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Public School Options

Mission

The mission of this office is to lead statewide efforts to close the achievement gaps affecting students whose educational opportunities may be limited, to increase awareness among parents and other community members about federal public school options in Florida and to ensure all students are well-served.

Title I, Part A, Choice

In 1965, Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), providing, for the first time, significant federal funding for K-12 education. The original law has been renewed eight times, most recently by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. On February 9, 2012, the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) ESEA Flexibility Waiver request was approved by the United States Department of Education. The waiver removed the requirements in ESEA section 1116(b) of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act for an LEA to identify for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring, as appropriate, a Title I school that fails, for two consecutive years or more, to make AYP, and for a school so identified and its LEA to take certain improvement actions.

Previously under the NCLB Act, school districts were required to offer public school choice (PSC), the option to transfer to another public school, to students enrolled in Title I schools that were identified in need of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. The ESEA Flexibility Waiver removed the requirement that school districts offer PSC to newly identified students. However, the ESEA Flexibility Waiver requires school districts to allow students participating in PSC for the 2011-2012 school year to remain in the choice school to the highest grade level.

The opportunity to obtain Supplemental Educational Services (SES) is another parental choice option. Under NCLB, school districts were required to make Supplemental SES available for eligible students attending Title I schools that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) after one year of school improvement (two years of not making AYP). The ESEA Flexibility Waiver requires Florida to provide support to ensure continued improvement in all Title I Schools. As a result, school districts are required to comply with Florida law regarding the implementation Supplemental Educational Services. According to Section 1008.331, Florida Statues, school districts are required to offer SES to eligible students for the 2012-2013 school year. Students enrolled in a Title I school who scored a Level 1 or Level 2 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) may have the opportunity to receive SES. These services are provided outside the regular school day and are designed to enable students to reach academic proficiency. Supplemental educational services offer eligible students the opportunity to participate in research-based educational programs in subject areas such as reading, language arts, and mathematics. Eligible families choose an SES provider from a state-approved list, and school districts pay for the tutoring services using federal funds. Students will be prioritized if there are not enough funds to offer services to all eligible students whose parents request the services.

We want to improve Florida's K-12 education:

  • by providing information and resources for school choice; and
  • by promoting excellence in education by encouraging competition of supplemental education service providers

Title I, Part A, SES funds may be used for the following:

  • Supplemental Educational Services delivered to students
  • District administered premethods and postmethods

2012-2013 Request for Applications (RFA) for Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

New and Hot Topics

Publications and Data

Additional Resources

For Further Information, Please Contact:


  • Director, Office of Title I-A, Choice
    850-245-0684 - Desk Phone
    850-245-0479 - Main Line
    850-245-0683 - Facsimile

  • Administrative Secretary, Office of Title I-A, Choice
    850-245-0675 - Desk Phone
    850-245-0479 - Main Line
    850-245-0683 - Facsimile

  • Program Specialist, Office of Title I-A, Choice
    850-245-9947 - Desk Phone
    850-245-0479 - Main Line
    850-245-0683 - Facsimile

  • Program Specialist, Office of Title I-A, Choice
    850-245-9438 - Desk Phone
    850-245-0479 - Main Line
    850-245-0683 - Facsimile
  • District Program Contact Directory
    This link provides a directory of district contacts and coordinators for various programs including Title I, Parent Involvement, Controlled Open Enrollment, NCLB School Choice with Transportation, and Supplemental Educational Services.