HARTFORD'S OPEN CHOICE IS THE WRONG CHOICE FOR DARIEN

Hartford's Open Choice program:

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Learn more about the many potential risks and disadvantages to Darien students, parents, taxpayers, and residents posed by Hartford's Open Choice program.

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Please reach out to your elected Board of Education members to tell them: Hartford’s Open Choice is the wrong choice for Darien.

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Darien board of education

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To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]Subject: Open Choice is the Wrong ChoiceDear Board of Education Members:Hartford’s Open Choice program is the wrong choice for Darien.Please vote no on allocating any funds in the budget to the Open Choice program. There are too many risks and disadvantages to Darien students, parents, taxpayers, and residents.Sincerely,
(Name)
(Address)

FAQs

Q: Why are you against Open Choice which has a goal of diversifying the school district?A: Given the last two years of Covid, with masks and learning loss, the board's only priority right now should be a "return to normalcy" and getting each and every Darien student back up to speed socially, emotionally, and academically. Undertaking a new and substantial program like Open Choice should not be a priority at this time.Also, the new housing construction in town will mean that there will be hundreds of new apartments very soon. With inclusionary zoning incorporating affordable housing as part of these developments, this will bring new and welcomed residents to town and the school system.Finally, four out of the five Darien elementary schools currently use portable units. Before considering bringing in non-resident students that would further increase class sizes, we believe that all Darien students should first be in permanent classrooms and all portable units be removed from the school grounds.Q: Wouldn’t participation in Open Choice help us avoid regionalization?A: The legislation does not provide for that. A school district’s participation in Open Choice is purely voluntary. There is no assurance or promise from anyone that participation in the Open Choice program will forestall forced regionalization. One more thing to consider: Would participating in Open Choice with 16 students potentially support the state’s argument that if Open Choice worked so well with 16 children, why not impose school regionalization with, say, 100 or 200 children per class. We believe that the SCDE and RESC oversight of the Open Choice program could very well lead to greater involvement by the state and pressure to expand the program.Q: Why do we assume that it will be 16 additional kids each year?A: The discussion at Board of Education meetings was to admit 16 students. We assume that this will be an annual program. As the inaugural and initial 16 Kindergarteners move to first grade, we assume there would be 16 new students added at the Kindergarten level each year. Although the framework for the continuation of the program has not been finalized by the BOE, we believe that generally budget programs in motion tend to stay in motion. Besides, each year after the inaugural class, Norwalk parents would apply for the lottery in advance of the school year with the expectation that the program would be open the following September. It would become very difficult for Darien to just end the program abruptly.Q: Doesn’t the receiving town get a grant to cover these costs?A: Yes, the town receives a “flat” grant for each Open Choice student it accepts. In turn, the town must make a firm commitment to educate the child until high school graduation. Under Open Choice, the State contributes only a small amount per student ($3,000 currently and expected to increase to $4,000), leaving Darien taxpayers funding the balance between incremental cost per student and the grant. This is much less than the expenditure per pupil as articulated in the town’s school budget – which for 2022/2023 might be expected to be in the $23,000 range.Q: If we have the open spaces, why wouldn’t we share them?A: We don’t believe we will have the open spaces, especially given the hundreds of new apartments that are being currently constructed in town. Also, if we did have a decline in student population (and the BOE budget does not project a decline), the board of education and the board of finance have a fiduciary obligation to the town taxpayers to reduce the school infrastructure and related costs commensurate with the decline in the number of students – not just “fill the seats” at an operating loss.

what other receiving districts are saying

New Canaan: Voted NO.
Wilton: is considering accepting 2 students.

referenced during BOE meeting 1/11/22

1.) "...We cannot continue to participate at this level with the current level of state funding. The costs are not incidental. Tight budgets and staff reductions compound the problem. As you know, the current level of [Open] Choice funding is $2,500 per student. Granby's cost per student minus transportation and special education costs is close to $10,000. The academic and social supports and programmatic needs associated with the [Open] Choice program are significant. Even if the state is fortunate enough to make some of its participation targets stipulated by the Sheff agreement, I am fearful that without adequate funding, equity of outcomes for Hartford students attending suburban schools will not be realized. We want our Hartford students graduating from Granby Public Schools equally prepared for college. Isn't equity of outcomes really what the Sheff agreement is all about? If not, it should be."-- Dr. Alan Addley in testimony submitted to the Education Committee in regards to CT Senate Bill No. 830, March 9, 2009 (emphasis ours).

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2.) OPEN CHOICE PROGRAM: HELPING OR HURTING IN THE LONG RUN?
Samantha Sarli | College of Professional Studies | Northeastern University
September 23, 2020

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