Parent meetings on the enrollment options and supplemental educational services planned for next year in response to requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 are being held beginning next week at 11 federally funded Title I elementary schools.

The schedule of the meetings, all of which begin at 7:00 p.m., include Oak View Elementary School on Monday, April 26; and Weller Road, Kemp Mill, and Broad Acres elementary schools on Tuesday, April 27. On Thursday, April 29, meetings will be held at Harmony Hills and Summit Hall elementary schools.

The meetings will continue on Monday, May 3, at Gaithersburg Elementary; and on Tuesday, May 4, at Wheaton Woods Elementary. The meeting for Highland Elementary will be on Wednesday, May 5, followed by the meetings for Viers Mill Elementary and Rosemont Elementary on Thursday, May 6.

Notifications about the meetings were sent in letters to parents earlier this month, including multiple language translations. In addition, an updated booklet featuring typical questions and answers about the school choice enrollment option and supplemental educational services is available for parents [see links below].

The No Child Left Behind Act provides parents with the option to seek enrollment of their children in another school if their home Title I school has not demonstrated two years of sustained improvement in overall student performance.

In Montgomery County, the choice options include two designated receiving schools and two designated special education schools for each participating Title I school.
In addition, supplemental educational services in reading and mathematics for selected students are offered in certain schools.

Two Years of Sustained Improvement Ends Choice Options

Once a school improves performance for two consecutive years, the school is no longer required to participate in the choice option or provide the required supplemental services.

Four of the participating Title I schools – Broad Acres, Oak View, Summit Hall, and Viers Mill elementary schools—are awaiting this year’s results of the Maryland School Assessments to determine if they will be required to provide the choice options next year. (Both Oak View and Viers Mill elementary schools would be new to the choice program if required to offer services next year.)

One of the participating schools this year – Burnt Mills Elementary School – will not meet enrollment qualifications as a Title I school for next year, and the choice option there is ending.

For the current school year, 182 students participated in the choice program, out of a total enrollment of more than 5,700 in this year’s 10 designated schools.

Considerable effort is under way to enhance the academic performance of all of the Title I schools, including classroom and program improvements as well as professional development for teachers and other school staff. Specialized improvement efforts are focusing reading and mathematics, as well as summer enrichment, after school programs, and language instruction for students with limited English proficiency.