Parent meetings on the enrollment options and supplemental educational services (SES) planned for next year in response to requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 will be held at seven federally funded Title I elementary schools.

The meetings, all of which begin at 7:00 p.m., will be held at Rosemont Elementary School on Tuesday, May 17; Highland Elementary School on Wednesday, May 18; Kemp Mill Elementary School on Thursday, May 19; Wheaton Woods Elementary School on Monday, May 23; Weller Road Elementary School on Tuesday, May 31; Gaithersburg Elementary School on Wednesday, June 1; and Harmony Hills Elementary School on Thursday, June 2.

It is important to note that Highland Elementary School is the only school in Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) that will definitely offer the enrollment choice and SES options. The remaining six schools will only provide these options if their schools do not meet their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA).

Notifications about the meetings have been sent to parents. In addition, updated booklets featuring typical questions and answers about the school choice enrollment option and SES are available for parents.

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.

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.

Six of the participating Title I schools--Gaithersburg, Harmony Hills, Kemp Mill, Rosemont, Weller Road, and Wheaton Woods 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. If these schools meet AYP targets for the 2nd year in a row, school choice and SES will not be offered.

For the current school year, 191 students participated in the choice program, out of a total enrollment of more than 4,000 in this year's seven 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 on reading and mathematics, as well as summer enrichment, after school programs, and language instruction for students with limited English proficiency.