State and Local Implementation of the 'No Child Left Behind Act'. Volume VII--Title I School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services: Final Report

This report presents trends on the implementation of Title I parental choice options from the National Longitudinal Study of No Child Left Behind (NLS-NCLB) and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under No Child Left Behind (SSI-NCLB). The report uses data from state-level interviews; surveys of a nationally representative sample of district officials, principals and teachers; surveys of parents in eight school districts; and surveys of supplemental educational service providers in 16 districts to examine the implementation across the country of the school choice and supplemental educational service components of Title I through 2006-07. It is based on data collected in 2004-05 and 2006-07, updating findings from the interim report that was based on data collected in 2004-05. Most districts reported that they offered Title I public school choice and supplemental educational services if they were required to do so, and the number of students participating in both options increased substantially from the initial implementation of NCLB to the most recent year with available data. However, only a small proportion of eligible students actually participated in school choice or supplemental educational services, and participation rates have remained relatively constant. Four notable issues appeared to continue to contribute to low participation rates, in spite of the progress that had been made on some of these issues: (1) Supply of options for both Title I public school choice and supplemental educational services was limited at the secondary level; (2) Approximately half of districts continued to be unable to notify parents of students eligible for Title I public school choice of that option before the beginning of the school year; (3) A majority of parents of students eligible for Title I public school choice and more than one-third of parents of students eligible for supplemental educational services continued to say they were not notified of those options, even though the districts documented that written notifications had been sent out; and (4) Even when parents said they were notified, nine out of 10 parents of students eligible for Title I public school choice and nearly half of parents of students eligible for Title I supplemental educational services chose not to participate, primarily due to satisfaction with the child's current school. The report concludes that, although there continue to be issues around availability of Title I public school choice and supplemental educational services and timely notification of and communication with parents, it is parents of eligible students who ultimately decide whether they want to avail themselves of the options offered to their children. To date, parents have shown a low propensity to do so for both public school choice and supplemental educational services. Three appendices are included: (1) Description of NLS-NCLB and SSI-NCLB Methodologies; (2) Standard Error Exhibits; and (3) Supplemental Exhibits. (Contains 34 footnotes and 88 exhibits.)