Goals & Actions Steps: School Choice

School Choice: Districtwide efforts to encourage and publicize a rich array of learning opportunities, environments, and programs that offer academic rigor, research-based instructional strategies, and student-centered assessment accessible and responsive to the needs of our diverse student population. Specialized programs within our neighborhood schools, district sponsored charter schools, optional programs, magnet schools, lab settings, or other smaller learning communities are designed to challenge students to develop their innate talents, abilities, and interests.

2010-11 Goal #1: Attract and retain students in Salt Lake City School District through multiple methods of advertising and marketing to increase community awareness, knowledge, and participation in school choice opportunities within the district.

Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Accountability Measure
Action Step 1.1: Assist each school in developing a marketing plan to promote its assets, unique strengths, and positive features to its community.	Communications Department, Student Services Department, Principals, School Choice Committee	Marketing plans for each school, including a one page promotional flyer.
Action Step 1.2: Design and update the district's and each school's Web pages to include school choice information.		50% of school Web pages updated by May 2010; all school Web pages updated by May 2011; school and district Web pages updated and maintained no less than once per month after launching.
Action Step 1.3: Refine the school choice catalog and create a list of school choice options with contact information in multiple languages.		2010-11 school choice catalog produced in English and Spanish and distributed; one-page list of school choice options across the district with contact information in English and Spanish, with other translations available.
Action Step 1.4: Design specific strategies to inform underrepresented groups about options.		Written strategies, ideas, and guidelines for marketing options to underrepresented groups.
Action Step 1.5: Develop a plan for continuous updating, availability, and distribution of marketing items to schools, faith-based and social service agencies, Student Services Department, Chamber of Commerce, and realty/rental companies.		Marketing materials distributed to a minimum of ten organizations.
Action Step 1.6: Utilize television, radio, Internet, and news media to publicize SLCSD choice options.		Marketing materials distributed through a minimum of five venues.

2010-011 Goal #2: Attract and retain students in Salt Lake City School District through distributing choice options geographically throughout the district.

Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Accountability Measure
Action Step 2.1: Maintain successful existing programs.	Superintendency, Transportation Department, Principals, School Choice Committee	Continue programs with 85% approval ratings on a survey regarding parental satisfaction.
Action Step 2.2: Develop new programs, expansions or replications to be distributed across all geographic areas of Salt Lake City School District.		Increase in the geographical distribution of choice options so that each quadrant has at least one choice program at elementary, middle school, and high school levels.
Action Step 2.3: Mirror district demographics in optional programs and district-sponsored charter schools. Recruit underrepresented groups to participate.		Demographic data by program, with comparisons to district averages.
Action Step 2.4: Identify available resources for transportation to increase access for all students to take advantage of diverse educational opportunities.		Bus routes and access to public transportation available on district Web site.

2010-11 Goal #3: Attract and retain students in Salt Lake City School District through expanding and replicating successful choice programs.

Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Accountability Measure
Action Step 3.1: Expand or replicate existing successful programs into adjacent grade levels where it meets student and community needs and is developmentally appropriate.	Superintendency, School Choice Committee, Board of Education	Expansion of one or more programs across grade levels if need is identified in districtwide survey regarding parental satisfaction with access and choice.

2011-12 Goal #4: Assess our efforts to attract and retain students in Salt Lake City School District by increasing community awareness, knowledge, and participation in school choice opportunities within the district.

Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Accountability Measure
Action Step 4.1: Evaluate family needs and desires for school choice.	School Choice Programs, Student Services Department, Educational Equity Department, Board of Education	Districtwide survey regarding parental satisfaction with access and choice, including neighborhood schools; identify the top three new desired options.
Action Step 4.2: Evaluate the geographic distribution and diversity of the student populations in choice options across the district.		Demographic data by program, with comparisons to district averages; locations by quadrant of the district.
Action Step 4.3: Develop an action plan to create new options and to increase awareness, knowledge, access, and participation in school choice within the district.		Written recommendations for school choice based on equity and accessibility for all families.