School Program Improvement

School Choice

Under the No Child Left Behind act, parents of all students in a Program Improvement (PI) school must be offered the opportunity to transfer their child to a non-PI school with paid transportation. The option to attend another public school is available to all students enrolled in a PI Year 1-5 school. A school is identified as a PI school when it fails to make AYP for two consecutive years.  A school remains in improvement until it makes AYP for two consecutive years. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I know if my child is eligible to transfer schools under School Choice?

If your child attends a school that is in Year 1 or above in Program Improvement, they are eligible. However, circumstances may arise that require the district to give priority to the lowest-achieving students from low-income families.  Woodrow Elementary, Sherwood Elementary, Standiford Elementary, and Sylvan Elementary are eligible schools for 2012-2013. Also listed is the number of students from these schools who are on School Choice at another Sylvan Union School District school.

            *as of January 18, 2013

 WOODROW Y5 LETTER 

 SHERWOOD Y1 LETTER 

 STANDIFORD Y1 LETTER 

 SYLVAN Y1 LETTER 

How do I transfer my child?

Woodrow and Sherwood families were mailed home School Choice letters in the Spring of 2012. 

Standiford and Sylvan Elementary School families were mailed home School Choice letters on November 19, 2012.  Applications were due to the school office by December 7, 2012. 

All newly enrolled students at these school sites are offered School Choice. 

How long can my child attend the school of choice?

The district must allow a student to remain in the chosen school until he or she has completed the highest grade in that school, although the student is not required to remain in the school of choice through the highest grade. If the child chooses to stay at that school after the home school is no longer in Program Improvement, the district is no longer obligated to provide transportation for a student.

If the student moves outside their home schools’ Program Improvement school’s boundaries, the student no longer qualifies for School Choice and must attend their resident school. 

Can I choose any school that I'd like?

No. Parents must choose from a list that will is provided on the School Choice application.

Supplemental Educational Services – Woodrow Elementary School

Schools that are in Program Improvement Year 2 or higher are required to provide Supplemental Educational Services (SES). Students who attend Woodrow Elementary School qualify based on their enrollment in the Free and Reduced Meal program.  SES is additional academic instruction designed to increase the academic achievement of students in schools in the second year of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.  These services are provided by State approved providers. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I know if my child is eligible for SES?

If your child attends Woodrow Elementary school and qualifies for free or reduced lunch, they are eligible to receive services.

Will all children who qualify receive free tutoring through SES?

No. Parents must apply within the given enrollment window in order to receive tutoring for their children. Applications are processed in the order they are received. Services will be based on need if not enough funds are available. Supplemental Educational Services will be prioritized to students who have qualified for free or reduced lunch and scored Below Basic or Far Below Basic on a part of the STAR test.

What is an SES provider and how do I select one?

An SES provider is a state-adopted public or private organization that will provide the free tutoring services. Provider information was mailed home to all families who had students who qualified for SES.  SES information is also available in the school office.  You may choose the program you think is best for your child and note it on The Parent Request for Supplemental Educational Services application.

How do I sign my child up for SES?

The Parent Request for Supplemental Educational Services applications will only be available during the following windows of time:

• October 24 through November 13, 2012
• January 7 through January 29, 2013

The applications can be picked up at the Woodrow Elementary School office or in the Categorical Department in the District Office. Applications must be returned to the Woodrow Elementary School office no later than 4:00 pm on the application due date.

How many hours of tutoring will my child receive?

The per pupil allocation for Sylvan students, determined by the state of California, is estimated at $802.41. Each provider charges the district a different hourly rate. Some SES programs will provide a set number of hours, regardless of the per pupil allocation.

Is transportation provided to and from the supplemental service provider’s location?

No.  Transportation is the responsibility of the parent.  However, read the program descriptions carefully and you will find some of the programs will be available at your home. 

Students Eligible vs. Students Served by School Choice

and Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

*As of January 18, 2013

District Program Improvement

Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Program Improvement (PI) local educational agencies (LEAs) are responsible for implementing certain federal and state requirements during each year that they are in PI.  The requirements vary based on the PI year.

The release of the most recent Adequate Yearly progress (AYP) Report indicated that the District met 26 or 41 of its growth targets, but did not meet all of them. As a result, the Sylvan Union School District is in Year 2 of Program Improvement.  District and school site staff along with community members rewrote the Local Educational Agency Plan last school year based on an analysis of data.  This team reviewed the Plan this year in January 2013. 

 DISTRICT PI Y2 LETTER 

Title III Accountability Year 3

If a Local Education Agency (LEA) does not meet one or more of the Annual Measurable Achievement Objective (AMAO) targets for the second consecutive year, it will be subject to federal requirements (Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Section 3122 (b)(4)). This includes completing a Title III year 2 Improvement Plan Addendum (IPA) which addresses curriculum, program, and method of instruction for English Learners.  The IPA is embedded in the Local Educational Agency Plan. Sylvan Union School District did not meet AMAO 3 in 2011-12 so entered Year 3 in 2012-2013. 

 DISTRICT TIII Y3