schools in need of improvement. The new accountability
requirements in Title I of the *Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA)* (Title I, Section 1116\[b\]) require districts to offer public
school choice to students in Title I schools that are identified for
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring as a result of not
meeting state definitions for adequate yearly progress (AYP) (U.S.
Department of Education, 2005).[^5] In addition, Congress created the
VPSC Program (Title V, Subpart 3, Section 5241) to support the emergence
and growth of choice initiatives across the country. The purpose of the
program is to assist state and local school districts in the development
of innovative strategies to expand options for students, and to
encourage transfers of students from low- to higher-performing schools.

The VPSC Program functions independently from the choice provisions in
Title I and provides funds to a relatively small number of sites across
the country. In October 2002, the U.S. Department of Education (the
Department) awarded five-year grants to 13 applicants (see exhibit 1).
Awards ranged in size from \$3.4 million to \$17.8 million for an
average award of \$9.2 million, or approximately \$1.8 million per year.
The VPSC-funded sites included: the state of Arkansas; Albany, N.Y.;
Chicago, Ill.; the state of Florida; Hartsdale, N.Y.; Hillsborough
County, Fla.; La Quinta, Calif.; Miami, Fla.; the state of Minnesota;
Swanzey, N.H.; New Haven, Conn.; Portland, Oreg.; and Rockford, Ill.

This report presents interim findings from the National evaluation of
the VPSC Program, covering the first three years of implementation, from
the fall of 2002 through the summer of 2005. Over a five-year period,
the congressionally mandated evaluation is charged with assessing the
program's progress in meeting the goals and fulfilling the intent of the
VPSC Program's legislation. As directed by Congress, the evaluation
addresses three central questions:

> Number range CHAPTER1) What are the characteristics of the VPSC
> Program's grantees?
>
> 2\) How and to what extent does the VPSC Program promote educational
> equity and excellence?

![](media/image2.wmf){width="5.995138888888889in"
height="4.763194444444444in"}

> Exhibit Reads: One of the 13 VPSC sites is in Portland, Oreg., and
> received a five-year VPSC award of \$6,467,122.
>
> 3\) What academic achievement is associated with the VPSC Program?

Question one relates to basic descriptive information about the program
sites and their implementation strategies, including activities related
to community outreach and capacity-building within participating
schools.

Question two relates to the stated goals of the VPSC legislation, which
stipulated four priorities in the selection of sites:

(a) Provide the widest possible choice to students in participating
    schools,

(b) Promote transfers of students from low-performing to
    higher-performing schools,

(c) Include interdistrict partnerships to allow students to transfer to
    a school in another district from their original school, and

(d) Require sites to use funds to support student transportation
    services or costs (on the assumption that this would more likely
    enable students to attend more distant schools).

The extent the program met the goal of providing "the widest possible
choice to students" is measured by the overall student participation and
participation rates in the VPSC Program's choice initiatives. When
available, the report also presents data on the numbers of transfers
from low- to higher-performing schools, and evidence of interdistrict
partnerships and transportation costs. Number range CHAPTERBy design,
these priorities do not necessarily reflect the only ways in which an
evaluation could define "educational equity and excellence." However,
they link directly to the legislation's stated priorities for
implementation. Exploring other definitions and collecting data to
address them were beyond the scope of the evaluation.

Question three pertains to Congress's interest in having the evaluation
investigate the achievement outcomes associated with the VPSC Program.
The current report includes a discussion of the efforts to collect
achievement data and a plan for analysis. The results of this analysis
will be presented in the final report.

The current report analyzes data from multiple sources using a mixture
of quantitative and qualitative methods. The evaluation team conducted
field studies of VPSC Program and comparison sites during the 2003--04
and 2004--05 school years, when team members visited administrative
offices, parent information centers, and two participating schools at
each site. In addition, the team carried out surveys of schools involved
with the VPSC initiatives in both years, to corroborate the
implementation of the VPSC initiatives at the school level. The
evaluation also draws from program documents and student achievement
records from the first three years of implementation. Data collection
will continue through the end of the five-year grant cycle, which
concludes in the fall of 2007.

Chapter 1 of the report outlines the purpose of the national evaluation,
introduces the VPSC Program, and reviews previous research on public
school choice.

Chapter 2 presents the methodology of the national evaluation.

Chapter 3 provides a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the
VPSC Program and VPSC sites. This chapter categorizes sites by four
types of choice arrangements, describes the schools participating in the
choice initiatives, and documents the important program practices.

Chapter 4 reports the progress being made by the VPSC Program to provide
greater opportunities for students to participate in public school
choice. The chapter examines trends in eligibility, applications, and
enrollment at the sites. In addition, it discusses the degree to which
choice has provided students greater opportunity to move from
low-performing to higher-performing schools.

Finally, chapter 5 of the report summarizes the interim findings and
their implications for the program, policymaking, and future research.
The chapter also identifies useful choice practices that may be emerging
from the VPSC Program. The evaluation will continue to monitor these
practices as possible suggestions for other districts to emulate in
designing their own choice initiatives.

**Previous Research**

Public school choice under the VPSC Program is one of several ways of
providing students with optional schooling opportunities (e.g., Ravitch
and Viteritti, 1997; and Henig and Sugarman, 1999). Other opportunities
include publicly funded vouchers, tax credits, or tax deductions that
can be used for public or private schools; privately funded school
choice; dual enrollment; home-schooling; and privately operated public
schools such as the Edison schools (e.g., Fuller and Elmore, 1996; Hill,
Pierce, and Guthrie, 1997; Education Commission of the States, 2001;
Heritage Foundation, 2001; Greene, 2002; Moe, 2003; and Betts and
Loveless, 2005).

All of these efforts seek to improve educational outcomes. These
outcomes include the opportunity to attend better schools, hopefully
leading to improved student learning. Additional benefits include
improved matches between educational offerings and students' interests.

At the same time, choice initiatives have created debate because of
their possible association with other, less valued by-products. A major
concern has to do with the possible increase in social stratification
(i.e., the extent to which schools undesirably differ according to
racial or ethnic distinctions) of students across schools,[^6] either by
racial and ethnic distinctions or by social class distinctions. Whether
and how such stratification occurs (e.g., Lee and Burkam, 2002; and
Clotfelter, Ladd, and Vigdor, 2003) or can be avoided in the design of
choice initiatives in the first place (e.g., Willie, Edwards, and Alves,
2002; Scott, 2005; and Gill, 2005) remains a subject of debate and
continued inquiry.

In some cases, these or other concerns have resulted in community
resistance to choice options (e.g., Moe, 2003). For instance, suburban
homeowners have expressed displeasure over the potential threat to their
property values posed by shifting school enrollments (Nechyba, 2003; and
Reback, 2005).

***Public school choice initiatives can vary considerably***.
Nevertheless, with the hope of attaining the claimed benefits, school
systems across the country have been implementing an increasing array of
public school choice initiatives. The initiatives follow no single model
and vary considerably. Whatever the case, the choices are to be among
public schools (only) and should be distinguished from initiatives
offering choices for both public and private schools (including schools
with religious affiliations).

Among the choice initiatives limited to public schools, possibly the
most common variants, found widely across the country, have been *magnet
programs* and *charter schools*. The magnet programs permit schools to
offer a standard curriculum but then to specialize in certain subjects
or use learning themes to attract students (e.g., Christenson et al.,
2003). Charter schools are publicly funded but operate independently of
school districts and can define their own instructional programs (e.g.,
Loveless, 2002; Miron and Nelson, 2002; Finnigan et al., 2004; and Ross,
2005).[^7]

Though less frequently found, the broadest arrangement among public
schools calls for *open enrollment*. In this arrangement, school systems
do not initially assign students to any school. Rather, students express
their preferences during the preceding spring semester by applying to
any of the public schools in the system. One of the oldest, districtwide
open enrollment arrangements has been in place in Cambridge, Mass.,
since 1981 (Peterkin, 1991; and Willie, Edwards, and Alves, 2002). As
another example, students at Community District Four of New York City
(Teske et al., 2000) submit applications, listing up to six schools they
wish to attend. About 60 percent of the students usually receive their
first choice (Cookson and Shroff, 1997).

Another arrangement offers *transfer* options, in which students can
apply to enroll at a public school other than their assigned school.
Districts may restrict the number of applications, based on the
availability of seats at receiving schools or on other pre-stipulated
criteria. The restrictions effectively limit the number of choices and
students able to participate in the arrangement. When transfers occur,
they are considered to be from a *sending* school to a *receiving*
school. A common policy objective is to define low-performing schools as
the desired set of sending schools and higher-performing schools as the
desired set of receiving schools.

Additional variation among choice initiatives arises from the extent of
regional cooperation in an initiative. The choice arrangements may exist
within a single district alone (*intra*-district) or between two or more
districts (*inter*-district). In some cases, choice options may cover
the whole state, such as the initiatives in Minnesota (Cookson and
Shroff, 1997; and Boyd, Hare, and Nathan, 2002); Wisconsin (Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction, 1999); or Colorado (Benigno, 2000).
Conversely, the options may pertain only to a small set of schools
inside a geographic zone within a district.

Finally, arrangements vary according to their application processes,
selection procedures, coverage of transportation and tuition costs, and
other administrative procedures. For instance, districts can offer
choice options to students at every grade level or only for certain
entry grades. As another administrative variation, once exercising a
choice, a student may be able to continue through the entire feeder set
of schools or may have to reapply when moving, from elementary to middle
or from middle to high school. Districts also may offer different
options by grade level. For example, many districts have zonal limits
for elementary and middle schools but districtwide choices for high
schools. As a final feature, analysts also have given considerable
attention to the nature of outreach efforts and the amount and type of
the information needed by families and students to make appropriate
educational choices (e.g., Hamilton and Guin, 2005).

All these and other variations serve as a backdrop to the initiatives
implemented under the VPSC Program. The program has provided a
continuing opportunity for local districts to expand or start new choice
initiatives through its funding support and technical assistance. The
lessons learned from the VPSC Program can suggest improved ways for
districts across the country to implement the expanded Title I choice
options in the future.

***Public school choice has drawn increasing policy interest because of
its possible association with desired educational benefits at two
levels.*** Such benefits may occur regardless of the particular
variation in choice arrangement.

At the first level, the academic performance for participating students
may improve, in part because they have chosen schools associated with
high achievement (e.g., Cullen, Jacob, and Levitt, 2005). Student
performance also may improve because students are able to choose schools
with programs more closely match personal and career interests (e.g.,
Hastings, Kane, and Staiger, 2005 and 2006).

Although an increasing number of studies have examined the benefits to
participating students, no consistent findings have emerged. For
instance, small or no gains in student achievement have been reported,
and changes in other aspects of student performance, such as dropout and
suspension rates, also have been mixed (e.g., Clotfelter, Ladd, and
Vigdor, 2003; and Cullen, Jacob, and Levitt, 2005). Overall, one review
of choice outcomes by a panel of experts concluded that:

"\...Existing research paints a mixed and complicated picture. Choice

could indeed lead to the benefits its supporters expect, or the harm its

opponents fear. If so, the effects, both positive and negative, are less

certain and more situation-dependent than advocates on either side

acknowledge" (National Working Commission, 2004, p. 23).

At the second level, the presence of choice options in a system may lead
to the improvement of every school in the system. Presumably, schools
will compete to retain and attract students if their budgets are linked
to enrollment levels (e.g., Goldhaber et al., 2005). Thus, much of the
interest in school choice, including public school choice, is related to
a sensitivity to economic market conditions and greater competition
among schools, leading to improved performance or what Hoxby (2001)
calls "school productivity" (e.g., Chubb and Moe, 1990; Belfield and
Levin, 2002; Moe, 2003; and Betts, 2005).

Competition can affect all schools in a system, even if the number of
students actually enrolling in a choice initiative is low. For instance,
nearly 95 percent of Arizona public school students remain in district
schools, despite a proliferation of charter schools. The charters do not
replace the district schools, but they push the district schools to
compete, to win back the charter parents (Center for Education Reform,
cited by National Working Commission, 2004, p. 27). Hoxby (2002), noting
that choice is about school *supply*, points to the fact that the
*threat of competition* matters and can be demonstrated through economic
models. Thus, even with a small number of transferring students, all
schools in a system may still try to improve themselves because of the
threat that more students would want to leave in the future, should such
improvement not occur.

Systemwide effects are nevertheless not easily detected. The most potent
situation may occur when students' tuitions and other costs are
transferred directly as a result of students exercising choice (e.g.,
National Working Commission, 2004). The Seattle Public Schools has long
used a choice arrangement whereby such costs not only transfer but are
*weighted*: Students in special education, as well as in other special
categories requiring more schooling efforts, have larger tuitions
associated with their transfer than students not in such categories. The
weights are deliberately defined so that schools cannot have a balanced
budget if they do not attract any such students. Under these
circumstances, the Seattle system reports that schools do respond
competitively (COSMOS, 2004).

Other choice initiatives that started in the 1990s also have reported
systemwide effects. These include the open enrollment initiative in
Cambridge, Mass., (Peterkin, 1991) and the response to a voucher (but
not public school) initiative in Milwaukee (Gardner, 2002). In both of
these two cases, the claims included increases in student achievement as
well as gains in market share (the proportion of all K--12 students in a
geographic area enrolled in the public school system). Similarly,
District Four experienced significantly rising, annual test scores in
reading and math from 1973 to 1996, compared to all other districts in
New York City, in conjunction with the district's expansion of its
public school choice initiative (Teske et al., 2000).

Possibly the clearest system response to the threat of competition was
reported by Greene (2001) in Florida. Starting in 1999--00, students
attending schools that received two "F" grades in four years were
eligible to receive opportunity scholarships to attend other schools.
Greene's study showed that schools receiving their first failing grade,
facing the prospect of student out-transfers, exhibited exceptionally
large gains in the proportion of their students passing the state
assessment, to avoid receiving a second "F" designation.

At the same time, system effects may be small (e.g., Figlio and Rouse,
2006) or may not always be found (e.g., Nechyba and Heise, 2000). In
addition, some of the systemic effects may not be desirable. For
instance, schools may spend more time and money on public relations and
the marketing of schools rather than on the needed academic programming
(Powers and Cookson, 1999).

Because of their potential importance, the possibility of changes at
either of the two levels deserves monitoring. The present evaluation is
therefore using individual-level data to track possible changes among
participating students and school-level data to track possible
systemwide changes at any given VPSC site. The analyses of individual
student level data are planned for the final report.

**EVALUATION METHODOLOGY**

The national evaluation follows mixed quantitative and qualitative
methods, using data from a variety of original and archival sources.
This breadth of information will help to address the three central
evaluation questions previously presented in chapter 1.

**Evaluation Design**

The evaluation design is a nested design. At the *school-level*, the
relevant schools at each site can be depicted as a "system of schools."
The systems can consist of any combination of the following types of
schools:

\(a\) Schools *from* which students have transferred (*sending*
schools);

\(b\) Schools *to* which students have transferred (*receiving*
schools);

\(c\) Schools *to* which students have transferred *and from* which
students have transferred (same schools are *both sending and receiving*
schools); and

\(d\) Schools eligible to serve as sending schools, receiving schools,
or both sending and receiving but in which no transfers may have
occurred (*other eligible* schools).

Aggregate (school-level) data will be collected about the trends in
academic performance of these different types of schools, to permit
comparisons. These data also will cover the demographic characteristics
of the enrolled students.

At the *student-level* in the nested design, the relevant students
include the following:

\(a\) Students applying for transfer and then transferring
(*enrollees*);

\(b\) Students applying for transfer but not transferring, either by
their own decision or because their applications could not be
honored---e.g., due to a lack of seats (*applicants*); and

\(c\) Students eligible to apply (*eligibles*).

The national evaluation will use student-level data, gathered by the 13
sites, to compare the trends among these groups of students.

***Definition of comparison sites***. For each of the VPSC sites, the
evaluation team has selected a comparison site. The comparisons do not
include schools that are any part of the "system" of schools
participating in a VPSC initiative.

In addition to being outside of the "system" of schools, the selected
comparison sites have several preferred characteristics. First, they
were selected based on proximity to the VPSC site, using the following
criteria:

-   For sites that limit choice to a well-defined zone or zones in their
    district, the comparison site is a similar set of other schools
    outside of the zone(s) but in the same district;

-   For sites whose choice initiatives cover the whole district, the
    comparison site is another district in the same state;

-   For sites that cover multiple districts (e.g., a metropolitan area
    or a rural area), the comparison site is a similar kind of
    multiple-district area in the same state; and

-   For statewide sites, the comparison sites are nonparticipating
    districts in the same state that are similar to the participating
    districts.[^8]

Second, the comparison sites are comparable to the VPSC sites in
academic performance, demographic characteristics, and enrollment size.
In cases in which all three criteria could not be met, priority was
given to the first two.

Third, the comparison sites had few available public school choice
opportunities similar to the VPSC Program at the time of selection.
However, the comparison sites are not "no treatment" sites. For
instance, across the country, virtually every district offers magnet and
charter schools, and these same choice programs exist at many of the
VPSC sites. Similarly, eligible districts also must offer choice related
to Title I provisions. Given these conditions, the general goal was to
identify comparison sites that had no choice initiatives resembling
those at the VPSC sites, as funded by the U.S. Department of Education's
VPSC Program.

***Definition of the initiatives being studied***. The national
evaluation defines the initiatives under evaluation as the ones being
supported by VPSC funds. The use of VPSC funds has not only defined the
initiatives of interest but also has helped focus on specific facets of
the initiatives. For instance, for some of the 13 sites, the bulk of the
funds were used to support and enhance parent information centers; other
sites have invested heavily in parent outreach and media campaigns; yet
others have provided funds for new educational programs at *receiving
schools* to increase their capacity and attractiveness to serve
transferring students. The use of funds also has usefully directed the
national evaluation's attention to more specific activities, while still
attending to the overall VPSC choice initiatives at the 13 sites.

At the same time, there are two complications that diminish the
evaluation's ability to determine a direct association between the VPSC
Program and school or student outcomes.

***Other choice initiatives at the same site***. First, the VPSC-funded
initiative may not be the only public school choice initiative at a
site. In fact, nearly all of the sites already had a variety of other
initiatives ongoing, at the onset of the VPSC initiative. These other
options included magnet and charter schools, Title I public school
choice, and a variety of other choice options offered by the district or
state. For instance, several of the VPSC sites are located in states
that offer open enrollment to all students to attend any public school
in the entire state. Overall, even when sites used VPSC funds
exclusively to support the VPSC Program's initiatives, they had other
unrelated choice initiatives operating at the same time (see exhibit 2).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 2**                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| **Other Public School Choice Options at the VPSC Program Sites**      |
|                                                                       |
| **(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Other choice         | **Number of sites with other public    |   |
| | options**              | school choice options in addition to   |   |
| |                        | the**                                  |   |
| |                        |                                        |   |
| |                        | **VPSC-funded initiative\***           |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Magnet schools**     | 12                                     |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Charter schools**    | 12                                     |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Title I choice**     | 10                                     |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Interdistrict        | 7                                      |   |
| | options**              |                                        |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Other district       | 7                                      |   |
| | options**              |                                        |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | **Other state          | 7                                      |   |
| | options**              |                                        |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
| | Total for all 13 sites | \*\*55                                 |   |
| +------------------------+----------------------------------------+   |
|                                                                       |
| \*Individual VPSC Program sites can appear under more than one type   |
| of choice option.                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| > \*\*On average, each of the 13 sites had four or more public school |
| > choice options in addition to the VPSC-funded initiative.           |
|                                                                       |
| Sources: Analysis of site visit data and Grant Performance Reports.   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

***Expansion of existing programs***. Second, the VPSC Program permitted
applicants to expand existing arrangements and not just establish new
ones. The majority of the sites have chosen to expand existing
initiatives. Separating the VPSC-funded portion of a choice initiative
from other aspects of the initiative has not been easy or precisely
delineated.

**Data Collection**

The relevant data include: multiple site visits to the VPSC sites; site
visits to the comparison sites, mainly to confirm the absence of a
VPSC-like initiative at the site and to document the nature of other
choice options that may be in place; surveys covering an average of 50
schools at each VPSC site; and the collection of archival data about the
participating students and the performance of schools in the district
(or the site) as a whole. The archival data are collected for all of the
relevant schools, including those at the comparison sites.

For the site visits and school survey, the instruments include:

\(A\) Protocol A: Interview with the VPSC Project Director and Staff (a
site visit instrument, covering VPSC implementation and trends
associated with VPSC and largely directed at the VPSC project director
and staff);

\(B\) Protocol B: Interview with Other Participating Persons (a site
visit instrument directed to school principals, teachers, or parents of
transferring and non-transferring students);

\(C\) Protocol C: Interview with the Comparison Site District and Title
I Staff (a comparison site instrument, mainly for collecting data from
district offices); and

\(D\) School Survey (a school survey instrument---see
appendix---directed to principals of schools participating in the VPSC
initiatives and to administrators of participating districts in the two
statewide initiatives).

The list of instruments does not include the collection and analysis of
quantitative archival data, to address the evaluation questions related
to student achievement. School-level data come from existing databases
compiled by the U.S. Department of Education (the Department), providing
annual data for nearly every school in the country, starting with the
year 1998--99. These databases may be supplemented by Web site data from
state departments of education. Student-level data are compiled and
provided to the national evaluation by the 13 VPSC sites.

The completed national evaluation will then have covered the entire
five-year VPSC Program and have drawn from multiple sources of evidence,
as follows:

-   Annual (2002--03 through 2006--07):

> --- Original VPSC grant applications (summer 2002 only);
>
> --- Grant performance reports from each VPSC Program site;
>
> --- Individual records of participating students and
>
> a comparison group; and
>
> --- School-level records of student achievement trends
>
> at VPSC Program sites and comparison sites.

-   Selected Years (2003--04, 2004--05, and 2006--07):

> --- Field studies of VPSC Program sites and comparisons

--- Surveys of schools participating in the VPSC Program's initiatives.

***Site visits***. The site visits covered the VPSC project site as well
as one sending school and one receiving school (or two participating
schools at those sites not designating specific sending and receiving
schools). The sites chose two schools with a lot of choice activity
(i.e., many transferring students), so that the site visit team could
observe and learn about the VPSC Program's initiative in action at the
school level.

A two-person team conducted the site visits. During the first two
rounds, the site visits occurred in the second semester of the school
year. These visits included interviews of administrative staff from the
state or district agency, parent information centers, and any affiliated
organizations. The third round of site visits will be conducted during
2006--07.

***School survey***. School surveys gather data from schools
participating in the VPSC initiatives and mainly corroborate the
participation in the VPSC initiatives by specific schools.

During the first three years of the study, the evaluation team collected
survey data from 410 schools in 2003--04 and 659 schools in 2004--05. At
most sites, all of the schools that were eligible to participate in the
choice initiative were included in the survey. Two statewide initiatives
were the exceptions. At one statewide site, a random sample of
approximately 50 schools in each of two participating districts
completed the survey. At the second site, no schools were surveyed;
instead, the 12 districts with ten or more students participating in the
choice initiative were asked to complete the survey at the district
level.[^9]

The school survey takes the form of a closed-ended questionnaire to the
schools participating in the VPSC initiatives (see appendix).[^10] The
survey, directed at the schools' principals, collects information about:
student demographics; school performance; the choice options available
to students; the percentages of students taking part in these options;
the methods by which choice information is shared with parents; and the
receipt of professional development by staff members related to school
choice.

***Performance reports***. The data collection also covers the VPSC
grantees' annual performance reports submitted to the VPSC Program
Office at the Department. Each year, the office issues reporting
requirements, based in part on the data collection suggestions by the
national evaluation team. During the first three years, the evaluation
team suggested that the sites provide more detailed descriptions of
their VPSC initiatives. Recently, the VPSC Program Office has agreed to
request more detailed expenditure information from the sites in 2005--06
and 2006--07, so that the evaluation team can more thoroughly analyze
these expenditures.

**Analytic Priorities**

The distinctive contribution of the national evaluation will be to
conduct a cross-site analysis to arrive at findings for the VPSC Program
as a whole, rather than assessing the accomplishments at any given site.
The nature of the cross-site analysis will vary according to the scope
of the data supplied by the sites.

***Individual student-level analyses.*** VPSC sites have been submitting
records of individual student achievement. The records primarily contain
achievement scores of students prior to enrolling as part of a
VPSC-funded initiative.

The VPSC sites' student-level data submissions to date suggest that the
sites need additional assistance in compiling the desired individual
student-level records. The VPSC Program is currently engaging a
technical assistance provider to help sites compile the needed records.

***School-level analyses***. To examine systems-level performance at
every site, the evaluation will rely on sources other than the VPSC
sites. The major source, both archival and available to the public, is a
database compiled by the Department (the National Longitudinal
School-Level State Assessment Score Database) to be supplemented, when
needed, by school-level scores posted on states' Web sites.

To analyze the data, the national evaluation team has developed and
fully tested a procedure for aggregating trend data across different
sites and states (Yin, Schmidt, and Besag, 2006). The procedure
aggregates the various trends to estimate an "effect size" for the VPSC
Program as a whole (Cohen, 1988; and Lipsey and Wilson, 1993). The
aggregation procedure therefore assumes the form of a meta-analysis, as
if findings by the VPSC sites were findings from separate research
studies.

The final analysis will compare preprogram and concurrent trends. In
addition, the analysis will compare the differences with those at the
comparison group of (non-VPSC) schools. The relevant analysis therefore
consists of comparing the "differences \[in the VPSC and non-VPSC
groups\] between differences \[in preprogram and concurrent trends\]."
The unit of analysis is the school, providing the ability to compare the
academic performance at different grade-level bands (elementary school,
middle school, and high school[^11]) for the VPSC Program. Finally,
separate analyses will examine scores in reading and in mathematics.

***Qualitative analyses***. The general analytic strategy in dealing
with qualitative data is to examine the extent to which plausible
arguments can be made regarding any relationship between a VPSC
initiative and subsequent educational outcomes, including student
achievement.

The analysis will initially focus on within-site conditions. A key
technique will be to assemble the VPSC Program's features, prior to
actual data collection, into an evaluation framework. The framework
should attempt to "explain," in qualitative terms, how various actions
and events can theoretically produce the desired outputs relating to
educational equity and excellence (Evaluation Question Two). Qualitative
data from the site visits and other documentation will then be used to
test the framework's theory. An important part of this procedure is to
search for and understand the role of possible rival explanations (Yin,
2000). For instance, ongoing district or school policies apart from the
VPSC initiative may be strongly associated with the observed outputs.

The qualitative analysis will also consider conditions across sites,
looking at trends associated with all VPSC sites. For instance, findings
and lessons from the VPSC Program could reveal different types of choice
initiatives, with the 13 sites arrayed into groups based on the design
of their VPSC-funded choice program. The subgroups could help provide
greater insight into the associated outcomes from choice initiatives and
also serve as practical examples to be evaluated by other districts in
the future.

Another analytic priority comes from an expressed need, by the
Department, for the national evaluation to report new information about
useful practices for conducting choice initiatives. From the national
evaluation, such information on choice initiatives would serve at least
two audiences: districts implementing the choice provisions of Title I
and districts wanting to start or strengthen their own public school
choice initiatives independent of the Title I requirements.

**Number range CHAPTER3. VPSC PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS**

In the VPSC Program, the Department awarded grants to three types of
organizations: 1) nine local or regional school districts; 2) three
state education agencies; and 3) one nonprofit, charter school
organization. Two of the three state education agencies contracted with
other organizations to implement their choice initiatives. For example,
one site allocated funds primarily to districts throughout the state to
support local school choice plans, as well as to an area university to
assist these districts with the operation of choice information centers.

The 13 VPSC sites are located in various parts of the country. Ten sites
are located in predominantly urban areas, two in areas that cover both
urban and rural regions, and one in an entirely rural area (see exhibit
3). Ten of the locales represent a total population of over 100,000
people each. The public school student populations in the communities
are mostly diverse and poor. Nonwhite students comprise over 60 percent
of the student population at seven school systems represented by the
sites. Similarly, over 60 percent of the students are eligible for the
Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program[^12] at seven of the sites.

The VPSC sites vary greatly in the design of their choice initiatives.
They differ widely in the number of students served, the number of
participating public schools, and the capacity to accommodate transfers.
In addition, they differ by how they define choice zones and manage the
flow of students among participating schools (see exhibit 4 for brief
descriptions).

Despite this variation, sites have pursued some common paths. First,
although unique, school choice initiatives tended to fall under four
major categories based on how sites have defined choice arrangements and
directed the flow of transferring students. Second, all sites focused on
two core activities throughout the implementation process: 1) engaging
parents and community members; and 2) building capacity at schools to
attract and accommodate choice transfers.

**Types of Choice Arrangements**

The VPSC Program allows grantees to design choice initiatives to meet
their own needs. Nevertheless, going beyond the unique circumstances at
each site, the VPSC

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 3**                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| **Context of the VPSC Sites: Community Characteristics**              |
|                                                                       |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | # Characteristic                               | **No. of       |   |
| |                                                | sites**        |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Type of community:**                         |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Urban**                                      | 10             |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Rural**                                      | 1              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Mixed**                                      | 2              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Population:**                                |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | ###  **Under 100,000**                         | 3              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **100,000 to 1million**                        | 6              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Over 1million**                              | 4              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Public school enrollment:**                  |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **No. of students enrolled**                   |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Under 25,000**                               | 4              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **25,000--100,000**                            | 4              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Over 100,000**                               | 5              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Percent nonwhite**                           |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Under 30**                                   | 1              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **30--60**                                     | 5              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Over 60**                                    | 7              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Percent eligible for the Free And            |                |   |
| | Reduced-Price Lunch program**                  |                |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Under 30**                                   | 1              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **30--60**                                     | 5              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
| | **Over 60**                                    | 7              |   |
| +------------------------------------------------+----------------+   |
|                                                                       |
| Source: NCES-Common Core of Data.                                     |
|                                                                       |
| Exhibit Reads: Ten of the VPSC sites are located in urban areas.      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Program appears to be supporting four types of choice arrangements (see
exhibit 5) that provide a fuller understanding of the ways that public
school choice can work.

***First, five of the VPSC Program's initiatives designated specific
schools to be either sending schools or receiving schools but not
both***. In this first type, students attending sending schools are
eligible to transfer, and their choices are limited to a select group of
receiving schools. At these sites, VPSC funds mainly supported the
strengthening or capacity-enhancement at the receiving schools.

Under this first arrangement, four of the sites have defined their
sending schools as "low-performing" according to the *NCLB* criteria
regarding schools identified for improvement. However, because the VPSC
legislation does not prescribe a standard for

+------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| ###### Exhibit 4                                           |         |
|                                                            |         |
| **Brief Descriptions of the VPSC Program's Choice          |         |
| Initiatives**                                              |         |
|                                                            |         |
| ###### (Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)                          |         |
|                                                            |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **VPSC  | *  | **Description of initiative**        |    |         |
| | gr      | *A |                                      |    |         |
| | antee** | wa |                                      |    |         |
| |         | rd |                                      |    |         |
| |         | am |                                      |    |         |
| |         | ou |                                      |    |         |
| |         | nt |                                      |    |         |
| |         | ** |                                      |    |         |
| |         |    |                                      |    |         |
| |         | *  |                                      |    |         |
| |         | *( |                                      |    |         |
| |         | \$ |                                      |    |         |
| |         | mi |                                      |    |         |
| |         | ll |                                      |    |         |
| |         | io |                                      |    |         |
| |         | n) |                                      |    |         |
| |         | ** |                                      |    |         |
| +=========+====+======================================+    |         |
| | **1.    | \  | Has supported three cohorts of       |    |         |
| | A       | $9 | students attending an off-campus     |    |         |
| | rkansas | .3 | (residential or community) program   |    |         |
| | Dep     |    | to receive a rigorous and            |    |         |
| | artment |    | comprehensive, self-paced education, |    |         |
| | of      |    | delivered online and aligned with    |    |         |
| | Educ    |    | the state's standards (requires      |    |         |
| | ation** |    | students to take state assessment).  |    |         |
| |         |    | The program covered K--5 in          |    |         |
| |         |    | 2002--03, K--7 in 2003--04, and K--8 |    |         |
| |         |    | starting in 2004--05.                |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **2.    | \  | Opened its first three charter       |    |         |
| | B       | $3 | schools in Albany in 2005--06. In    |    |         |
| | righter | .4 | preparation, the site continued to   |    |         |
| | Choice  |    | educate the public on Title I        |    |         |
| | Charter |    | choice; support charter school       |    |         |
| | S       |    | development; and coordinate          |    |         |
| | chools, |    | supplemental educational services in |    |         |
| | N.Y.**  |    | two districts.                       |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **3.    | \$ | Has supported two cohorts of         |    |         |
| | Chicago | 10 | students (K--8) attending            |    |         |
| | Public  | .2 | neighborhood learning clusters       |    |         |
| | S       |    | (NLCs) of four-to-six schools each.  |    |         |
| | chools, |    | Four clusters started in 2003--04,   |    |         |
| | Ill.**  |    | three started in 2004--05, and two   |    |         |
| |         |    | started in 2005--06. There is a new  |    |         |
| |         |    | school in each cluster, and existing |    |         |
| |         |    | schools develop magnet themes;       |    |         |
| |         |    | clusters have coordinators; and      |    |         |
| |         |    | schools receive VPSC funds.          |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **4.    | \  | Has supported two cohorts of         |    |         |
| | Desert  | $7 | students transferring from           |    |         |
| | Sands   | .9 | low-performing sending schools to    |    |         |
| | Unified |    | higher-performing receiving schools  |    |         |
| | School  |    | (K--12). Funds help augment          |    |         |
| | Di      |    | curricula at receiving schools with  |    |         |
| | strict, |    | environmental studies theme to make  |    |         |
| | C       |    | them more attractive to transferring |    |         |
| | alif.** |    | students.                            |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **5.    | \$ | Has supported student transfers      |    |         |
| | Florida | 17 | beginning in 2004--05. Funds assist  |    |         |
| | Dep     | .8 | a subset of districts to expand      |    |         |
| | artment |    | choice options (could cover K--12);  |    |         |
| | of      |    | funds are allocated to mentor        |    |         |
| | Educ    |    | districts (already successful at     |    |         |
| | ation** |    | choice options) and mentee districts |    |         |
| |         |    | (needing to expand options), and     |    |         |
| |         |    | postsecondary institutions (to start |    |         |
| |         |    | school choice information and        |    |         |
| |         |    | assistance centers).                 |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **6.    | \  | Has supported two cohorts of middle  |    |         |
| | Gre     | $2 | and high school students (7--12)     |    |         |
| | enburgh | .8 | attending new academies of choice in |    |         |
| | Central |    | middle and high school. Beginning in |    |         |
| | School  |    | 2004--05, three elementary schools   |    |         |
| | D       |    | implemented the International        |    |         |
| | istrict |    | Baccalaureate Primary Years          |    |         |
| | No. 7,  |    | Programme (IB) to offer choice to    |    |         |
| | N.Y.**  |    | all K--6 students.                   |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **7.    | \$ | Has supported a districtwide         |    |         |
| | Hills   | 10 | controlled choice initiative         |    |         |
| | borough | .2 | (K--12), starting 2004--05,          |    |         |
| | County  |    | involving seven zones or regions and |    |         |
| | School  |    | the creation or expansion of 51      |    |         |
| | Di      |    | "attractor" programs at existing     |    |         |
| | strict, |    | schools to maintain or increase      |    |         |
| | Fla.**  |    | student diversity. Plans for the     |    |         |
| |         |    | initiative were in place well before |    |         |
| |         |    | VPSC, which only partially supports  |    |         |
| |         |    | the initiative.                      |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **8.    | \$ | Has targeted two of eight            |    |         |
| | Mia     | 11 | transportation zones in the          |    |         |
| | mi-Dade | .7 | district. Provides funds to create   |    |         |
| | County  |    | choice programs at under-enrolled    |    |         |
| | Public  |    | schools (K--12). In 2003--2004, the  |    |         |
| | S       |    | site opened one new "commuter"       |    |         |
| | chools, |    | school in Zone 1. In 2004--05, the   |    |         |
| | Fla.**  |    | site created or enhanced choice      |    |         |
| |         |    | programs at a total of nine schools  |    |         |
| |         |    | in Zone 1, and four schools in Zone  |    |         |
| |         |    | 2.                                   |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **9.    | \$ | Has supported existing program       |    |         |
| | Mi      | 11 | allowing MPS students qualifying for |    |         |
| | nnesota | .8 | FRPL to transfer to 56 schools in    |    |         |
| | Dep     |    | eight surrounding suburban           |    |         |
| | artment |    | districts, and suburban or MPS       |    |         |
| | of      |    | students to attend 12 schools in MPS |    |         |
| | Educ    |    | (K--12) with VPSC funding Parent     |    |         |
| | ation** |    | Information Centers, some            |    |         |
| |         |    | transportation, and support          |    |         |
| |         |    | services.                            |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **10.   | \  | Has supported three cohorts of       |    |         |
| | Mo      | $8 | students making interdistrict        |    |         |
| | nadnock | .4 | transfers (9--12), attending new     |    |         |
| | R       |    | programs in their original schools   |    |         |
| | egional |    | (6--12), transferring to an          |    |         |
| | School  |    | alternative high school (MC2) and a  |    |         |
| | Di      |    | virtual high school, or enrolling in |    |         |
| | strict, |    | college courses. Has added new       |    |         |
| | N.H.**  |    | choice programs at two high schools  |    |         |
| |         |    | and two middle schools. Expansion to |    |         |
| |         |    | elementary school is in progress.    |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **11.   | \  | Has supported three cohorts of       |    |         |
| | New     | $9 | students transferring from           |    |         |
| | Haven   | .5 | low-performing schools to identified |    |         |
| | Public  |    | higher-performing schools including  |    |         |
| | S       |    | Lighthouse Schools, magnets,         |    |         |
| | chools, |    | charters, and suburban public        |    |         |
| | Conn.** |    | schools. VPSC funds expanded         |    |         |
| |         |    | programs at four Lighthouse Schools  |    |         |
| |         |    | (K--6) in 2002--03, five Lighthouse  |    |         |
| |         |    | Schools in 2003--04, and three in    |    |         |
| |         |    | 2004--05.                            |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **12.   | \  | Has supported two cohorts of         |    |         |
| | P       | $6 | transfer students through the        |    |         |
| | ortland | .5 | augmentation of a districtwide,      |    |         |
| | Public  |    | previously available choice program  |    |         |
| | S       |    | (K--12). VPSC funds help support new |    |         |
| | chools, |    | enrollment and transfer policies;    |    |         |
| | Oreg.** |    | selection, lottery, and transition   |    |         |
| |         |    | services; and collaborative          |    |         |
| |         |    | curricula planning.                  |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
| | **13.   | \$ | Has supported three cohorts of       |    |         |
| | R       | 10 | transfer students from               |    |         |
| | ockford | .1 | low-performing schools (K--8) to     |    |         |
| | School  |    | identified receiving schools, as     |    |         |
| | D       |    | part of an existing districtwide     |    |         |
| | istrict |    | choice plan. VPSC funds provide      |    |         |
| | #205,   |    | support to receiving schools; parent |    |         |
| | Ill.**  |    | and transportation services; and     |    |         |
| |         |    | three tutoring programs run by       |    |         |
| |         |    | community or faith-based             |    |         |
| |         |    | organizations.                       |    |         |
| +---------+----+--------------------------------------+    |         |
|                                                            |         |
| ######  Sources: Analysis of site visit                    |         |
|  data and Grant Performance Reports by COSMOS Corp., 2005. |         |
+------------------------------------------------------------+---------+
| **Exhibit 5**                                              |         |
|                                                            |         |
| **Four Types of Choice Arrangements Implemented by VPSC    |         |
| Sites**                                                    |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   ---                                                      |         |
| -------------------------------- --------- --------------- |         |
|   **Type of choice arrangement**      **No. of  **No. of   |         |
|                                                            |         |
|                                    VPSC      participating |         |
|                                       sites**   schools**  |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   **Predesignated sending or          5         \*60       |         |
|   receiving schools**                                      |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   **Same schools are both sending and 5         502        |         |
|   receiving schools**                                      |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   **Within-school options only**      1         6          |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   **Mixture of the first three        2         \*\*6      |         |
|   groups**                                                 |         |
|                                                            |         |
|   **Total**                           13        574        |         |
|   ---                                                      |         |
| -------------------------------- --------- --------------- |         |
|                                                            |         |
| > \*Represents the schools at only three of the five       |         |
| > sites. The fourth site only started its VPSC-funded      |         |
| > enrollment in 2005--2006, and the fifth site was         |         |
| > enrolling students at predesignated off-campus sites     |         |
| > (residential or community facilities), but had no        |         |
| > predesignated sending schools.                           |         |
| >                                                          |         |
| > \*\*Represents the schools at only one of the two sites, |         |
| > because the second site started enrollment in 2004--05   |         |
| > but did not identify its participating schools.          |         |
| >                                                          |         |
| > Sources: Survey of Schools, Grant Performance Reports,   |         |
| > and analysis of site visit data.                         |         |
| >                                                          |         |
| > Exhibit Reads: Five VPSC sites have 60 predesignated     |         |
| > sending or receiving schools.                            |         |
+------------------------------------------------------------+---------+

identifying "higher-performing" schools, the program and its sites have
defined the receiving schools simply as those that are not
"low-performing" schools. At one of the four sites, initially eligible
receiving schools later became identified for improvement during the
second year of its VPSC initiative. At that point, the site then ruled
those schools to be ineligible as receiving schools.

The fifth site in this first type of arrangement had predesignated
sending and receiving schools but did not attempt to limit either group
according to any low- to high-performing criteria. All schools in the
system could be a sending school, and the receiving "schools" were
pre-designated off-campus sites.

***Second, five initiatives defined the same schools as both "sending"
and "receiving."*** Under a second type of arrangement, five sites
permit transfers between all public schools either districtwide or
within prespecified zones. In the latter case, students can choose only
among the public schools located within their assigned zone. Whether
delineated by zone or district, students can attend any school within
that area, regardless of a school's prior performance. This type of
choice arrangement gives sites little or no ability to direct the flow
of students from low- to higher-performing schools.

An additional observation is noteworthy. At least one site deliberately
defined its geographic zones to include both schools identified for
improvement and higher-performing schools. Thus, in a large countywide
district, "pie-shaped" zones may have suburban-like, higher-performing
schools at their perimeter and urban-like, low-performing schools at
their center. While the site may limit transfers to within-zone choices,
the initiative nevertheless gives students the opportunity to transfer
from schools identified for improvement to higher-performing schools
(and from an urban to a more suburban environment).

For both of these first two types of arrangements, the majority of the
student bodies in all three types of schools (sending-only,
receiving-only, or both sending and receiving)

were nonwhite students and were eligible for the Free and Reduced-Price
Lunch program (see exhibit 6.) However, in comparing the two types of
arrangements, those with the non-designated (both sending and receiving)
schools had lower proportions of low-income and minority students than
the sending-only schools in the first type of arrangement; in turn, the
receiving-only schools tended to have the lowest proportion of
low-income students and Title I schools.

###### 

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 6                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| **Characteristics of Schools Participating in the VPSC Program,       |
| 2004--05\***                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| | **Characteristics of        | **      | **R      | **Schools  |     |
| | Schools**                   | Sending | eceiving | that are   |     |
| |                             | schools | schools  | both       |     |
| |                             | only**  | only**   | sending    |     |
| |                             |         |          | and        |     |
| |                             | **(     | **       | r          |     |
| |                             | n=27)** | (n=32)** | eceiving** |     |
| |                             |         |          |            |     |
| |                             |         |          | *          |     |
| |                             |         |          | *(n=288)** |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| |                             | Average |          |            |     |
| |                             | p       |          |            |     |
| |                             | ercent, |          |            |     |
| |                             | per     |          |            |     |
| |                             | VPSC    |          |            |     |
| |                             | site:   |          |            |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| | **Race/ethnicity:           | 70.6    | 58.2     | 52.7       |     |
| | nonwhite**                  |         |          |            |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| | **Eligible for the Free and | 68.5    | 51.1     | 55.4       |     |
| | Reduced-Price Lunch         |         |          |            |     |
| | program**                   |         |          |            |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| |                             |         |          |            |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| |                             | Percent |          |            |     |
| |                             | of      |          |            |     |
| |                             | schools |          |            |     |
| |                             | that    |          |            |     |
| |                             | are     |          |            |     |
| |                             | Title   |          |            |     |
| |                             | I:      |          |            |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
| | **Title I schools**         | 63.0    | 31.3     | 57.3       |     |
| +-----------------------------+---------+----------+------------+     |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Total number of schools within the VPSC sites is approximately    |
| > 574. Of those, data for 347 schools were available for this         |
| > analysis.                                                           |
| >                                                                     |
| > Source: NCES, Common Core of Data, 2005.                            |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit Reads: On average, 70.6 percent of students in sending      |
| > schools are nonwhite.                                               |
|                                                                       |
| ######                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Number range CHAPTER***Third, one site established a within-school
initiative, in which students choose from education programs within the
same school***. In this third type, all students remain at the original
schools. At the single VPSC site that implemented this third type of
arrangement, students at their high school could choose between two
different academic programs that had been put into place with VPSC
funds. Middle school students had a similar choice. At the elementary
level, students could choose between two forms of assessment when
enrolling in a new International Baccalaureate (IB) option: being graded
on the basis of either completing a project or taking a test.[^13]

*Fourth, two initiatives have involved a mixture of the first three
types*. One VPSC initiative encompasses multiple school districts in the
same state, with each district defining its own choice options. Because
the initiative involves 26 districts, the choice options cover nearly
every variety of arrangement. The second site under this last
arrangement had a mix of choices, including education programs within
the same school as well as transfers in which schools could be both
sending and receiving. During the site's initial implementation, it also
had a designated sending school, which was a high school that had been
low-performing. The high school was then closed the following year as
planned.

***Every VPSC site has other, non-VPSC-funded public school choice
initiatives operating at the site.*** These other options include magnet
programs and charter schools, Title I public school choice, and a
variety of other choice options offered by the district or state. For
instance, several of the VPSC sites are located in states that offer
open enrollment to all students to attend any public school in the
entire state. Overall, even when sites supported public school choice
initiatives using VPSC funds exclusively, they had other unrelated
choice programs operating at the same time (see earlier exhibit 2,
chapter 2).

Core Activities

Regardless of the arrangement, all of the sites carried out two core
activities.

Engaging, Notifying, and Reaching Parents and Community

**Members**

***Parents and community representatives have played an important role
in the development and implementation of the choice initiatives.*** From
the beginning, VPSC sites invested in outreach to parents and
communities to ensure that public school choice initiatives met local
needs. Sites notified parents and community members of their plans,
giving them the opportunity to express preferences for educational
content, student selection criteria, and the design of parent
information centers. Among these topics, the VPSC sites report focusing
on engaging parents and community members in selecting the type of
educational programming that would best attract students to receiving
schools (see exhibit 7).

Several VPSC-funded sites also used parent and community input as a way
to generate public approval for their choice initiatives. At one site,
partnership agreements between the district and several community
agencies were instrumental in developing a new environmental studies
curriculum. By engaging these groups in the planning and implementation
of choice initiatives, the sites worked to garner support for their
VPSC-funded initiatives.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 7                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| **Efforts to Involve Parents and the Community in the**               |
|                                                                       |
| **VPSC Program's Choice Initiatives**                                 |
|                                                                       |
| **(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| +-------------+---------------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Type of   | **Sites' activities**                             |   |
| | in          |                                                   |   |
| | volvement** |                                                   |   |
| +-------------+---------------------------------------------------+   |
| | > **E       | Market research, surveys of parents, community    |   |
| | stablishing | and parent advisors,                              |   |
| | > the       |                                                   |   |
| | > i         | community focus groups and forums                 |   |
| | nitiative** |                                                   |   |
| +-------------+---------------------------------------------------+   |
| | >           | Parent advisory committees, principal and teacher |   |
| |  **Planning | input, parent representation                      |   |
| | > the       |                                                   |   |
| | > i         | on lottery and parent information center          |   |
| | nitiative** | committees                                        |   |
| +-------------+---------------------------------------------------+   |
| | > **I       | Parent participation in daily instruction,        |   |
| | mplementing | community support for curriculum                  |   |
| | > the       |                                                   |   |
| | > i         | > and materials, parent and student surveys,      |   |
| | nitiative** | > specialists or counselors, workshops on         |   |
| |             | > parenting skills, technical assistance to       |   |
| |             | > schools on parental involvement                 |   |
| +-------------+---------------------------------------------------+   |
|                                                                       |
| Sources: Analysis of site visit data and Grant Performance Reports.   |
|                                                                       |
| > Exhibit Reads: Sites engaged parents and the community in           |
| > establishing the choice initiatives through varied site activities, |
| > including: market research; surveys; advisory teams; and focus      |
| > groups.                                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

As the VPSC sites transitioned from the planning stage to
implementation, several created ways to keep parents and community
members actively engaged. Choice information centers have sponsored
workshops on parenting skills, health and nutrition, computer literacy,
and other topics in addition to providing information about public
school choice.

***VPSC sites invested in a variety of outreach, marketing, and
communication efforts targeted at students and families eligible to
participate in choice options. With public awareness growing, though,
many sites have begun to scale back intensive marketing campaigns more
recently.*** During the first three years of implementation, the VPSC
sites used a wide variety of community outlets, including billboards,
movie "trailers," e-mail announcements, and Web advertisements (see
exhibit 8). An especially ambitious site mailed over 100,000 brochures
to parents of public school eligible students. In addition, sites have
invested in training school staff to assist in the communication
process.

Recognizing the importance of raising public awareness, a few sites have
entered into formal subcontracts with public relations or marketing
consultants to increase their effectiveness.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 8**                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| **Parent and Community Outreach Activities**                          |
|                                                                       |
| **(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | # Notific      | **No.  | **Activities**                       |    |
| | ation activity | of     |                                      |    |
| |                | sit    |                                      |    |
| |                | es\*** |                                      |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | **Face-to-face | 12     | Districtwide and school fairs and    |    |
| | parent and     |        | open houses, community               |    |
| | community      |        |                                      |    |
| | outreach**     |        | meetings, door-to-door marketing     |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | **Media        | 12     | Advertisements, TV appearances,      |    |
| | campaigns**    |        | handouts, Web sites,                 |    |
| |                |        |                                      |    |
| |                |        | printed resources                    |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | **Direct       | 10     | Postcards, brochures, newsletters,   |    |
| | mailing**      |        | catalog choice options,              |    |
| |                |        |                                      |    |
| |                |        | Applications                         |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | **Parent       | 10     | Centralized and neighborhood         |    |
| | information    |        | centers, temporary booths at         |    |
| | centers**      |        |                                      |    |
| |                |        | area mall or events                  |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | **Staff        | 6      | Centralized and school-based         |    |
| | education**    |        | training, videos and brochures to    |    |
| |                |        | staff                                |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
| | Total for all  | 50     | (On average, each of the 13 sites    |    |
| | 13 sites       |        | conducted three or more types of     |    |
| |                |        | notification activities.)            |    |
| +----------------+--------+--------------------------------------+    |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Individual VPSC Program sites can appear under more than one type |
| > of activity.                                                        |
| >                                                                     |
| > Sources: Analysis of site visit data and Grant Performance Reports, |
| > COSMOS Corp., 2005.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| Exhibit Reads: Of the 13 sites engaging in community outreach         |
| activities, 12 sites conducted face-to-face outreach activities that  |
| included districtwide or school fairs and open houses, community      |
| meetings, and door-to-door marketing.                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Many of the sites that initially engaged in large-scale public education
campaigns reported scaling back these efforts as parents, students, and
teachers have become aware of their choice options. One site decided to
eliminate an intensive advertising campaign conducted during the first
two years of implementation. Sites also have shifted strategies over the
past two years, concentrating funds previously devoted to districtwide
marketing campaigns to increasing awareness among the parents of
preschool age children. Other sites now use communication funds on
efforts to increase the capacity of receiving schools to accommodate
more transferring students.

A common outreach mechanism has been the development and staffing of
parent information centers. By 2004--05, ten of the VPSC sites supported
at least one parent information center to provide parents with
information about their choices and to assist them in the student
application and enrollment process. At one site, several thousand
visitors were reported during the main enrollment period. However, most
sites reported a few hundred to several hundred visitors. All the sites
reported a significant drop in visitors to the parent information
centers after the enrollment period was over.

Many of the VPSC information centers offer counseling and other services
in addition to information about VPSC choice initiatives. Some centers
market other choice options available to students, or serve as the
central enrollment offices for their districts. In 2004--05, the VPSC
sites continued to conduct workshops and educational activities for
parents primarily through the parent information centers. These
activities included GED and computer classes, health education
workshops, and classes on supporting students' homework activities.

The district staff at the sites identified the following as desirable
characteristics for parent information centers:

-   Locations accessible to parents and families;

-   Sufficient and safe parking;

-   Nearby public transportation; and

-   Operating hours that include days and evenings.

VPSC sites have made ongoing adjustments to the operation of the parent
information centers as the choice initiatives have continued. At least
two sites added parent information centers between the 2003--04 and the
2004--05 school years. Another site with several parent information
centers within the same district reduced the number of centers based on
use by the community. Yet another site restructured its parent
information center, reassigning staff to specialty areas dealing with
different aspects of the choice initiatives. As the sites refine the
role of the parent information centers, further analysis is needed to
determine whether particular models for parent information centers might
influence participation in choice initiatives.

VPSC sites made materials available in a variety of languages to
communicate with families. Over half of the sites had brochures and
applications available in English and Spanish, and several sites
reported using local Spanish-language media outlets (newspapers, radio,
and television). One site reported that advertising on a local
Spanish-language radio station was among its most successful outreach
efforts. In addition to Spanish, other sites reported printing materials
in Chinese, Hmong, Lao, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, and
Vietnamese. Some sites partnered with other local agencies to assist in
fielding phone calls from non-English speakers.

All VPSC sites had ongoing year-round information outlets such as Web
sites, newsletters, and advertising. The sites worked to implement their
public information campaigns well in advance of the application
deadlines for their choice initiatives. For the most part, the push took
place over one to two months before the application period. However,
sites also shared information about VPSC-funded choice initiatives as
much as one year prior to the application period.

In some cases, sites delayed notifying parents of their choice options
until the state had published the names of schools identified as
low-performing, which at best occurs the summer before the start of the
school year. As a consequence, parents and students at these sites were
notified of their eligibility only a few weeks before they had to make a
decision on whether to apply to transfer to another school. Similar
problems exist with implementing Title I public school choice. During
2004--05, one site obtained a final list of schools identified for
improvement from the state in December 2004, resulting in students not
being able to transfer until January 2005.[^14] The site estimates that
the delay decreased the number of students participating in the choice
initiative by as much as 80 percent.[^15]

######  Nevertheless, participating schools believe that parents are aware of their choice options (see exhibit 9). Of all schools surveyed, a large proportion indicated their belief that most or all parents and families had a good understanding of choice options. This response differed, depending on the type of school. At the average site, 63 percent of sending schools reported that all or most of parents and families have a good understanding of their choice options, as compared to 74 percent of receiving schools and 69 percent of schools that are both sending and receiving. However, the results are solely based on the school survey and may not represent the views of parents and families. 

***Sending schools reported fewer parent notification activities than
either receiving schools or non-designated schools*** (see exhibit 10).
Among all the schools, the most frequent mode of communication reported
was through letters to parents and families.

High percentages of receiving schools and undesignated schools also
reported making face-to-face contacts with students and their families,
through individual or group meetings, enrollment fairs, or open houses.
In contrast, sending schools reported little such direct contact with
parents and families. Overall, receiving schools, as compared to sending
schools, may have been more motivated to provide choice information to
parents in order to attract students to their programs. Further research
is needed to determine whether this lack of effort impacted student
participation levels.

**Capacity-Enhancing Activities**

***The schools participating in the VPSC initiatives have undergone a
variety of capacity-enhancing activities, including: starting new
academic programs or subjects; purchasing supplies and equipment; and
providing professional development to staff.* Capacity-**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 9                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| **Schools Surveyed on Parents' and Families' Understanding**          |
|                                                                       |
| **of Choice Options at VPSC Sites, 2004--05\***                       |
|                                                                       |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| | **School-reported       | **Average |          |               |    |
| | proportion of parents   | percent   |          |               |    |
| | and families having a   | per VPSC  |          |               |    |
| | good understanding of   | site**    |          |               |    |
| | their choice options**  |           |          |               |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| |                         | **        | **R      | **Schools     |    |
| |                         | Sending** | eceiving | that are both |    |
| |                         |           | schools  | sending and   |    |
| |                         | **schools | only**   | receiving**   |    |
| |                         | only**    |          |               |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| | **All**                 | 31        | 24       | 19            |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| | **Most, over 50         | 31        | 50       | 51            |    |
| | percent**               |           |          |               |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| | **Some, 20--50          | 29        | 34       | 28            |    |
| | percent**               |           |          |               |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
| | **Few, less than 20     | 32        | 0        | 20            |    |
| | percent**               |           |          |               |    |
| +-------------------------+-----------+----------+---------------+    |
|                                                                       |
| \*N=514 schools for 12 sites enrolling students in the VPSC-funded    |
| initiatives in 2004--05.                                              |
|                                                                       |
| Source: Survey of Schools, 2004--05.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| > Exhibit Reads: On average, 31 percent of sending schools (per site) |
| > reported that all parents and families have a good understanding of |
| > their choice options.                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

enhancing activities included efforts to both accommodate and attract
transferring students at receiving schools (see exhibit 10). In addition
to improvements to existing schools, sites have increased capacity
within the system by opening new schools, including charter schools. For
the most part, the new schools were planned in advance of the VPSC
initiative, and they should not be considered a product of the
initiative itself. One site, however, planned the development of several
charter schools as a key component of its VPSC design.

Capacity-enhancement activities included investments in new educational
programs, including orientation assistance, as well as supplemental
services that included tutoring, after-school programming, and summer
school. VPSC funds have helped to support counselors and outside
organizations to provide these services, which sometimes work in
conjunction with Title I school improvement efforts. At some sites,
schools modified the length of the school day or calendar year and
rearranged school schedules to accommodate additional educational
opportunities implemented as part of the VPSC initiative.

***Existing academic programs, as well as other conditions at receiving
schools, have been important in encouraging enrollment***. These
VPSC-funded activities notwithstanding, schools responding to the school
survey indicated their belief that existing academic programs were a
major factor in students' decisions to transfer. Similarly, principals,
teachers, and parents interviewed during site visits to receiving
schools overwhelmingly responded that the main reason students had
decided to transfer to these schools was their preexisting reputations
for high performance, not necessarily because of any specific
capacity-enhancing activities completed in connection with the VPSC
Program.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| #### Exhibit 10                                                       |
|                                                                       |
| ###### Efforts to Notify Parents of Their Choice Options, 2004--05\*  |
|                                                                       |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| |                            | *        |          |             |    |
| |                            | *Average |          |             |    |
| |                            | percent  |          |             |    |
| |                            | per VPSC |          |             |    |
| |                            | si       |          |             |    |
| |                            | te**\*\* |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | ### **Response category**  | *        | **R      | **Schools   |    |
| |                            | *Sending | eceiving | that are    |    |
| |                            | schools  | schools  | both        |    |
| |                            | only**   | only**   | sending and |    |
| |                            |          |          | receiving** |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Individual, face-to-face | 25       | 51       | 69          |    |
| | meetings**                 |          |          |             |    |
| |                            |          |          |             |    |
| | **with school officials**  |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Group meetings with      | 18       | 51       | 62          |    |
| | school officials**         |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Enrollment fairs or      | 32       | 54       | 69          |    |
| | similar events**           |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Open houses at receiving | 18       | 75       | 61          |    |
| | schools**                  |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Letter mailed to parents | 55       | 62       | 68          |    |
| | and families**             |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Letter sent home with    | 14       | 64       | 61          |    |
| | students**                 |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Announcements in         | 32       | 62       | 59          |    |
| | community**                |          |          |             |    |
| |                            |          |          |             |    |
| | **newspapers and other     |          |          |             |    |
| | media**                    |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
| | **Contacts made by         | 37       | 51       | 40          |    |
| | district's parent**        |          |          |             |    |
| |                            |          |          |             |    |
| | **information center(s)**  |          |          |             |    |
| +----------------------------+----------+----------+-------------+    |
|                                                                       |
| > \*N=555 schools for 12 sites enrolling students in the VPSC-funded  |
| > initiatives in 2004--05.                                            |
| >                                                                     |
| > \*\*Individual program sites can appear under more than one         |
| > category. Average percent calculated based on number of sites       |
| > engaging in the type of activity.                                   |
| >                                                                     |
| > Source: Survey of Schools, 2004--05.                                |
|                                                                       |
| #### Exhibit Reads: On average, 25 percent of se                      |
| nding schools (per site) reported having individual, face-to-face mee |
| tings between parents and school officials related to choice options. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Students also may have been attracted by schools' physical facilities or
perceived safety. The VPSC legislation expressly prohibits the use of
program funds for construction, but sites could use funds from other
sources to make physical improvements. At one VPSC site, the main
receiving school had a combination of new academic activities supported
by VPSC funds and a new building and classrooms put into place by the
school district. At another site, the planned receiving schools are
charter schools with a similar combination of features.

***Capacity-enhancing services reach both transferring and existing
students at receiving schools***. The new funds have produced
improvements that benefit all students at receiving schools, including
professional development for teachers, science and computer equipment,
supplies, and additional school staff. In one case, however, the site
targeted services directly to transferring students by supporting
school-based specialists to work with them in addition to implementing a
new schoolwide curriculum.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 11**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Schools Involved in Capacity-Enhancing Activities**                 |
|                                                                       |
| **at VPSC Sites\***                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| | # Type of              | # Av      |            |             |     |
| |  Capacity-Enhancement  | erage per |            |             |     |
| |                        | cent per  |            |             |     |
| |                        | VPSC site |            |             |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| |                        | **        | *          | **Schools   |     |
| |                        | Sending** | *Receiving | that are    |     |
| |                        |           | schools    | both        |     |
| |                        | **schools | only**     | sending and |     |
| |                        | only**    |            | receiving** |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| | **Becoming a charter   | NA        | 17         | 7           |     |
| | school**               |           |            |             |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| | **Starting new magnet  | 21        | 83         | 23          |     |
| | programs,\             |           |            |             |     |
| | academies, or small    |           |            |             |     |
| | learning\              |           |            |             |     |
| | communities**          |           |            |             |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| | **Starting other new   | 24        | 60         | 23          |     |
| | academic**             |           |            |             |     |
| |                        |           |            |             |     |
| | **programs or          |           |            |             |     |
| | subjects**             |           |            |             |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
| | **Making other changes | 26        | 22         | 13          |     |
| | in school**            |           |            |             |     |
| |                        |           |            |             |     |
| | **administration       |           |            |             |     |
| | (e.g.,\                |           |            |             |     |
| | changing school        |           |            |             |     |
| | hours)**               |           |            |             |     |
| +------------------------+-----------+------------+-------------+     |
|                                                                       |
| > \*N=555 schools for 12 sites enrolling students in the VPSC-funded  |
| > initiatives in 2004--05. Individual program sites can appear under  |
| > more than one type of activity.                                     |
| >                                                                     |
| > Source: Survey of Schools, 2004--05.                                |
|                                                                       |
| Exhibit Reads: Among the schools participating in the VPSC Program's  |
| initiatives, on average, 17 percent of the receiving schools (per     |
| site) reported becoming a charter school.                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Though sites focused capacity-enhancing activities at receiving schools,
school survey respondents also reported new educational programs at
sending schools (see also exhibit 11). Frequently, these schools were
identified as "low-performing" and initiated new educational programs to
comply with their Title I school improvement plan. The initiation of
these programs may in some instances have encouraged students to remain
at their original schools rather than transferring to receiving schools.

Number range CHAPTER***Additional differences were found among sending
schools, receiving schools, and undesignated schools in the degree of
professional development provided to teachers as part of the VPSC-funded
initiative.***[^16] The schools surveyed reported that teachers at the
sending-only schools were less likely to receive professional
development about the transfer process than other participating schools
(see exhibit 12). While only 24 percent of the sending-only schools
reported receiving such professional development, more than 33 percent
of the receiving-only schools and 30 percent of undesignated schools
benefited from training specifically related to the school choice
transfer process.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 12                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| **Teacher Professional Development\***                                |
|                                                                       |
|                                                                       |
|  ----------------------- ------------ ------------- ----------------- |
|                           **Average                                   |
|                           percent per                                 |
|                           VPSC site**                                 |
|                                                                       |
|   **Survey response       **Sending    **Receiving   **Schools that   |
|   category**              schools      schools       are both sending |
|                           only**       only**        and receiving**  |
|                                                                       |
|   **Teachers received     24           33            30               |
|   extra staff or                                                      |
|   professional                                                        |
|   development in relation                                             |
|   to the transfer                                                     |
|   process**                                                           |
|                                                                       |
|  ----------------------- ------------ ------------- ----------------- |
|                                                                       |
| > \*N=428 schools for 11 of the 12 sites actually enrolling students  |
| > in the VPSC-funded initiatives in 2004--05.                         |
| >                                                                     |
| > Source: Survey of Schools, 2004--05.                                |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit Reads: On average, 24 percent of sending schools (per site) |
| > reported that their teachers received extra professional            |
| > development related to the transfer process.                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

###### 

Number range CHAPTER***The capacity-enhancing activities were not
necessarily accompanied by an increase in the number of seats or
classrooms at these schools***. None of the sites reported hiring more
staff or taking other steps simply to expand the number of seats and to
accommodate higher enrollments at a school. Chapter 4 of this report
will show that the number of applicants exceeded the number of students
who were eventually able to enroll in the VPSC choice initiatives. Why
all applicants could not be served, and whether a lack of available
seats at receiving schools constrained enrollment, are topics of
continuing investigation in the present evaluation.

***Only some of the new education programs may be scientifically
based***. In their capacity-enhancing activities, sites did not examine
or rely on scientifically based evidence to guide their selection or
design of education programs. Some of the new programs have included
nationally recognized educational programs with a record of improving
student performance (e.g., *International Baccalaureate* and
*Breakthrough to Literacy*). Moreover, at least one site had developed a
curriculum that subsequently received external recognition as an
exemplary educational model: After only two years of implementation, the
site's environmental studies program was nominated by the state for an
environmental protection agency award. However, evidence about the
scientific basis of sites' other adoptions was unavailable, and
collecting new data was beyond the scope of this evaluation.

**Number range CHAPTER4. EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE**

Over the first three years of implementation, student participation and
the rate of enrollment have increased across sites, and there are signs
that the VPSC Program will continue to accommodate even more students in
upcoming years. Sites have made less progress, however, on specific
program priorities.

**Enrollment Trends**

The VPSC sites have expanded considerably during the first three years
of implementation, to serve an ever-increasing number of students. The
exact number of participants, however, varies according to the
definition of "participation." The evaluation tracks the following three
possible definitions to measure participation:

1)  **Eligible Students**: All students who may participate in a VPSC
    initiative;

2)  **Applicants**: The set of eligible students who apply to attend a
    public school other than their assigned school through a VPSC
    initiative; and

3)  **Enrollees**: Those students who successfully apply and enroll at a
    school or program of their choice as a result of a VPSC initiative.

All of these students can be considered participants in the VPSC
Program, depending on how broadly participation is defined. The most
generous definition would count all *eligible* students as
participants.[^17] Narrower definitions would limit participants to
include only *applicants*, or even further, to include only *enrollees*.
The national evaluation tracks and reports all three groups of students.

***The numbers of eligible students, applicants, and enrollees in the
VPSC Program all have increased during the first three years of the
program, but overall enrollment rates continue to remain low***. Both
the number of VPSC sites enrolling students each year (5, 10, and 12
sites respectively for the first three years), and the capacity within
sites to accommodate greater transfers have increased over time. In this
sense, the VPSC Program continued to scale-up during its first three
years. The total number of students enrolled in the VPSC Program rose
from 1,087 students in 2002--03 to 7,445 students[^18] in 2003--04, and
to 16,163 students in 2004--05 (see exhibit 13).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 13                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| **Eligible, Applying, and Enrolling Students**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **During the First Three Years of the VPSC Program**                  |
|                                                                       |
| **(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
| | **Enro | *    | *     |      | *     |       | **    |      |       |
| | llment | *No. | *[Eli |      | *[App |       | [Enro |      |       |
| | School | of   | gible |      | lying |       | lling |      |       |
| | Year** | s    | ]{.un |      | ]{.un |       | ]{.un |      |       |
| |        | ites | derli |      | derli |       | derli |      |       |
| |        | e    | ne}** |      | ne}** |       | ne}** |      |       |
| |        | nrol |       |      |       |       |       |      |       |
| |        | ling |       |      |       |       |       |      |       |
| |        | st   |       |      |       |       |       |      |       |
| |        | uden |       |      |       |       |       |      |       |
| |        | ts** |       |      |       |       |       |      |       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
| |        |      | **No. | *    | **No. | **No. | **No. | *    |       |
| |        |      | of    | *No. | of    | of**  | of    | *No. |       |
| |        |      | sites | of** | sites |       | sites | of** |       |
| |        |      | r     |      | r     | **st  | r     |      |       |
| |        |      | eport | **st | eport | udent | eport | **st |       |
| |        |      | ing** | uden | ing** | s\*** | ing** | uden |       |
| |        |      |       | ts** |       |       |       | ts** |       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
| | **2002 | 5    | 4     | 219  | 5     | 1,391 | 5     | \    |       |
| | --03** |      |       | ,690 |       |       |       | *\*1 |       |
| |        |      |       |      |       |       |       | ,087 |       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
| | **2003 | 10   | 10    | \*\  | 10    | \*\*1 | 10    | \    |       |
| | --04** |      |       | *755 |       | 5,721 |       | *\*7 |       |
| |        |      |       | ,387 |       |       |       | ,445 |       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
| | **2004 | 12   | 11    | 862  | 11    | 2     | 11    | 16   |       |
| | --05** |      |       | ,396 |       | 8,388 |       | ,163 |       |
| +--------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+------+       |
|                                                                       |
| \*Applicant count is based on the number of applications received by  |
| the sites.                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| \*\*Estimates of participant numbers differ from earlier reports.     |
| Adjustments to the earlier estimates are based on new information     |
| from the sites, as of August 2005.                                    |
|                                                                       |
| > Exhibit Reads: Four VPSC sites reported a total of 219,690 eligible |
| > students during 2002--03.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| ######                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

###### 

At the same time, this rise in enrollment represents a conservative
estimate, because the twelfth VPSC site did not report enrollment data,
and the thirteenth site (needing more time to get new charter schools
approved and started) implemented its initiative in 2005--06, after data
collection for this report ended.

***Despite consistent growth as a whole, the rate of participation
varied greatly from one VPSC site to the next*.** As discussed
previously, some VPSC sites defined eligibility loosely, to encompass a
much larger population of students than their initiative could
reasonably accommodate, while others chose a more narrow definition. The
number of eligible students at each site ranged from 1,842 to 318,231
students (see exhibit 14). The variability resulted not only from the
size of the site's VPSC award, but also from the degree to which the
site's VPSC-funded activities were embedded within a larger choice
initiative. In the latter case, the site defined eligibility in terms of
its larger public school choice program, which substantially increased
the number of eligible students.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 14**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Site-by-Site Variations in the Numbers of Students Participating**  |
|                                                                       |
| **in the VPSC Program's Choice Initiatives, 2004--05**                |
|                                                                       |
| <table>                                                               |
| <colgroup>                                                            |
| <col style="width: 18%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 2%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 9%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 2%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 9%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 2%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 4%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 2%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 9%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 3%" />                                             |
| </colgroup>                                                           |
| <tbody>                                                               |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td colspan="6"><strong>Number of students</strong></td>              |
| <td colspan="6"><strong>Percent</strong></td>                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>VPSC Program sites</strong></td>                          |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Eligible</strong></td>                        |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Applying</strong></td>                        |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Enrolling</strong></td>                       |
| <td colspan="2"><p><strong>Enrolling</strong></p>                     |
| <p><strong>of eligible</strong></p></td>                              |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Enrolling of applying</strong></td>           |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Applying of eligible</strong></td>            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>A</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>108,845</td>                                                      |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>3,884</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2,755</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2.5</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>70.9</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>3.6</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>B</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>29,531</td>                                                       |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1,037</td>                                                        |
| <td>*</td>                                                            |
| <td>1,037</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>3.5</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>3.5</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>C</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>1,842</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1,842</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1,842</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>D</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>318,231</td>                                                      |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>198</td>                                                          |
| <td>*</td>                                                            |
| <td>198</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>0.1</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>0.1</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>E</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>4,849</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>741</td>                                                          |
| <td>*</td>                                                            |
| <td>741</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>15.3</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>100.0</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>15.3</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>F</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>300,000</td>                                                      |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>4,831</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>878</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>0.3</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>18.2</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1.6</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>G</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>5,224</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>149</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>34</td>                                                           |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>0.7</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>22.8</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2.9</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>H</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>4,073</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>167</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>48</td>                                                           |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1.2</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>28.7</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>4.1</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>I</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>10,452</td>                                                       |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>608</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>111</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>1.1</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>18.4</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>5.8</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>J</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>51,000</td>                                                       |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>5,007</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>4,249</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>8.3</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>84.9</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>9.8</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>K</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>28,349</td>                                                       |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>9,924</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>4,270</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>15.1</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>43.0</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>35.0</td>                                                         |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>L</strong></td>                                           |
| <td colspan="12">Site is unable to estimate VPSC-specific             |
| enrollment at this time**</td>                                        |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>M</strong></td>                                           |
| <td colspan="12">No participating students in 2004–05</td>            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>Total number of students</strong></td>                    |
| <td colspan="2">862,396</td>                                          |
| <td colspan="2">28,388</td>                                           |
| <td colspan="2">16,163</td>                                           |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>Number of sites reporting</strong></td>                   |
| <td colspan="2">11</td>                                               |
| <td colspan="2">11</td>                                               |
| <td colspan="2">11</td>                                               |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| <td colspan="2"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| </tbody>                                                              |
| </table>                                                              |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Site had enrollment in 2004--05 but did not report the number of  |
| > applicants. The present analyses assumed the number was at least    |
| > equal to the number of enrollees.                                   |
| >                                                                     |
| > \*\*The site has enrollment in a number of different choice options |
| > and is developing databases to track all choice students. The site  |
| > is currently unable to provide data specific to participation in    |
| > the VPSC Program's choice.                                          |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit Reads: VPSC site A reported having 108,845 eligible         |
| > students in 2004--05.                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

***The number of eligible students in the VPSC Program is more than 30
times the number of applicants and 50 times the number of enrollees,
making eligibility the high end estimate of the range of participation
in the program.*** As of 2004--05, 862,396 students were eligible to
participate in public school choice through the VPSC Program. In some
cases, individual sites defined a large pool of students as eligible,
even though the initiative could only accommodate much smaller numbers
of enrollees. For instance, at one VPSC site, even though only a few
schools were able to receive transferring students, the initiative
defined all students in the entire district as eligible to apply to
attend these schools. Similarly, another site developed a statewide
initiative to serve no more than 450 students, though in principle all
of the state's students in kindergarten through eighth grade were
eligible to apply.

***From the pool of eligible students, 28,388 applied to schools of
choice in 2004--05, and less than 60 percent eventually enrolled at
these schools.*** The total number of applicants in 2004--05 rose 80.6
percent over the previous year, due to the expansion of preexisting VPSC
initiatives, as well as the increase in the number of sites operating
these initiatives.

Although four of the 11 sites enrolled 100 percent of all their
applicants (exhibit 14), the other seven sites had to develop selection
procedures for handling student applications. Five sites used a lottery
system to select students from the pool of applicants. Two sites used
another method to prioritize applicants. In this method, the sites
prioritized all applying students according to their eligibility for
Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program and in reverse order of their state
achievement test scores (lowest scoring receive highest priority). The
sites then selected students in this priority order until all openings
were filled.

On the surface, both selection procedures may present promising
opportunities for comparing choice and non-choice enrollees. The
enrollees either had been designated randomly (the lotteries) or through
a regression discontinuity design (the priority order procedure).
Therefore, the evaluation team is continuing to investigate the
selection procedures at the seven sites and plans to report on this and
any analyses conducted of these sites in the evaluation's final report.

Of particular relevance, thus far, is the finding that lotteries have
not usually represented true random draws. Priorities built into many of
the selection procedures had a non-randomizing effect. Furthermore, the
lotteries have differed, to suit local needs. Important variations
include: 1) whether students can only apply to a single school or can
list several schools as options on their application; and 2) whether the
district or individual schools retain records of the lottery and
enrollees.

***The VPSC Program had 16,163 students enrolled at schools of choice in
2004--05, a 117 percent increase over the previous year.*** The estimate
includes only students transferring for the first time in 2004--05, and
does not count students who transferred in earlier years and who may
continue to be enrolled at schools of their choice. Calculating the
cumulative total depends in part on how many enrollees from a prior year
decided to return to their original school or enrolled at yet a
different school. Due to such attrition, the cumulative enrollment lies
somewhere between 16,163 and 24,695 students (the first-time enrollees
in 2004--05 compared to the total number for all years added together).

As partial clues, two sites have estimated attrition or "dropout" rates
over the full three-year period of the VPSC Program (from 2002--03 to
2004--05), reporting rates that range between 30 and 50 percent. Several
other sites have estimated their repeat enrollments from 2003--04 to
2004--05, and report continuation rates from 50 to 95 percent. However,
it is difficult to determine how to count students that leave schools of
choice. Some students may have decided to enroll at new schools through
the choice initiative, while others returned to their assigned school
and may be considered true "drop-outs." Yet, many students may have left
the district entirely, not necessarily having anything to do with their
choice experiences. An accurate estimate for cumulative enrollment would
need to distinguish among these alternatives while also tracking those
students that continue to attend schools of choice through the VPSC
Program.

***Over the VPSC Program's first three years, there were increases in
the rates of participation, measured by three ratios, the number of:
1) enrolling-to-applying students; 2) applying-to-eligible students; and
3) enrolling-to-eligible students (see exhibit 15).*** The proportion of
applying students who enrolled increased from 47.4 percent in 2003--04
to 56.9 percent in 2004--05. Similarly, the proportion of eligible
students who applied increased from 2.1 percent to 3.3 percent during
the same period. However, the enrollment-to-eligible ratio showed the
greatest rate of increase from 0.5 percent in 2002--03 and one percent
in 2003--04, to 1.9 percent in 2004--05.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 15**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Participation Rates in the VPSC Program**                           |
|                                                                       |
| **(Fall 2002 to Summer 2005)**                                        |
|                                                                       |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
| | **Year of          | **Proportion |              |              |   |
| | implementation**   | of           |              |              |   |
| |                    | p            |              |              |   |
| |                    | articipation |              |              |   |
| |                    | (percent)**  |              |              |   |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
| |                    | *            | **Applying** | *            |   |
| |                    | *Enrolling** |              | *Enrolling** |   |
| |                    |              | **to**       |              |   |
| |                    | **to**       |              | **to**       |   |
| |                    |              | **eligible** |              |   |
| |                    | **applying** |              | **eligible** |   |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
| | **2002--03**       | N.A.\*       | N.A.\*       | 0.5          |   |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
| | **2003--04**       | 47.4         | 2.1          | 1.0          |   |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
| | **2004--05**       | 56.9         | 3.3          | 1.9          |   |
| +--------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+   |
|                                                                       |
| > \*In 2002--03, because sites were anxious to implement quickly,     |
| > they did not provide sufficient information on the number of        |
| > applicants.                                                         |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit Reads: The proportion of applying students who enroll in    |
| > the VPSC Program's choice initiatives increased from 47.4 percent   |
| > in 2003--04 to 56.9 percent in 2004--05.                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

This last rate is similar to those experienced at the outset of other
public school choice initiatives, including those implemented under the
Title I accountability provisions in the *No Child Left Behind Act of
2001*. For instance, one study estimated that one percent of the
eligible students transferred in 2002--03 and two percent in 2003--04
under the public school choice provisions of *NCLB* (Center on Education
Policy, 2004). Similarly, the U.S. Government Accountability Office
(2004) estimated that 1 percent of eligible students transferred in
2003--04 nationwide. Kim and Sunderman (2004) offer one possible
explanation for the low rates. They found that many students whose
applications were granted decided to stay in the neighborhood school
because receiving schools might have been only marginally better than
the failing schools. In some situations, the receiving schools were
already on the state list for poor performance, although, not yet
officially listed as low-performing.

***The VPSC Program's three-year progress shows signs that the program
will continue to scale-up in its remaining years (see exhibit 16)***.
First, the number of sites enrolling students has increased every year
(from five sites in the first year, to ten in the second, to 12 in the
third, and with the 13th site having initiated public school choice in
2005--06). Second, the amount of VPSC funds spent during the first three
years fell short of the annual average available for the five-year
period (calculated by dividing the total program funds by the five-year
period). Finally, the rate of expenditures per enrolled student has
declined in each of the first three years as start-up costs diminished,
allowing sites to redirect the remaining funds toward site expansion
(e.g., increasing the number of schools in the initiative).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 16                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| **Continuing Scale-Up of the VPSC Program,**                          |
|                                                                       |
| **Based on the Program's Existing and Anticipated Expenditure Rate**  |
|                                                                       |
|   ---------------------- -------                                      |
| ------- -------------- ---------------- -------------- -------------- |
|   **Total VPSC Pro                                                    |
| gram   **Program                                                      |
|   (all sites)**                                                       |
|        year**                                                         |
|                                                                       |
|                          **200                                        |
| 2--03**   **2003--04**   **2004--05\***   **2005--06**   **2006--07** |
|                                                                       |
|   **Total expenditures                                                |
|    11.5           24.1           27.6             28.2           28.2 |
|   (\$m)**                                                             |
|                                                                       |
|                                                                       |
|                                                                       |
|                                                       (Estimated      |
|                                                                       |
|                                                       Remaining)      |
|                                                                       |
|   **No. of enrolli                                                    |
| ng     1,087          7,445          16,163                           |
|   students\*\***                                                      |
|                                                                       |
|                                                                       |
|   **Expenditures p                                                    |
| er     10.6           3.2            1.7                              |
|   student (\$000)*                                                    |
| *                                                                     |
|   ---------------------- -------                                      |
| ------- -------------- ---------------- -------------- -------------- |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Total expenditures for 2004--05 contains some projections of      |
| > expenditures by the sites, because the reports were submitted in    |
| > June 2005 for a fiscal year ending in October 2005.                 |
| >                                                                     |
| > \*\* Estimates of participant number differ from earlier reports.   |
| > Adjustments to the earlier estimates are based on new information   |
| > from the sites, as of August 2004.                                  |
| >                                                                     |
| > Source: VPSC Program Sites' *Grant Performance Reports*, "Cover     |
| > Sheet (ED 524B)" and "Section B: Budget information (OMB No.        |
| > 1890-007)," July 2005.                                              |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit Reads: During 2002--03, VPSC sites expended a total of      |
| > \$11.5 million in grant funds, an estimated \$10,600 per student.   |
|                                                                       |
| ######                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

###### 

Annual shifts in the identity of low-performing schools also may create
fresh groups of eligible students. Demand for public school choice could
thus remain constant, if not increase, for the life of the initiative.
Hence, sites that have linked choice options to school performance may
experience an increase in the number of participants in their VPSC
initiative over the next two years, as these sites continue to scale-up.

**Progress on Program Priorities**

Though sites have successfully expanded the variety of choices available
to students over the last three years, they have made less progress in
other key priorities, discussed in the remainder of this section. Three
of the priorities derive from the VPSC Program's authorizing
legislation:

-   Providing the widest variety of choices to all students in
    participating schools;

-   Promoting the transfer of students in low-performing schools to
    higher-performing schools; and

-   Developing partnerships seeking to implement interdistrict
    approaches.

A fourth priority, discussed elsewhere in the legislation, *required*
that the sites use VPSC funds to support student transportation services
or costs. This requirement reflected the assumption that students would
be more willing to travel farther from home and consider schools from a
larger area than if the students had to pay the cost of transportation
themselves.

***The VPSC Program has been associated with a wide variety of choices
among educational programs***. Progress has been substantial in the
first of the four priorities. Except for adding new seats, sites have
engaged in considerable "capacity-enhancing activities," especially at
receiving schools (see earlier exhibit 11, chapter 3). These activities
have led to the implementation of new educational programs at those
schools. In addition, sites already were supporting a wide variety of
choices before the introduction of their VPSC-funded initiatives (see
earlier exhibit 2, chapter 2). Together, the variety of educational
programs within the VPSC-funded initiatives and among other non-VPSC
initiatives has meant that students can choose from a large and diverse
number of academic programs.

The outreach materials describing these choices at most of the sites
reveal a wide variety of program options. At one urban site, students
can choose to participate in any of five different choice initiatives,
only one of which is the VPSC-funded choice initiative. Each initiative
involves schools in different neighborhoods, including schools in the
surrounding suburban neighborhoods.

Number range CHAPTER***Transfers from low- to higher-performing schools
are likely to have comprised only a portion of the students enrolled in
the VPSC initiatives***. First, fewer than half of the VPSC sites have
created choice arrangements with predesignated sending and receiving
schools, and of these, only four have limited their enrollment to
transfers from low- to higher-performing schools. However, only three of
the four reported enrollment in 2004--05. The fourth site began
enrolling students in 2005--06 (see row A, exhibit 17).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 17**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| ####                                                                  |
| ## Student Transfers from Low- to Higher-Performing Schools, 2004--05 |
|                                                                       |
| > \*Of the 13 VPSC sites, 11 reported enrollment in 2004--05. One     |
| > site with enrollment was unable to estimate VPSC-specific           |
| > participants at this time and the remaining site was not yet        |
| > enrolling students                                                  |
| >                                                                     |
| > Exhibit reads: The choice implementation at three sites targeted    |
| > students transferring from low- to higher-performing schools. The   |
| > sites had a total enrollment of 886 students, all of whom were      |
| > transfers from low- to higher-performing schools.                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Second, the other eight sites permitted a wider variety of transfers or
had VPSC enrollments that involved no transfers. However, only some of
these latter sites tracked the transfers from low- to higher-performing
schools (see row B, exhibit 17), while others did not do such tracking
(see row C, exhibit 17). (In one case, a site received a waiver from the
Department to omit such tracking because all of the site's enrollees
were low-performing students, but they were not necessarily transferring
from low- to higher-performing schools.) As a result, the known
transfers from low- to higher-performing schools are small, but the
actual proportion is likely to be greater.

Number range CHAPTER The sites (in row B) that did track transfers
reported only 5 percent of their students transferring from low- to
higher-performing schools. Overall, the confirmed transfers (from rows A
and B) represent only 1,330 of 9,603 or 13.8 percent of the total
transfers. However, the final portion could be larger or smaller,
depending on the nature of the transfers at the (row C) sites that did
not track or document the pattern of their transfers.

One possible explanation for this overall pattern might be illustrated
by the nature of the VPSC-funded initiative at two sites. Both sites
used their VPSC funds together with funds from other sources to support
broader, districtwide public school choice initiatives. By creating a
broader approach, the sites extended the coverage of their initiatives
to the full array of their schools and hence provided a wider variety of
choices than a VPSC-funded initiative alone might have provided.

At the same time, these districts had proportionately few low-performing
schools, districtwide. With students able to choose among any school in
the system, the bulk of the enrollees were highly likely to come from
schools *not* identified for improvement. As a result, these large
districtwide initiatives reported low percentages of students
transferring from low-performing to higher-performing schools.
Comprising over 50 percent of the total VPSC choice enrollment in
2004--05, these two sites dominated the VPSC Program and brought the
overall rate for such transfers downward.[^19]

***Only four of the 13 sites have used VPSC funds to provide
interdistrict options, which allow students to transfer to schools
outside their home district***. Regarding this third program priority,
most of the VPSC sites have limited their choice initiatives to
within-district options. Moreover, three of the four sites that have
interdistrict options put them into place before the VPSC Program
started. Another VPSC site that originally intended to develop
interdistrict arrangements did not do so after finding that parents and
students had minimal interest in such opportunities.

The VPSC Program gave priority to interdistrict arrangements under the
assumption that they provide students in low-performing schools with
greater opportunities to attend higher-performing schools. However, the
VPSC Program's experiences have shown that such options can exist in the
absence of interdistrict arrangements. In particular, seven of the
VPSC-funded sites are large urban districts that have diversely
performing schools within their own district boundaries. One of these
districts deliberately divided the district into pie-shaped sub-zones.
Each zone tended to have higher-performing schools at its periphery and
lower-performing schools at its center. The district's choice
arrangement promoted transfers within (but not between) zones.

***Relative to enrollment, transportation costs did not increase
proportionately as might have been expected.*** As stated previously,
the legislation required all sites to allocate a portion of VPSC funds
to support transportation services or costs, to increase the number of
choices available to students. While nine sites reported using funds for
transportation, overall these costs did not necessarily increase. A
possible explanation is that many students already were attending
distant schools, and choice now allowed these students to select schools
closer to home. Under such circumstances, sites experienced *minimal or
reduced* transportation costs.

For example, one VPSC site identified schools in which enrollment had
declined in part because some neighborhood children were attending more
distant schools due to the perception of the poor quality of the
neighborhood schools. The site designated these under-enrolled schools
as "receiving schools" and improved their education programs, to
encourage children to attend their neighborhood school. As another
example, two of the VPSC sites had recently emerged from court-ordered
school busing, from which students had been assigned to more distant
schools as part of the original desegregation order. The VPSC-funded
initiative gave affected students the choice of enrolling at
neighborhood schools.

In cases in which sites did not require additional funds for
transportation, the sites received waivers from the Department that
exempted them from the original requirement. The lesson from these and
other examples in the VPSC Program is that transportation costs need not
increase and may even decrease with the implementation of public school
choice, depending upon preexisting enrollment patterns and the design of
the choice initiative itself (see exhibit 18).

Number range CHAPTER**Progress in Collecting Data to Examine**

> **Student Achievement Trends**

As a major evaluation activity, the VPSC Program's authorizing
legislation calls for the national evaluation to determine "the effect
of the \[choice\] programs on the academic achievement" of participating
*students*, especially those who transfer from Title I AYP schools to
higher-performing schools---as well as "on the overall quality of
participating *schools* and *districts*."[^20]

Fulfilling this requirement calls for data at *two* levels: individual
student records (an *individual* level) and aggregate grade and
school-level performance (a *systems* level). The two levels reflect the
dual policy aspirations of the legislation and of public school choice
initiatives. Such initiatives not only benefit individual students but
also improve whole systems, because of expected marketplace forces
whereby schools either improve their performance, to compete for student
enrollment, or risk undesirable sanctions---such as reconstruction and
eventual closure.

Even with the availability of the data at both levels, a critical caveat
remains: The design of the VPSC Program does not permit the
determination of the actual "effect" of the

program. Many other conditions influencing student achievement coexist
with the VPSC-

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 18**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Changes in Transportation Costs at VPSC Sites**                     |
|                                                                       |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Changes in\       | **Illustrative conditions in VPSC         |   |
| | transportation      | initiatives**                             |   |
| | costs**             |                                           |   |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Costs *INCREASE*  | -   Initiative designates receiving       |   |
| | (and are part of    |     schools that are farther away from    |   |
| | the VPSC Program's  |     students' homes than the sending      |   |
| | expenditures)**     |     schools;                              |   |
| |                     |                                           |   |
| |                     | -   Initiative gives students opportunity |   |
| |                     |     to transfer to schools in other       |   |
| |                     |     districts; or                         |   |
| |                     |                                           |   |
| |                     | -   Initiative creates increased interest |   |
| |                     |     and capacity to attend                |   |
| |                     |     non-neighborhood schools.             |   |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Sites may         | -   Initiative is districtwide, and       |   |
| | experience\         |     students traveling greater distances  |   |
| | *NO CHANGE* in      |     may be offset by those traveling      |   |
| | costs**             |     lesser distances;\                    |   |
| |                     |     or                                    |   |
| |                     |                                           |   |
| |                     | -   Initiative involves within-school     |   |
| |                     |     choices only, so students remain      |   |
| |                     |     enrolled at original site.            |   |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Costs *DECREASE*  | -   Initiative involves a portion of the  |   |
| | (relieving the VPSC |     district, and students previously     |   |
| | Program from having |     attending more distant schools may    |   |
| | such                |     return to schools in this portion;    |   |
| | expenditures)**     |                                           |   |
| |                     | -   Initiative permits students           |   |
| |                     |     previously bused under desegregation  |   |
| |                     |     to return to closer schools; or       |   |
| |                     |                                           |   |
| |                     | -   Initiative permits students to        |   |
| |                     |     transfer from a school to an          |   |
| |                     |     educational environment closer to     |   |
| |                     |     home.                                 |   |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
| | **Effect on         | -   Initiative has not yet been fully     |   |
| | transportation      |     designed or implemented.              |   |
| | costs is yet        |                                           |   |
| | *UNKNOWN***         |                                           |   |
| +---------------------+-------------------------------------------+   |
|                                                                       |
| Source: Site visit databases and Grant Performance Reports, COSMOS    |
| Corp., 2005.                                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

funded initiative. At best, the analysis of student achievement data
represents an analysis of "preprogram" and then "concurrent" trends. The
preprogram trends reflect student achievement during a multi-year period
prior to the start of the VPSC Program's initiatives. The preprogram
trends can later be compared with concurrent trends, which reflect
student achievement during the multiyear period of the VPSC-funded
initiatives.[^21]

> **Individual-Level Student Achievement Data**

***At the individual level, the VPSC sites have collected individual
records of students enrolled in the choice initiatives, but additional
clarifications are needed before analysis can occur.*** Every VPSC
Program site is contributing to this effort. The ultimate goal is for
all of the sites to collect individual-level data covering students
enrolled in the VPSC-funded initiative as well as a comparable group of
students who did not enroll. For instance, if the choice initiative was
oversubscribed, demographically matched students who applied but who
were not selected for enrollment at a school of choice would be the most
comparable group of non-transfers. Alternatively, students eligible to
apply but not submitting an application, matched for demographic
characteristics, also could serve as a comparison group.

At the same time, choice initiatives are complicated, leading to the
need for additional clarification in the student records. The needed
clarifications at this time are as follows.

***Sites' student records submitted to the national evaluation team do
not directly coincide with the number of enrollees reported elsewhere by
the sites***. Every VPSC site active in enrolling students in a
VPSC-supported initiative by 2004--05 has submitted individual student
records to the national evaluation team. These submissions indicate that
sites are making serious efforts to assess the performance of the
students in their initiatives. As of September 2005, the submitted
records did not cover the most recent school year (2004--05). However,
they did cover one or more of the prior years. Since September 2005,
three of the sites have submitted updates, and others should be
forthcoming on a regular basis.

The sites' submissions employ, not unexpectedly, different electronic
and database formats, also containing different types of information
about each student. Reviewing these different formats and preparing them
for cross-site analysis has required extensive efforts on the part of
the national evaluation team. A basic check was used to confirm that the
headcount of records matched the number of students presumed to be
enrolled in the site's choice initiative.

The headcounts thus far indicate that, for most of the VPSC sites, the
total number of submitted records does not coincide with the total
number of enrollees reported elsewhere by the sites (see exhibit
19)---e.g., either in their annual grant performance reports submitted
to the Department or in their reports at the national evaluation's site
visits.[^22] In some cases, the discrepancies are small, but in most
cases the differences are substantially greater than 5 percent. The
headcounts also do not appear to include the records of any

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Exhibit 19**                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Number of Student Records Submitted by the Sites,**                 |
|                                                                       |
| **Compared to Enrollment Officially Reported By the Sites**           |
|                                                                       |
| <table>                                                               |
| <colgroup>                                                            |
| <col style="width: 12%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 10%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 13%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 3%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 12%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 13%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 11%" />                                            |
| </colgroup>                                                           |
| <tbody>                                                               |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><p><strong>VPSC</strong></p>                                      |
| <p><strong>Program</strong></p>                                       |
| <p><strong>site</strong></p></td>                                     |
| <td><strong>Year</strong></td>                                        |
| <td><p><strong>Officially</strong></p>                                |
| <p><strong>reported</strong></p>                                      |
| <p><strong>enrollment</strong></p></td>                               |
| <td><strong>No. of<br />                                              |
| records<br />                                                         |
| sent by<br />                                                         |
| site</strong></td>                                                    |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><p><strong>VPSC</strong></p>                                      |
| <p><strong>Program</strong></p>                                       |
| <p><strong>site</strong></p></td>                                     |
| <td><strong>Year</strong></td>                                        |
| <td><p><strong>Officially</strong></p>                                |
| <p><strong>reported</strong></p>                                      |
| <p><strong>enrollment</strong></p></td>                               |
| <td><strong>No. of<br />                                              |
| records<br />                                                         |
| sent by<br />                                                         |
| site</strong></td>                                                    |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td rowspan="3"><strong>A</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>450</td>                                                          |
| <td>115</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><strong>I</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>450</td>                                                          |
| <td>270</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>162</td>                                                          |
| <td>162</td>                                                          |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>198</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>2,755</td>                                                        |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td rowspan="3"><strong>B</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>258</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><strong>J</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>19</td>                                                           |
| <td>12</td>                                                           |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>720</td>                                                          |
| <td>177</td>                                                          |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>31</td>                                                           |
| <td>62</td>                                                           |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>1,842</td>                                                        |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>48</td>                                                           |
| <td>b</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>C</strong></td>                                           |
| <td colspan="3"><p>Student transfers</p>                              |
| <p>will not start until 2005–06</p></td>                              |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><strong>K</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td rowspan="3"><strong>D</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>3,844</td>                                                        |
| <td>3,844</td>                                                        |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>1,076</td>                                                        |
| <td>b</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>4,249</td>                                                        |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>878</td>                                                          |
| <td>b</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><strong>L</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>2001–02</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>23,198</td>                                                       |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td rowspan="3"><strong>E</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>501</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>67,091</td>                                                       |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>191</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>759</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>741</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>1,037</td>                                                        |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td rowspan="4"><strong>F</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2001–02</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>3,989</td>                                                        |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td><strong>M</strong></td>                                           |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>80</td>                                                           |
| <td>67</td>                                                           |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>37</td>                                                           |
| <td>36</td>                                                           |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>157</td>                                                          |
| <td>149</td>                                                          |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>55</td>                                                           |
| <td>55</td>                                                           |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td></td>                                                             |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>34</td>                                                           |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>111</td>                                                          |
| <td>a</td>                                                            |
| <td colspan="5"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td><strong>G</strong></td>                                           |
| <td colspan="3">Site cannot yet<br />                                 |
| identify participating students</td>                                  |
| <td colspan="5"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td rowspan="3"><strong>H</strong></td>                               |
| <td>2002–03</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td colspan="5"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>2003–04</td>                                                      |
| <td>0</td>                                                            |
| <td>b</td>                                                            |
| <td colspan="5"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>2004–05</td>                                                      |
| <td>4,270</td>                                                        |
| <td>b</td>                                                            |
| <td colspan="5"></td>                                                 |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| </tbody>                                                              |
| </table>                                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

comparison group of students---e.g., students who might have applied to
enroll but who remained at their original school and therefore were not
enrollees in a VPSC-funded initiative.

***The existing records need additional details to be used to analyze
student achievement scores***. Inspection of the individual data items
within each record also reveals the need for additional details.
Especially absent has been the identity of the student's school, along
with the year of such matriculation. Because sites have kept track of
the schools participating in their VPSC initiatives, the identification
of the school as part of each student's record would in part confirm the
student's enrollment in the VPSC initiative.

Though not identifying the school, the records from most sites do
include information about a student's grade level.

Similarly, the information in the students' records does not include the
actual calendar year for such data as the student's grade level or, if
present in the record, the state achievement scores associated with the
record. Having the year of testing is especially important in those
situations where students may only be tested in alternate years, to
distinguish scores for the preprogram year (the year just before the
student enrolled in a VPSC initiative) from scores that might be a year
older.

As a further complication, for many of the initiatives in the VPSC
Program, students may have started to enroll in the initiative while
still in their prekindergarten, kindergarten, or first grades. For these
students, no preenrollment test scores are available because no testing
on state achievement tests occurred.

Until sites have clarified the headcounts and these additional details
as part of the submitted records, further analysis of the student
records seems premature.

***To tighten future reporting, the VPSC Program sites might consider
expanding and improving their databases for tracking their enrollees***.
The most desired remedy would be for sites to strengthen their own,
VPSC-specific databases, using information downloaded from district
files but not relying entirely on such files.

The core element in these databases would be an individual record for
every student enrolled in the VPSC initiative for a given academic
year---information not necessarily present in existing district records
and that the VPSC Program sites therefore need to track on their own.
The sites would verify such enrollment by confirming---a short time
after the start of the academic year---that the student was indeed
attending an eligible VPSC-supported receiving school or a school
located in a geographic zone associated with the VPSC initiative.[^23]
Ideally, sites also would have collected application data from these
students before they were able to enroll at the VPSC-supported school,
and the site would have had this prior information as part of the
individual student's record.

Sites would then augment this individual record further, downloading
data from existing district files, showing, if possible: a) that the
same student had enrolled at a different school in the prior academic
year; and b) the student's pertinent demographic and academic data for
as many years as was available in the district records.[^24] Using a
reliable and accurate ID system, the site would then track the same
student's enrollment at the same or different schools in subsequent
years, continuing to download the relevant test and academic data.

The ongoing database could then help sites to establish an annual
headcount of all students enrolled in the VPSC initiative. The headcount
would now go beyond tallies of the first-year enrollees, calculating
continuation and dropout rates as well as trends in students' academic
performance.

All of this record-keeping would pertain to a single annual cohort of
VPSC enrollees. The site would repeat the entire procedure each year,
creating a new batch of individual records for every new cohort of
students applying to and then becoming enrolled in the VPSC initiative.
Within the same cohort, over time, the site would calculate changes in
academic achievement. The sites could then calculate the cumulative
headcount and other characteristics of all of the VPSC enrollees, across
all cohorts, by combining its records from all of the cohorts.

Interpreting the achievement levels or trends over time requires some
type of comparison group---i.e., students in the same grades that did
not enroll in the choice initiatives at any of the VPSC sites. Sites
could define comparison students in a number of ways.

The grossest comparison would be to district or even statewide averages.
A more telling comparison would be with other students from the same
original schools as those of the VPSC-supported enrollees but who
themselves chose to stay at the same school and not to enroll in the
VPSC initiative. An even closer comparison might be with the students at
the same original school who also had applied to enroll in the VPSC
initiative but who could not enroll because of oversubscription.

Whichever the comparison group, the sites would create another group of
individual student records, in much the same fashion as for those
enrolled in the VPSC-funded initiative. The comparison group also would
consist of cohorts, with each cohort of students tracked over time and
with their academic and demographic information downloaded from the
routine district records.

**Systems-Level Student Achievement Data**

***At the systems level, the national evaluation is comparing student
achievement at the VPSC sites with state performance and with
performance by matched comparison sites.*** The systems level tracking
of student achievement relies on aggregate grade- and school-level
records, not on individual student records. The data consist of scores
on state assessment tests, for all grades and academic subjects that
have been tested. Although the data cover every academic subject tested,
the national evaluation has focused only on the achievement scores in
reading and in mathematics.

Because VPSC Program implementation started in 2002--03, the preprogram
trends tentatively cover 1998--99 to 2001--02, with 2001--02 serving as
the preprogram year.[^25] The planned analyses will cover two
levels---the VPSC sites' entire *district* or set of districts, and the
sites' targeted *schools*, if any (e.g., sending and receiving schools).

5.  **Number range CHAPTERINTERIM CONCLUSIONS**

The current report covers the first three years of implementation,
focusing primarily on identifying the characteristics of the VPSC
Program and the extent to which the program has made progress in
expanding choice opportunities for students. After three years of
implementation, there is evidence that the VPSC Program has been
contributing to an increase in the number of schools and students
participating in public school choice initiatives. Less progress,
however, has been made on the legislative priority of encouraging
transfers from low- to higher-performing schools and in providing
out-of-district choice options for students. At this mid-program stage,
"conclusions" about the program also are tentative.

**Preliminary Findings**

**What are the characteristics of the VPSC Program's grantees?**

The VPSC Program awarded a total of 13 grants in 2002 to three types of
organizations: nine school districts, three state education agencies,
and one nonprofit (charter school) organization. The initiatives
differed widely from each other in design and scope, though all focused
on two core activities: 1) reaching out to parents and the community;
and 2) building capacity at schools to attract and accommodate choice
transfers. Both activities appear more prevalent in schools slotted to
receive transferring students than in schools that were designated as
sending-only. The majority of the students in all of the participating
schools were nonwhite and eligible for the Free and Reduced-Price Lunch
program. However, the sending-only schools had the largest of these
majorities (71 percent nonwhite and 69 percent Free and Reduced-Price
Lunch program participants) as well as the highest proportion of Title I
schools (63 percent).

Sites also varied by how they defined choice zones and managed the flow
of students among participating schools. These plans can be categorized
into four types of choice arrangements: predesignated specific sending
and receiving schools; geographic areas where students can choose any
school, and schools may thus be sending and receiving simultaneously;
within-school options, in which no transfers occur; and a mixture of the
first three types. Sites have more or less control over the movement of
students between schools depending on the type of arrangement they
adopt. Because choice zones allow students to transfer to any school
within a select area, they limit sites' ability to direct the flow of
students from low- to higher-performing schools.

The VPSC-funded initiatives have largely existed independent of the
Title I choice initiatives at the same sites, except for two sites where
the initiatives have been synonymous. Overall, even when sites support
public school choice initiatives using VPSC funds exclusively, they have
other unrelated choice programs operating at the same time. These
options include magnet programs, charter schools, and a variety of other
choice options offered by the district or state.

**How and to what extent does the VPSC Program promote\
educational equity and excellence?**

The legislation gives priority to programs that provide the greatest
choice to students, by allowing students to transfer to a wide variety
of schools and increasing the capacity of those schools to accommodate
new students. At the same time, the program has the priority of
encouraging transfers of students from low- to higher-performing schools
and providing opportunities for students to transfer to another school
outside of their assigned district. In some respects, these goals may be
contradictory. Arrangements that permit students to select any school
within a geographic zone may provide a greater number of choices but
have fewer percentages of students moving from low- to higher-performing
schools or attending schools in neighboring districts. In contrast,
districts can better promote transfers from low-performing to
higher-performing schools by limiting choice options and designating
specific sending and receiving schools.

There is evidence that the VPSC Program has made progress on the first
priority to provide the widest variety of choice. Over the first three
years of implementation, sites have expanded the assortment of choice
options in participating schools and offer a large and diverse number of
academic programs to transferring students. Total enrollment in the VPSC
Program rose from 1,087 students in 2002--03 and 7,445 students in
2003--04, to 16,163 students in 2004--05. Similarly, the
enrollment-to-eligible rate increased from 0.5 percent in 2002--03 and
1.0 percent in 2003--04, to 1.9 percent in 2004--05. Despite consistent
growth as a whole, the rate of participation varied greatly from one
VPSC site to the next, ranging from less than 1 to 100 percent. This
variability is explained in part by how sites defined eligibility and
whether the VPSC-funded initiative was embedded within a much larger
choice program.

Less evidence is available regarding progress on the second program
priority--- increasing the number of students transferring from low- to
higher-performing schools. Only a small number of sites specifically
targeted such transfers. Other sites had a wider array of transfers and
did not necessarily document the proportion moving from low- to
higher-performing schools.

Regarding the third program priority---promoting interdistrict
transfers---only four of the 13 VPSC sites provided interdistrict
options, allowing students to transfer to schools outside their home
district. One site that intended to develop interdistrict agreements
abandoned this plan after finding a lack of interest in such
opportunities among parents and students.

The legislation also required grantees to reserve a portion of the VPSC
funds to cover the cost of transporting students to their new school.
The evaluation, however, did not find evidence that these costs always
increased relative to enrollment, as the VPSC initiatives permitted many
students, already attending distant schools, to select schools closer to
home.

**Useful Choice Practices**

A major motive underlying the creation of the VPSC Program was the hope
that the sites' experiences might develop useful choice practices to
help states and districts across the country wanting to initiate or
strengthen their own public school choice options and procedures. Even
at this early stage, several potentially useful practices have emerged
from the program.

***The breadth of VPSC Program's experiences will potentially be useful
to other districts in the future***. The program covers a variety of
choice arrangements. Although the program has only 13 sites, they cover
a full range of communities and educational situations (e.g., large
urban districts compared to small rural districts compared to districts
with heterogeneous groups of schools compared to statewide initiatives).
The breadth of the VPSC Program's experiences is likely to serve the
diverse conditions found in districts across the country.

As one of the most helpful experiences, the program is showing how four
different choice arrangements can work. The experiences with these
varied arrangements, along with eventual data about their experiences,
will create a solid body of knowledge. Other districts can draw from
these experiences in the future.

To make knowledge about the four arrangements as useful as possible, the
present evaluation's final report will update the experiences with each
type of arrangement, along with the VPSC Program's other experiences, at
the end of the 2006--07 school year.

Number range CHAPTERThe examination will cover the enrollment and other
participation associated with each type of arrangement, as well as how
each type addresses the important priorities of choice initiatives
(providing the widest variety of choices to all students in
participating schools; promoting the transfer of students in
low-performing schools to higher-performing schools; developing
interdistrict partnerships; and making funds available to support
transportation services). As a related inquiry, the analysis also will
study the possible relationships among these priorities, and in
particular, any potential complimentarity or conflict among them.

***The various sites also are initiating and further refining specific
choice-related practices potentially useful for other districts.***
These potentially useful practices cover: the design of choice
initiatives; parent involvement in choice arrangements; and
capacity-enhancing activities to augment or strengthen schools'
educational programs (see exhibit 20).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ###### Exhibit 20                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| **Potentially Useful Choice Practices from the VPSC Program**         |
|                                                                       |
| ######                                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

###### 

As an example of a potentially useful strategy for increasing parent
notification, one VPSC site has developed a user-friendly, online
database. Parents and students can tap this database and electronically
search for information about their choice options. Because many
districts have a large variety of choice options, the amount of
information available to parents and students may be overwhelming. By
organizing this information online, the site has made it easier for
parents and students to quickly learn about their choice options.

Rather than providing information electronically, another VPSC site has
distributed hardcopies of materials to notify parents of the variety of
choice options available. Over the course of implementation, the site
converted its materials from a program-specific format (e.g., separate
brochures covering magnet schools, charter schools, the VPSC-funded
initiative, and other choice initiatives at the site) to a
school-specific format (e.g., separate brochures for each school,
describing all of the choice options available at the school), after
they found that parents usually had an idea about the schools they might
consider. The latter format has allowed parents to quickly collect
information about the programs offered at these schools, rather than
have to search through materials about all programs, some of which were
not relevant to their interests.

As one example of a promising approach to enhance school capacity,
another of the VPSC sites has developed a broad-based set of
partnerships with local businesses, community groups, and institutions
of higher education (IHE). These partners all have contributed to the
capacity-enhancement process, helping the district to strengthen new
educational programs. Moreover, the partnership, developed as a result
of the VPSC Program, has successfully garnered additional funds to
expand educational programs even further.

Part of the national evaluation's work will be to document and
disseminate these and other useful strategies and practices. In this
manner, the VPSC Program's experiences can ultimately help to strengthen
public school choice initiatives across the country.

**Number range CHAPTERREFERENCES**

Archbald, Douglas A., "School Choice, Magnet Schools, and the Liberation
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Belfield, Clive R., and Henry M. Levin, "The Effects of Competition
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Benigno, Pamela, "Colorado Public School Open Enrollment Policies: Not
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Betts, Julian R., "The Economic Theory of School Choice," in Julian R.
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Betts, Julian R., and Tom Loveless (eds.), *Getting Choice Right:
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Boyd, William Lowe, Debra Hare, and Joe Nathan, *What Really Happened?
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Christenson, Bruce, et al., *Evaluation of the Magnet Schools Assistance
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Chubb, John E., and Terry M. Moe, *Politics, Markets, and America's
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Clotfelter, Charles T., Helen F. Ladd, and Jacob L. Vigdor, "Segregation
and Resegregation in North Carolina's Public School Classrooms," *North
Carolina Law Review*, 2003, 16:3-27.

Cohen, J., *Statistical Power Analysis in the Behavioral Sciences*,
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Cookson, Peter W., Jr., and Sonali M. Shroff, "Recent Experience with
Urban School Choice Plans," *ERIC/CUE Digest*, ERIC Clearinghouse on
Urban Education, No. 127, October 1997.

COSMOS Corporation, *The Urban Superintendency: Understanding the Work,
Sharing the Knowledge, Volumes I and II,* American Association of School
Administrators, Arlington, Va., March 29, 2004.

Cullen, Julie B., Brian Jacob, and Steven Levitt, "The Effect on School
Choice on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Randomized Lotteries,"
*Journal of Public Economics*, 2005, 89:729-760.

Education Commission of the States, "School Choice: State Actions," *ECS
State Notes*, Denver, Colo., 2001.

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Figlio, David, and Cecilia Rouse, "Do Accountability and Voucher Threats
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Finnigan, Kara, et al., *Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
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Fuller, Bruce, and Richard Elmore (eds.), *Who Chooses? Who Loses?
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Gardner, John, *How School Choice Helps the Milwaukee Public Schools,*
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Gill, Brian, "School Choice and Integration," in Julian R. Betts and Tom
Loveless (eds.), *Getting Choice Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency
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Goldhaber, Dan, et al., "How School Choice Affects Students Who Do Not
Choose," in Julian R. Betts and Tom Loveless (eds.), *Getting Choice
Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency in Education Policy*, Brookings
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Greene, Jay P., *An Evaluation of the Florida A-Plus Accountability and
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Greene, Jay P., *2001 Education Freedom Index*, Civic Report No. 24,
Center for Civic Innovation, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research,
New York, N.Y., January 2002.

Hamilton, Laura S., and Kacey Guin, "Understanding How Families Choose
Schools," in Julian R. Betts and Tom Loveless (eds.), *Getting Choice
Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency in Education Policy*, Brookings
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Hastings, Justin S., Thomas J. Kane, and Douglas O. Staiger, *Parental
Preferences and School Competition: Evidence from a Public School Choice
Program*, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper No.
w11805, Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 2005.

Hastings, Justin S., Thomas J. Kane, and Douglas O. Staiger,
*Preferences and Heterogeneous Treatment Effects in a Public School
Choice Lottery*, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper No.
w12145, Cambridge, Mass., April 2006.

Henig, Jeffrey R., and Stephen D. Sugarman, "The Nature and Extent of
School Choice," in Stephen D. Sugarman and Frank R. Kemerer (eds.),
*School Choice and Social Controversy: Politics, Policy, and Law*,
Brookings Institution Press, Washington, D.C., 1999, pp. 13-35.

Heritage Foundation, Center for Education Reform, and the Education
Commission of the States, *School Choice and Charter School Programs:
2001*, Washington, D.C., 2001.

Hill, Paul T., Lawrence C. Pierce, and James W. Guthrie, *Reinventing
Public Education: How Contracting Can Transform America's Schools*,
University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill., 1997.

Hoxby, Caroline M., "Introduction," in Caroline M. Hoxby (ed.), *The
Economic Analysis of School Choice,* University of Chicago Press,
Chicago Ill., 2002.

Hoxby, Caroline M., *School Choice and School Productivity (or Could
School Choice be a Tide that Lifts All Boats?),* paper presented at NBER
Conference on the Economics of School Choice, Cheeca Lodge, Islamorada,
Fla., Feb. 23-24, 2001.

Lee, Valerie E., and David T. Burkam, *Inequality at the Starting Gate:
Social Background Differences in Achievement as Children Begin School*,
Economic Policy Institute, Washington, D.C., 2002.

Lipsey, Mark W., and David B. Wilson, "The Efficacy of Psychological,
Educational, and Behavioral Treatment: Confirmation from Meta-Analysis,"
*American Psychologist*, 1993, 48:1181-1209.

Loveless, Tom, *How Well Are American Students Learning? With Sections
on Arithmetic, High School Culture, and Charter Schools*, Brown Center
on Education Policy, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., September
2002, 1(3).

Kim, Jimmy, and Gail L. Sunderman, *Does NCLB Provide Good Choices for
Students in Low-Performing Schools?* Civil Rights Project at Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass., February 2004.

Miron, Gary, and Christopher Nelson, *What's Public about Charter
Schools? Lessons Learned about Choice and Accountability*, Corwin Press,
Thousand Oaks, Calif., 2002.

Moe, Terry M., "The Politics of the Status Quo," in Paul Peterson (ed.),
*Our Schools and Our Future\... Are We still at Risk*? Hoover
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National Working Commission on Choice in K--12 Education, *School
Choice: Doing It the Right Way Makes a Difference,* Brookings
Institution, Washington, D.C., 2004.

Nechyba, Thomas, "What Can Be (and Has Been) Learnt from General
Equilibrium Simulation Models of School Finance?" *National Tax
Journal*, 2003, LVI:387-414.

Nechyba, Thomas, and Michael Heise, "School Finance Reform: Introducing
the Choice Factor," in Diane Ravitch and Joseph P. Viteritti, (eds.),
*City Schools: Lessons from New York,* Johns Hopkins University Press,
Baltimore, Md., 2000, pp. 367-392.

Peterkin, Robert S., "Choice and Change in Public Schools," in David
Boaz (ed.), *Liberating Schools: Education in the Inner City*, Cato
Institute, Washington, D.C., 1991, pp. 173-179.

Powers, Jeanne M., and Peter W. Cookson, Jr., "The Politics of School
Choice Research: Fact, Fiction, and Statistics," *Educational Policy,*
January and March 1999, 13:104-122.

Ravitch, Diane, and Joseph P. Viteritti (eds.), *New Schools for a New
Century: The Redesign of Urban Education*, Yale University Press, New
Haven, Conn., 1997.

Reback, Randall, "House Prices and the Provision of Public Services:
Capitalization Under School Choice Programs," *Journal of Urban
Economics*, 2005, 57:275-301.

Ross, Karen E., "Charter Schools and Integration: The Experience in
Michigan," in Julian R. Betts and Tom Loveless (eds.), *Getting Choice
Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency in Education Policy*, Brookings
Institution Press, Washington, D.C., 2005, pp. 146-175.

Scott, Janelle T. (ed.), *School Choice and Diversity: What the Evidence
Says*, Teachers College Press, New York, N.Y., 2005.

Teske, Paul, et al., "Public School Choice: A Status Report," in Diane
Ravitch and Joseph P. Viteritti (eds.), *City Schools: Lessons from New
York*, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md., 2000, pp.
313-338.

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Report to Congress,* Washington, D.C., February 2005. Posted at:
http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/nclbrpts.html.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education, *Public School Choice: Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance*,
Washington, D.C., Feb. 6, 2004. Posted at:
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U.S. Government Accountability Office, *No Child Left Behind Act:
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Willie, Charles V., Ralph Edwards, and Michael J. Alves, *Student
Diversity, Choice, and School Improvement*, Bergin and Garvey, Westport,
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Yin, Robert K., "Rival Explanations as an Alternative to 'Reforms As
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Experimentation: Donald Campbell's Legacy*, Sage, Thousand Oaks, Calif.,
2000, pp. 239-266.

Yin, Robert K., R. James Schmidt, and Frank Besag, "Aggregating Student
Achievement Trends Across States With Different Tests: Using
Standardized Slopes as Effect Sizes," *Peabody Journal of Education*,
2006, 81(2):47-61.

**APPENDIX**

**School Survey: 2006-07**

**COVER SHEET**

######### QUESTIONNAIRE FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS

**National Evaluation of the Voluntary Public School Choice Program**

  ----- ------------------ -- ------------------------------------ --------
                                                                   

        **Date:**                                                  

        **Respondent:**                                            

        **Title:**                                                 

        **Phone:**                                                 

        **School Name:**                                           

        **District:**                                              

        **State:**                                                 

                                                                   
  ----- ------------------ -- ------------------------------------ --------

**FOR NATIONAL EVALUATION USE**

ID Number: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Date Received: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

1

**QUESTIONNAIRE FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS**

1\. School's Name, Address, and Grade Levels:

  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------
  Name:            

  Address:         
  ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------

Grade Levels (*circle lowest and highest*): pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12

2\. The following data were calculated based on student enrollment from
which school semester?

(*check ONE only*):

  ------ ----------------------------------------------------------------
         for Spring 2006

         for Fall 2006

         for Spring 2007

         Other date (specify the date)
  ------ ----------------------------------------------------------------

Total No. of Students: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (*no.*)

  -------------------------------------------------- -- ---------- -------
  American Indian or Alaska Native:                                (%)

  Asian:                                                           (%)

  Black or African American:                                       (%)

  Hispanic:                                                        (%)

  Native Hawaiian or other Pac. Isld.:                             (%)

  White:                                                           (%)

  Other:                                                           (%)

  Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch:                       (%)

  With IEP:                                                        (%)

  With Limited English Proficiency:                                (%)

  Migrant:                                                         (%)
  -------------------------------------------------- -- ---------- -------

3\. Does this School receive Title I assistance? \_\_\_*Yes
(schoolwide)* \_\_\_*Yes (targeted) \_\_\_No*

If yes, has the school been identified as failing to make Adequate
Yearly Progress, based on student achievement scores for the:

  ------ ----------------------------------------------------------------
         for the 2006-2007 school year

         for the 2005-2006 school year

         for the 2004-2005 school year

         none of the above
  ------ ----------------------------------------------------------------

2

4\. School Choice Options for Students at this School:

(*check ALL that apply*):

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| a |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
| \ |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | w |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | d |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | c |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | f |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | l |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| b |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
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| . |   |   | u |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | u |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | e |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | d |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | c |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | m |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | y |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | f |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | e |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | c |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | l |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| c |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
| \ |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
| . |   |   | u |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | d |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | e |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | m |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | y |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | f |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | e |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | f |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | o |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | m |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | w |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | h |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| d |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
| \ |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
| . |   |   | u |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | d |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | t |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | s |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | m |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | y |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | a |   |   |                           |                         |
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
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|   |   |   | ? |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| g |   |   | ( |   |   |                           |                         |
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| . |   |   | u |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | r |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | g |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | ) |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| h |   |   | ( |   |   |                           |                         |
| \ |   |   | n |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | * |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | f |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | l |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | ) |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
|   |   |   |   |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| i |   |   | D |   |   |                           |                         |
| \ |   |   | i |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | ( |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | ) |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+
|   |   |   | ( |   |   |                           |                         |
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|   |   |   | c |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | 2 |   |   |                           |                         |
|   |   |   | ) |   |   |                           |                         |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------------------------+-------------------------+

5\. Notifying Parents about School Choice Options:

What actions did the school take to notify parents/families of their
choice options?

(*check ALL that apply*)

  --------- --- ------------------- --------------------------------------------
  a\.           individual,         
                face-to-face        
                meetings with       
                school officials    

  b\.           group meetings with 
                school officials    

  c\.           enrollment fairs or 
                similar events for  
                parents to learn    
                about choice        
                options             

  d\.           open houses at      
                receiving schools   

  e\.           letter mailed to    
                parents/families    

  f\.           letter sent home    
                with students       

  g\.           announcements in    
                community           
                newspapers or other 
                media               

  h\.           contacts made by    
                the district's      
                parent information  
                center(s)           

  i\.           other (*please      
                explain*):          

                                    

  j\.           How many languages, 
                other than English, 
                have been used in   
                these notification  
                procedures?         

  \_\_\_                            
  (*no.*)                           
  --------- --- ------------------- --------------------------------------------

3

6\. In your opinion, what proportion of the parents/families had a good
understanding of their choice options last year? (*check ONE only*)

+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| a |   | all parents/families                                          |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| b |   | most parents/families (e.g., over 50 percent)                 |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| c |   | some parents/families (e.g., between 20-50 percent)           |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| d |   | few parents/families (e.g., less than 20 percent)             |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| I |   |                                                               |
| f |   |                                                               |
| y |   |                                                               |
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| u |   |                                                               |
| c |   |                                                               |
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| c |   |                                                               |
| k |   |                                                               |
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| d |   |                                                               |
| 6 |   |                                                               |
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| h |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
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| t |   |                                                               |
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| e |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
| p |   |                                                               |
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| t |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
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| d |   |                                                               |
| , |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
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| p |   |                                                               |
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| a |   |                                                               |
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| t |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| / |   |                                                               |
| f |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
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| l |   |                                                               |
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| s |   |                                                               |
| ' |   |                                                               |
| u |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
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| r |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| g |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| f |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| c |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
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| e |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| p |   |                                                               |
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| i |   |                                                               |
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| n |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| ? |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+

7\. Has your school started new programs (e.g., magnets, academies,
small learning communities, new academic subjects) to be more
attractive, either to reduce the number of students transferring out or
to increase the number transferring in? (*check ALL that apply*)

+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| a |   | becoming a charter school                                     |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| b |   | starting new magnets, academies, or small learning            |
| \ |   | communities                                                   |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| c |   | starting other new academic programs or subjects              |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| d |   | making other changes in school administration (e.g., changing |
| \ |   | school hours)                                                 |
| . |   |                                                               |
|   |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   | other                                                         |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| f |   | no new programs                                               |
| \ |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| B |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| f |   |                                                               |
| l |   |                                                               |
| y |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| c |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| b |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| w |   |                                                               |
| p |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| g |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| c |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| g |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| c |   |                                                               |
| h |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| l |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| p |   |                                                               |
| e |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| d |   |                                                               |
| m |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| s |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| r |   |                                                               |
| a |   |                                                               |
| t |   |                                                               |
| i |   |                                                               |
| o |   |                                                               |
| n |   |                                                               |
| . |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|   |   |                                                               |
+---+---+---------------------------------------------------------------+

4

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="8.834027777777777in"
height="11.218055555555555in"}

[^1]: The *No Child Left Behind Act of 2001* (P.L.107-110) amended the
    *Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965*.

[^2]: The law requires that if all schools in a district have not made
    adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two or more consecutive years,
    the district shall, "to the extent practicable," establish a
    cooperative agreement of transfer with other districts in the
    surrounding area (U.S. Department of Education, February 2004, p.
    17).

[^3]: ^?^ The Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program is part of the
    National School Lunch Program administered by the U.S. Department of
    Agriculture. The program provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost
    or free lunches to more than 26 million students each school day.
    Children from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the
    poverty level are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. For the
    period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005, 185 percent of the
    poverty level was \$34,873 for a family of four (USDA, 2004).

[^4]: The *No Child Left Behind Act of 2001* (P.L. 107-110) amended the
    *Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965*.

[^5]: ^5^ The law requires that if all schools in a district have not
    made adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two or more consecutive
    years, the district shall, "to the extent practicable," establish a
    cooperative agreement of transfer with other districts in the
    surrounding area (U.S. Department of Education, February 2004, p.
    17).

[^6]: To give but one example from a much more extensive literature, a
    recently completed study of magnet schools examined but found little
    income-based stratification associated with the presence of magnet
    school choice (Archbald, 2004).

[^7]: Because of the nature of the VPSC Program, the review does not try
    to address the vast literatures on specific forms of school choice,
    including school voucher initiatives, magnet school programs, or
    charter schools.

[^8]: The fact that all districts are eligible to participate may create
    a complication. However, this complication was considered less
    troublesome than selecting sites from an entirely separate state,
    where the choice and other educational policy conditions could be
    entirely different.

[^9]: At this site, the district is the appropriate respondent because
    many of the participating students are not assigned to specific
    schools, either prior to or as part of the VPSC initiative.

[^10]: Participating schools were those with students who were either
    eligible for or enrolled in a VPSC-funded initiative.

[^11]: The definition of the bands followed the definitions used by the
    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), accommodating the
    varied conditions confronted across the country: "elementary"
    includes low grades from pre-K to 3 with high grades up to the 8th
    grade; "middle" includes low grades from 4 to 7 with high grades
    from 4 to 9; and "high" includes low grades from 7 to 12 with a high
    grade of 12 only.

[^12]: The Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program is part of the National
    School Lunch Program administered by the U.S. Department of
    Agriculture. The program provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost
    or free lunches to more than 26 million students each school day.
    Children from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the
    poverty level are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. For the
    period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005, 185 percent of the
    poverty level was \$34,873 for a family of four (USDA, 2004).

[^13]: ^13^ Although this type of choice deviated somewhat from the more
    traditional public school choice options, the VPSC Program granted
    the site a special waiver to implement this arrangement.

[^14]: ^14^ The state had made preliminary lists of schools "identified
    for improvement" available earlier in the year, but the site decided
    to wait for the final list, not released until December; it has
    decided to work with the preliminary lists in future years.

[^15]: However, a district may know early in the year that some schools
    will have to offer choice the next school year because the schools
    are already in improvement status (and would have to make AYP for
    two years in a row to exit). The Department encourages districts to
    begin notification for choice early when they have schools in this
    situation.

[^16]: ^16^ Undesignated schools are eligible to receive and send
    transferring students.

[^17]: The logic favoring a count of *eligible* students as
    participants, even if not applying to transfer to another school, is
    that these students indeed exercised a choice by deciding to stay at
    their original school. Advocates of school choice sometimes use this
    argument. The inherent assumption is that students who did not
    transfer knowingly made a choice to stay at their original schools.
    However, no serious attempts have been made to verify if students in
    fact knew they had a choice.

[^18]: The 2003--04 figure was originally reported as 3,981 students in
    last year's national evaluation report. The new figure represents an
    updating and adjustment mainly because, at the time of that report,
    one of the sites had reported its eligible and applicant but not its
    enrollment figures. The site has since provided the enrollment
    figure for 2003--04.

[^19]: As an additional comparison, another choice initiative, existing
    contemporaneously with the VPSC Program, has been taking place in
    the D.C. Public Schools. Although this other initiative emphasizes
    the use of vouchers for students to attend private schools and does
    not involve public school choice, the D.C. initiative is
    nevertheless districtwide and takes place in a district with many
    schools reputed to be poorly performing. Nevertheless, this
    initiative reported that only 5.8 percent of the students awarded
    scholarships in the spring of 2004 (for enrollment in 2004--05) came
    from low-performing schools (see Wolf et al., 2005).

[^20]: ^?^ See *The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001*, P.L. 107-110,
    Title V, Part B, Sec. 5246(b)(3).

[^21]: ^?^ Throughout the analysis, observations pertain to changes in
    *scores*. Such a focus is not synonymous with a focus on changes in
    actual *achievement*. For instance, improvements in state assessment
    scores can reflect either improving student achievement or weakened
    criteria in the scoring of criterion-referenced assessments. Many
    state assessments are based on criterion-referenced tests. Despite
    this shortcoming, no other ways of assessing student achievement are
    as readily available, for schools and districts across the country,
    as the state assessment tests.

[^22]:
    > ^?^ These other reports have formed the basis for all of the
    > three-year estimates reported earlier. Because the grant
    > performance reports in particular are official documents submitted
    > to the Department in relation to a site's accountability for its
    > grant award, the information in these reports has been assumed to
    > be more accurate than any tallies from the individual records
    > submitted to the national evaluation team.

[^23]: To avoid threats to maintaining the anonymity of the students, a
    site would need to establish "school codes," so that only a central
    source would vouch for the participation of the school in the VPSC
    initiative, but the identity of the school would remain otherwise
    unknown.

[^24]:
    > ^?^ The academic data could include students' grades and not just
    > scores on standardized achievement tests. The availability of the
    > grades would help overcome a problem with the test data---that
    > they may not be available for the year before enrollment in a VPSC
    > initiative because many school systems only test students every
    > other year and because first-grade participants might not have any
    > prior testing record.

[^25]: ^?^ Later analyses will delineate more precisely the preprogram
    years for the various VPSC Program sites. For instance, although
    preprogram years were 1998--99 to 2001--02 for the VPSC sites that
    started their student enrollment in 2002--03, the years were
    2000--01 to 2002--03 for those starting in 2003--04, and the years
    will be staggered even further with the sites starting in later
    years. Refining the definition of the preprogram years will occur
    once all sites have started their actual implementation.