School Board May Vote On Choice Issue Aug 19th

It doesn’t look like there will be any major changes to the Rochester School District’s attendance boundaries -

or changes to its Bamber Valley School.  The School Board last night discussed various options and chair Anne Becker says it appears there is consensus to approve two changes, one involving the current lottery system that is used to select students for the district’s choice programs.  Becker says the proposal calls for running the lottery through the administration rather than at the schools where they are offered.  And she says it appears there needs to be more marketing of the choice programs so that all families are aware of them.   Becker says the board is hopeful this will increase the student diversity of the choice schools.

Another option that had been discussed called for a choice program at  Bamber Valley Elementary School.  Becker says that apparently is no longer under consideration by other board members.  The board may also decide to make some minor adjustments to its attendance boundaries. Becker anticipates the board will take a formal vote on the overall matter at its August 19th meeting.

The board has spent the last several months discussing ways to increase choice school offerings and making them more diverse and has slowly moved away from most of the major proposals.