In 1992 New York City, the largest public school system in the country, initiated a citywide choice plan. Parents have the right to transfer their children to any New York City public school, provided space is available. To take advantage of the interdistrict choice plan, parents must contact the Board of Education and become familiar with the chosen school's procedures and requirements. They must then write a letter to the superintendent of that school's district to request a transfer. In 1989 Boston implemented controlled choice.
Families can choose an elementary or middle school in the zone where they live.
Students are assigned random numbers, and applicants are admitted in order of their number, although all assignments are made to ensure a racial balance in each school. It is interesting to consider how school choice might work in the abstract, but the following Parent News article tells the story of how one local school district actually implemented its controlled choice plan. Recent experience with urban school choice plans . School choice and urban school reform . Center for American Political Studies, Harvard University.