Public School Choice
During the past decade, the options available to parents have increased dramatically, in line with a growing national consciousness that promoting competition in public education might spur schools to improve. Choice advocates believe that if schools operate on the free-market principle that governs the business world, the result will be better schools that respond to parents' needs and concerns. Having options increases your chances of finding a school that matches your family's education values and your child's needs.

Neighborhood Schools
Your neighborhood school is your first option to consider. The school your district assigns your child to is generally determined by where you live. Your neighborhood school offers the advantage of proximity to your home, and a community of parents and students who reside near the school. You'll want to evaluate the school to make sure the academic program, size of the school and quality of education meet your child's needs before choosing this option.

Charter Schools
One of the most significant changes in California public education in recent years has been the growth of the charter school movement. Charter schools are public schools that are liberated from some of the traditional school regulations required by the state. Charter schools must be nonsectarian and may not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender or disability. In California, charter schools are required to participate in the Standardized Testing and Reporting Progam (STAR).

These schools are bound by charter agreements granted by local school boards or county school boards. If charter schools don't meet the requirements of their charter, they can be shut down. Charter school enrollment is voluntary and is not governed by neighborhood boundaries, which means your child can choose to attend any charter school within your district, or outside your district, so long is there is space available. More

School Transfers
Every school district in California has the option to become an "open enrollment" or "choice" district that allows nondistrict residents to apply to any school in the district, regardless of location. Districts that choose this option must establish nondiscriminatory procedures for accepting applications to attend a school in the district. In an open enrollment district, if your transfer request is denied, there is no right of appeal to the County Board of Education. However, individual school districts may create their own appeal process if they so choose. Students who are accepted into a district of choice are responsible for their own transportation.

All school districts, regardless of whether they are open enrollment districts or not, may allow students to transfer to another school in the district or to a school outside the district, provided there is space available. In districts that have not agreed to provide open enrollment, if your child's transfer request is denied, you have the right to appeal to the County Board of Education.

Each district sets its own policy and regulations regarding intradistrict and interdistrict transfers. If you want to enroll your child in a different school within your home district, you should apply for an intradistrict transfer. To attend a school outside of your home district, apply for an interdistrict transfer.

Space limitations often make transfers difficult, and each district's process has its own regulations, so be sure to check with your local district for specific requirements. More

Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are another option offered by many school districts. Magnet schools generally have a particular focus, such as art or technology, or follow a different structural organization, such as mixing different grade levels within one classroom. Magnet schools are not governed by neighborhood boundaries; they draw students from throughout the school district and must accept students on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Alternative Schools
These are generally schools whose educational philosophies are different from traditional programs. Typically, alternative schools have small classes, social and emotional development curriculum, and self-paced academic curriculum. This title is used officially as well as informally to describe a wide range of schools, so it's important to ask specific schools why they are classified as "alternative." For example, the Hoover Elementary School in Palo Alto, which has a back-to-basics philosophy and a rigorous traditional curriculum, is considered an alternative school. Redwood High Continuation School, which serves at-risk high school students, is also considered an alternative school.

Private Schools
Private schools are schools that do not receive funding from the state and therefore are less constrained by the state's Education Code. Families of the students pay tuition or, in some cases, students receive scholarships to attend. The teachers, principal, board of directors (and sometimes the parents and students) decide upon curriculum, teaching methodology and enrollment requirements. More

Homeschooling
Another option is for parents to teach their children at home instead of sending them to a public or private school. Each state has different laws governing homeschooling. Many communities have organizations that assist homeschooling families with curriculum and opportunities to meet other homeschoolers. More

Additional Resources
For specific information about the rules and realities of different school choice options, consult these guides on GreatSchools.net:

Charter Schools Offer an Array of Choices

Interdistrict and Intradistrict Transfers in California: Options Beyond Your Neighborhood School

Homeschooling: Key Facts and Resources

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, if your child is in a school designated as low performing, you may be able to transfer him to another school. To find out more about this option, click here. p> If you are looking for a school in Northern California in San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco or Marin counties, check these books, designed to help sort through public and private school choices:

Gill, Nancy, Parents' Guide to School Selection in San Mateo-Santa Clara County, Haskala Press, 1997

Denman, David, et al, Finding a School for Your Child in San Francisco & Marin, Chronicle Books, 1990, (out of print but limited quantities available on www.amazon.com)