School Finance: School Choice

School Choice Roster Updates, Spring 2011

3/16/11

October 1, 2010 enrollment submitted by receiving districts through SIMS was the basis for tuition calculations used to generate the December 31, 2010 and March 31, 2011 assessments and payments for school choice sending and receiving districts.

The school choice law requires both a fall and a spring enrollment reporting period. For this spring's reporting, receiving districts are asked to download their current enrollment spreadsheet from ESE security portal, and save the file locally. Because SIMS does not collect addresses, district staff should enter that information and town of residence for each pupil. Start/leave dates should be indicated for any student who enrolled after the first day of school or left the district before the final day of school. In addition, for any school choice pupil who receives special education services, a pupil-specific special education cost should be calculated and entered on the spreadsheet (for further guidance, see the school choice sped increment explanation). When all of the school choice data have been updated, the claim form should be saved on the district's computer and uploaded through the ESE security portalto the district's school choice drop box.

These data changes will be used to calculate final FY11 school choice tuition. The June 30, 2011 local aid distribution will reflect the difference between final annual tuition and the amounts paid in the December and March distributions.

Please note:

• The sped increment is calculated on a template similar to that used for the circuit breaker program. However, there are differences. For that reason, receiving school choice districts must download and use the FY11 School Choice SPED Increment template. Each district claiming increments must upload its completed sped increment file to the school choice drop box on the security portal. Each district claiming increments must upload its completed sped increment file to the school choice drop box on the security portal. This applies to any level of increment, not just those eligible for Circuit Breaker reimbursement.

• Any special education pupil's transportation costs may be listed separately if they are included on his or her individualized education plan.

• All sped increment calculations are subject to audits by ESE Circuit Breaker staff.

• Claim Form Instructions are available for completing and updating the school choice claim form spreadsheet, which is named "11choice***.xls" where *** is the lea code.

• A certification statement  is required from the superintendent of each receiving district. This should be mailed or faxed to Roger Hatch at the address below, once the file has been submitted.

  Office of School Finance
  Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
  75 Pleasant Street
  Malden, MA 02148-4906
  Fax 781-338-6530