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Richland One School District, Columbia SC
Marannia November 7, 2012
Ive just relocated here and Im a little confused about their rules. I have read that because of the No Child Left Behind, I can choose the school that I want my daughter to attend in this district (when I called, they said no I cant). They started talking about transfer season and all of this stuff that I didnt see before on the district site. The school that she is zoned for is a bad school. The alternatives in the area are bad schools. I would like her to attend S Kilbourne but they are making it very difficult and not helping very much at all. What do I do to get around this other than Home Schooling? Im about to explode!! Pls help! Thank you!
MagnetMom November 11, 2012
Hi Marannia,
I can understand your frustration. No Child Left Behind was implemented to help parents get their children out of bad schools and into better performing ones. But in order not to disrupt the other schools, and also not to overcrowd the good ones, the schools have put in place rules to guide the process.
If you've moved in after the application season, I'd make a visit to the district offices and ask what your options are. Sometimes certain schools still have openings, and they can find a way to place your child. Other times, those schools are now all full, and you'd have to wait until next season. You can ask to be called if an opening occurs, too.
In the mean time, check out the school you're zoned for and make sure it's really not an option. Sometimes a few bad reviews can sway opinions, but when you attend in person, it's better fit.
If out and out home schooling is not an option, you might want to look at the online schooling that allows your daughter to attend while checking in with a teacher several times a week.
Good luck and let us know what happens.81393
TeacherParent November 11, 2012
No Child Left Behind didn't legislate that parents could choose their schools - school choice is allowed by some states - it's not a federal mandate.
I'd agree with the poster who suggested you visit the bad school - just to be sure. Then I'd just start making phone calls - to everybody and even to a lawyer explaining that you just moved into the district and as a consequence transfer season shouldn't be over for you.81397
jenndarell November 18, 2012
One word of caution, many states have been given waivers for the NCLB program this year. Next year is still unknown. My children are in the midst of this issue. Three years at the same school, with bus service. Now the waiver and I am driving my kids almost ten miles each way. Out of 1013 elementary schools in WA state, their magnet school is ranked 1007. Maybe check to see if your state has been granted a NCLB waiver because it may not even be an option for you to go to a different school. I feel for you, good luck. As for the comments, sometimes people don't have the luxury to get everything they want all the time and you have to just do the best you can with your set of circumstances. No one would choose to send their child to a bad school. Sometimes you have to play the hand you're dealt. 81468
Trinity01 November 18, 2012
I hear its up to the school to allow your child in or not. The thing is noone over sees if the school is really over crowded or do they just not want your kid there. The school cant easily tell you anything that they want to. I didnt have that prblm with my childs school she attended last year,this school was very highly ranked. But when it came to certain things i didnt not agree with. Like my kid was learning nothing in kindergarten i brought this to the teachers attention she acted like it was no biggie to her. I let talked to the principal samething. So i moved my daughter to a Christian private school. Theirs only 16kids in the class shes making all A's now even gets O's which stands for outstanding. We are still having prblms with reading bc the kindergarten teacher didnt teacher the kids to sound out words. She only had them learn sight words. But i must say im glad we switched,so beware of those schools that claim to be better its not always the case. If the teacher doesnt care it makes the whole school look bad. My Childs teacher didnt care if she learned or not. She even refused to stay after school to hlp my child. Not just that she refused all togther to do anything to help her. She should've lost her job i think! The smart comment abt pick a house with a good school district...not everyone can do that...its nice to know you can though.81469
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