open enrollment and the internet: an evaluation of colorado school district web sites

8/14/2019 Open Enrollment and the Internet: An Evaluation of Colorado School District Web Sites

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by Kirstin Hasler, Research Associate and

Pamela Benigno, Director, Education Policy Center

IP-6-2007 November 2007

An Evaluation of Colorado School District Web Sites

Open Enrollment and the Internet:


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PrefaceColorado families enjoy a growing variety of public school choice opportunities. In order tomake informed decisions, families must investigate what options are available and understandthe open enrollment process for a school outside their neighborhood school boundariesin orout of their district. A thorough and well-organized school district Web site can facilitate pa-

rental research.

The use of the Internet has created a new culture for gathering information and documentswith anywhere access, 24 hours a day. As educational options expand and state and districtpolicies evolve, a school district Web site is an efficient way for districts to disseminate infor-mation on current programs and procedures. Yet there is a vast chasm among school districtWeb sites in relationship to the depth and accessibility of the information with which parentsneed to be familiar.

This Issue Paper is an evaluation of Colorados 20 largest school district Web pages specific toopen enrollment. If a school district Web site was easy to navigate and provided access to im-

portant information, the district scored high. The more information available, the more pointsscored. The scores are based on a particular window of time. Some school district Web siteshave changed since the evaluation.

The goal of the project is to encourage school districts to provide comprehensive open enroll-ment and school information in a user-friendly format. The availability of information willhelp families make the best educational choices for their children.

Pamela BenignoDirector, Education Policy CenterIndependence Institute


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Executive SummaryColorado is an open enrollment state. Parentsmust educate themselves about the processof open enrollment in order to take advan-tage of the opportunity to choose the public

school their children will attend. A recentstudy shows that nearly one-third of low-and middle-income parents use the Internetas a method of gathering information aboutthe open enrollment process.

From the summer of 2006 to the summer of2007, an evaluation of Colorados 20 largestschool district Web sites was conducted. TheWeb sites were assigned numerical scores,based on a rubric, in January 2007 and again

in July 2007. The rubric evaluates whetherschool districts met the following criteria:

A link to up-to-date open enrollment in-formation, including the enrollment periodor deadline, the location of applications,where to submit the application, the selectionprocess, the length of time the enrollment isvalid, mention of the Colorado High SchoolActivities Association Transfer Rule, anonline application form, and a link to officialdistrict policy on open enrollment.

A listing of school profiles or school Website links that differentiates charter, option,magnet, focus, contract, and alternativeschools from neighborhood schools.

The evaluations findings include:

Colorado Springs District 11 and DouglasCounty School District received the highestnumber of points available on the Open En-rollment Rubric, but both districts could im-prove the presentation and detail of their in-formation.

Though not scored on the Rubric, themanner in which districts presented the openenrollment information is an important fac-tor in the ease of access. Poudre School Dis-trict and Denver Public Schools did not re-

ceive the most possible points on the Rubric,yet both districts were exceptional in theirpresentation of accurate information in amanner which facilitates parental research.

A clear mention of the Colorado HighSchool Activities Association (CHSAA)Transfer Rule alerts parents to the possibilitythat their children may face restricted athleticeligibility if they open enroll during highschool. Douglas County School District andPoudre School District both clearly notified

parents of the CHSAA Transfer Rule. Duringthe evaluation two districts used incorrectsummaries of the Transfer Rule.

District scores demonstrate that the sizeand resources of a district do not necessarilycorrespond to the quality of online open en-rollment information. Brighton School Dis-trict 27J, the 18th -largest school district in thestate, consistently scored much higher thanCherry Creek School District, the fourth-largest district in the state.

Both school districts and families can benefitfrom Colorados open enrollment opportuni-ties. Studies have shown that when a parentchooses a childs school, parental involve-ment as a whole increases, which in turn in-creases the childs chances of academic suc-cess. When districts provide open enroll-ment information online, they encourage pa-rental involvement and take advantage of an

opportunity to market their schools.


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IntroductionColorado families benefit from the opportu-nity to enroll their children in the publicschool of their choice. All Colorado residentsare legally entitled to apply to any public

school in the state.1 There are two types ofopen enrollment: Intra-district open enroll-ment allows students to enroll in any schoolwithin their school district of residence,while inter-district open enrollment allowsstudents to enroll in a school across districtboundaries. Any student may utilize eithertype of open enrollment as long as space isavailable in the requested school, the schoolmeets the students educational needs, and aparent or guardian can provide transporta-

tion.2

Colorado law requires each schooldistrict to establish its own policiesfor open enrollment. Becausetimelines and procedures varyfrom district to district, familieswho wish to open enroll must re-search the policy of the district inwhich they are interested. Fami-lies also need access to information

regarding their educational op-tions, whether neighborhood,charter, option, magnet, focus, con-tract, or alternative schools.

Internet UseIn January 2007, researchers from the Gradu-ate School of Public Affairs, University ofColorado at Denver and Health SciencesCenter, released a study titled Opening Doors:How Low-Income Parents Search for the Right

School.3 The study surveyed low- and mid-dle-income urban families in Milwaukee,Washington, D.C., and Denver, three citieswith open enrollment, in order to determinehow parents researched school choice oppor-tunities. According to Opening Doors, 31% oflow- and middle-income parents use the

Internet to gather information about schoolsand open enrollment.

While word-of-mouth and printed informa-tion were the most common means of re-

search among survey respondents, the factthat nearly one-third of low- and middle-income urban families used the Internet intheir open enrollment investigation indicatesthat online research is an important aspect ofopen enrollment information-gathering.Given the widespread use of theInternet at all levels of society, main-taining informative open enrollmentWeb pages is one way for districts tomarket their schools and to assist

parents in finding the best educa-tional choices for their children.

School District Web SiteEvaluation ProjectOver the course of one year, anevaluation of Colorados 20 largestschool district Web sites was con-ducted to determine if districts madeavailable, via the Internet, essentialopen enrollment procedural infor-

mation in an easy-to-access manner.(See Appendix for more informationon specific districts.) Because parents needto know about the schools from which theycan choose, the manner in which districts dis-played school information was also a part ofthe evaluation. The goal of the project is toencourage school districts to provide com-prehensive open enrollment and school in-formation in a user-friendly format in orderto assist parents in choosing the best educa-

tion for their children.

MethodologyEach Web site was scored according to theOpen Enrollment Rubric (see table 1), andassigned points up to a possible score of 32(see tables 2 and 3).

Because time-lines and pro-cedures vary

from districtto district,

families whowish to openenroll mustresearch the

policy of thedistrict inwhich theyare interested.

The goal ofthe project isto encourageschool dis-tricts to pro-

vide compre-hensive openenrollmentand schoolinformationin a user-

friendly for-mat in orderto assist par-ents in choos-ing the best

education fortheir children.


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Table 1. Open Enrollment RubricA. Detailed Information Posted

Enrollment window / deadline 3 points Length of open enrollment window, or the application submission deadline

Location of application 3 points

Location from which to obtain open enrollment application (i.e., online, district

offices, sending school, school of choice)

Where to submit application 3 points Location at which to submit application

Selection process 3 pointsA detailed description of the district's method of selecting applicants for openenrollment, or the use of any of the following terms to describe the process:"lottery," "waiting list," "first-come, first-served," "principal decides"

Length enrollment is valid 3 pointsLength of time for which enrollment at the school of choice is valid (e.g., oneyear, end of level, until student choices into another school)

Contact name or number 1 point Contact name or phone number specific to the open enrollment process

Mentions CHSAA Transfer Rule 3 pointsAlerts parents to the Colorado High School Activities Association Transfer Ruleregarding students who change schools during high school; any provided ex-planation of the Rule must be correct

B. Online Application Form

Application form available online 3 pointsThe application form can be downloaded or accessed from the open enroll-ment section of the Web site, or is specified as being online during the openenrollment period

C. Location of Information from Home Page(link must fit in one of these two categories)

Link labeled a variation of "openenrollment," "options," "school

choice"

3 points

OR

Link labeled a variation of"registration" or "enrollment"

2 points

D. School District Policy

District policy linked from openenrollment page

1 pointA direct link to, or file of, school district policy regarding open enrollment fromthe Web site's open enrollment section; the existence of district policy on theWeb site is not sufficient to receive a point

E. Schools

List of schools differentiated byrelevant descriptions 3 points A list of schools or programs differentiated by relevant descriptions (e.g.,"Charter Schools," "Option Schools," "Focus Schools," "Magnet Schools")

Description or link to school/program Web site

3 points Description of the school/program, or a link to the school/program Web site

Total Possible Points: 32 points


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Table 2. January 2007 School District Web Site Scores

Detailed Information Posted FormLocation of Information

(Links)DistrictPolicy

Point Value 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 1

School District

Enrollmentwindow/Deadline

Locationofapplication

Wheretosubmitapplication

Selectionprocess

Lengthenrollmentisvalid

Contactnameornumber

MentionsCHSAATransfer

Rule

Applicationavailableonline

"OpenEnrollment,""Options,"

"(School)Choice"

"Registration,""Enrollment"

Districtpolicylinkedfrom

openenrollmentpage

Colorado Springs 11 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 1

Douglas County 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 1

Jefferson County 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 3 1 Poudre 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 2 1

Adams 12 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 3 0

Brighton 27J 3 3 3 3 3 1 1.5 3 3 0.5

Denver 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 3 1

Academy 20 3 3 3 0 3 1 3 3 3 0

Boulder Valley 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 3 0

Adams County 50 0 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 0

Greeley-Evans 6 3 3 3 0 3 0 0 3 3 0

Littleton 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 0

Falcon 49 3 3 3 3 0 1 0 3 0

Thompson 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1 0 0 0.5

Cherry Creek 3 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

Aurora 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Harrison 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pueblo 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

St Vrain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mesa County Valley 51 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

3 or 2


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Table 3. July 2007 School District Web Site Scores

Detailed Information Posted FormLocation of Information

(Links)DistrictPolicy

Point Value 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 1

School District

Enrollmentwindow/Deadline

Locationofapplication

Wheretosubmitapplication

Selectionprocess

Lengthenrollmentisvalid

Contactnameornumber

MentionsCHSAA

Transfer

Rule

Applicationavailableonline

"OpenEnrollment,""Options,"

"(School)Choice"

"Registration,""Enrollment"

Districtpolicylinkedfromopen

enrollmentpage

Colorado Springs 11 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 1

Douglas County 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 3 1

Poudre 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 2 1 Adams 12 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 3 0

Aurora 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 1

Jefferson County 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 1

Academy 20 3 3 3 0 3 1 3 3 2 0

Brighton 27J 3 3 3 3 3 1 1.5 3 0.5

Littleton 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 2 0

Denver 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 1

Boulder Valley 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 3 2 0

Falcon 49 3 3 3 3 0 1 0 3 0

Cherry Creek 3 3 0.5 0 1.5 1 1.5 1.5 0

Greeley-Evans 6 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 Thompson 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1 0 0 0.5

Adams County 50 0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 0 1.5 1.5 0.5

Harrison 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pueblo 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

St Vrain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mesa County Valley 51 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

3 or 2


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The Web sites were evaluated four differenttimes: summer 2006, fall 2006, winter 2007,and summer 2007. Numerical scores wereassigned in January 2007 and July 2007.

During the course of the evaluation and ac-tual scoring period, many school districtswere contacted regarding questions or con-cerns about the information provided on

their Web sites. If school districtssubsequently made changes or ad-ditions to their Web sites, scoreswere adjusted accordingly. Thefinal scoring was delayed fromJune until July because one districtwas launching its new Web site at

the beginning of July.

In cases where partial informationwas found on Web sites, partialscores were assigned. For exam-ple, the Thompson School DistrictWeb site directed its informationonly to district residents. BecauseThompson provided no informa-tion for non-residents who maywish to enroll in a Thompson

school, the district was assignedhalf the possible points for applicable catego-ries. The scores in tables 2 and 3 indicateother instances where partial points wereawarded.

Open Enrollment RubricThe following is an explanation of each cate-gory and item on the Open Enrollment Ru-bric:

A. Detailed InformationTo make informed decisions, parents shouldhave a comprehensive understanding of theentire open enrollment process, including theconsequences of enrolling in a school outsidea familys neighborhood school area. School

districts can aid parents by providing infor-mation in a clearly marked section of theirdistrict Web sites. The Detailed Informationcategory of the Open Enrollment Rubric in-cludes seven items basic to the open enroll-

ment process.

Enrollment Window and Applications

Parents need to know the application dead-line or open enrollment window, the locationto obtain the application form, and the loca-tion to submit the form.

Selection Process

An explanation of the student selection proc-ess provides parents with a better under-

standing of the likelihood of their childrensenrollment in their school of choice.In some districts the principal deter-mines admission, while others use alottery or a waiting list. Others sim-ply operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Length of Enrollment

Because school districts determinethe length of time of a students en-

rollment in the choice school, theyshould make the information avail-able to parents. For example, Colo-rado Springs District 11 requires stu-dents who open enroll to reapplyeach year, while students in LovelandsThompson School District are enrolled untilthey complete the highest grade level servedby the choice school.4 In many school dis-tricts the new school becomes the studentshome school and the student must apply

for open enrollment to return back to theneighborhood school. In neighborhoodswhere there are crowded schools, districtsmay not guarantee that space will be avail-able for a student who wishes to return to hisneighborhood school.

An explana-tion of thestudent selec-tion process

provides par-ents with abetter under-standing ofthe likelihoodof their chil-drens enroll-ment in theirschool ofchoice.

To make in-formed deci-sions, parentsshould have acomprehen-sive under-

standing ofthe entireopen enroll-ment process,including theconsequencesof enrolling ina school out-side a

familysneighborhoodschool area.


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Contact InformationThe name of the department to contact or aphone number to call regarding questionsabout open enrollment should be readilyavailable on the Web sites open enrollment

section. While evaluating school district Websites, several districts were contacted byphone. It was sometimes difficult to reach

the administrator or personnel re-sponsible for open enrollment indistricts that did not supply a con-tact number specific to open enroll-ment.5 However, in some districtsit was easy to reach the appropriatestaff. Boulder Valley School Districtis one district that made contact in-

formation available on its open en-rollment page. Even when con-tacted in the summertime, a knowl-edgeable Boulder Valley staff mem-ber provided assistance.6

Colorado High School ActivitiesAssociation Restrictions

Restricted athletic eligibility is a sig-nificant factor that students should

consider before transferring to another

school. High school students are subject toregulations by the Colorado High School Ac-tivities Association (CHSAA), which placessome restrictions on athletic eligibility forstudents who transfer or open enroll.

In April 2002 the CHSAA Board of Controlapproved a more restrictive Transfer Rulethat affected transfers during the summer.Simply put, a high school athlete who trans-fers schools at any time after the beginning of

his freshman year without a bona fide familymove may have limited eligibility to partici-pate in the new schools athletic program.

Often complicated, the CHSAA TransferRule varies according to circumstances forstudents who open enroll during high

school. Parents should be aware of theTransfer Rule when they decide whether toopen enroll their high school student. A stu-dent who makes a transfer could be ad-versely affected if found ineligible to partici-

pate in athletics at his new school.

Districts should alert parents to the possibil-ity of CHSAA Transfer Rule restrictions intheir open enrollment information and on theactual open enrollment application.7 TheRule can be found at: www.chsaa.org/home/pdf/transrulebklt.pdf

Eight districts in January 2007 and 11 in July2007 at least mentioned the CHSAA Transfer

Rule in their open enrollment information orapplication. Douglas County notedon its open enrollment application:High School Only Note: A studentwho transfers to a different highschool without a bone [sic] fide familymove over the summer will have re-stricted eligibility for the first 50% ofthe season in the upcoming schoolyear in those sports (sponsored byCHSAA) in which they participated

during the calendar year precedingthe transfer.8 This short summary ofthe Rule accurately notifies parentsthat student athletic participation could beaffected by a transfer. The bold letteringhelps to bring attention to the summary.

Poudre School District informed parents ofthe CHSAA Transfer Rule by linking from itsopen enrollment page to a PDF documenttitled Athletic Eligibility and Colorado High

School Athletic Transfer Rule.9 The docu-ment clearly explained the restrictions andexceptions of the CHSAA Rule for highschool athletes. The location of the docu-ment could be misleading, though, as it wasfound under the heading SchoolChoiceProcedures for 8th-Grade Student Athletes,

High schoolstudents aresubject toregulationsby the Colo-rado HighSchool Ac-tivities As-

sociation(CHSAA),which placessome restric-tions on ath-letic eligibil-ity for stu-dents whotransfer oropen enroll.

Often com-plicated, theCHSAATransfer

Rule variesaccording tocircum-stances forstudents whoopen enrollduring highschool.


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while the Rule applies to high school stu-dents as well. A notice about the Rule wasalso included on the open enrollment appli-cation.

However, during the evaluation, LittletonPublic Schools and Boulder Valley SchoolDistrict both mentioned the Transfer Rulebut provided either an outdated or incorrectsummary about the Transfer Rule. After be-

ing made aware of the errors, bothdistricts summaries were underreview with the intention of correct-ing the problem.10

B. Online Application Form

Posting an open enrollment applica-tion form on a school districts Website assists parents with the openenrollment process, and saves timefor both the parents and school dis-

trict staff. Parents should review the form,which often includes pertinent details, beforemaking a final decision to open enroll theirchildren in a school.

C. Location of Information from the

Home PageThe location of open enrollment informationon a school districts Web site can determineits accessibility to parents. No matter whattime of year it is, starting from the homepage, a parent should be able to easily decidewhich button or link to select to find openenrollment information. A variation ofOpen Enrollment, Options, or Choiceis the clearest title for a link. The secondmost logical link is a variation of

Enrollment or Registration.

When the Web sites were scored in January2007, a common open enrollment time pe-riod, nine school districts had open enroll-ment announcements on their home pageslinking to open enrollment details.11 In July

2007, during the final round of evaluations,three open enrollment announcements re-mained on district home pages, while six hadbeen removed.12

One district in particular changed the loca-tion of its information drastically betweensummer and winter. Brighton School District27J received points in January 2007 for hav-ing a link on its home page titled Open En-rollment Window Open 2007-2008School Year. However, when Websites were first evaluated (though notscored) in July 2006, Brightons openenrollment information was locatedon the Planning Offices Web page.

When sites were scored in July 2007,Brightons information again hadbeen placed on the Planning Of-fices page. In order to obtain the informa-tion, a parent would have to go to DistrictOffices, click on Planning, and then clickon the SD27J Planning Information link.Open enrollment was linked from this page.

Colorado Springs District 11 had a link onthe top of its home page labeled, You Have

Choices!13 Such a title informs parents thatthey have the opportunity to choose whichschool their children will attend. Selectingone link from the home page makes naviga-tion easier than following several linksthrough pages not directly related to openenrollment.

Six districts in January 2007 and five in July2007 had located open enrollment informa-tion under links labeled Parents or

Students.14 Though Parents orStudents are commonly used labels, dis-tricts should use a variation of Open Enroll-ment, Options, or Choice.

D. School District PolicyMost school districts make official school

The locationof open en-rollment in-

formation ona school dis-tricts Website can de-termine itsaccessibilityto parents.

A variationof Open En-rollment,Options,or Choiceis the clear-est title for alink.


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Adams 12 Northglenn-Thornton School District(30 points): Lost one point because there wasno contact information specific to open en-rollment and lost another point becauseschool board policies regarding open enroll-

ment were not linked directly from the openenrollment section.

In July 2007, other top scoring districts were:

Poudre School District (31 points): Lost onepoint because there was no mention of openenrollment on the home page. However, the

district did have a prominentschool registration button on thehome page year-round.

Adams 12 Northglenn-Thornton

School District (30 points): Lost onepoint because there was no contact

information specific to open enrollment andlost another point because school board poli-cies regarding open enrollment were notlinked directly from the open enrollment sec-tion.

Aurora Public Schools (28 points): Lost one

point because there was no contact informa-tion specific to open enrollment and threepoints for not providing a link titled a varia-tion of Open Enrollment, Options, orSchool Choice.

Web Site Modifications in AugustFour districts made changes to their Websites in August 2007.15 Because scoring waslimited to January 2007 and July 2007, thesechanges are not reflected in the scores on ta-

bles 2 and 3. Even so, the changes were sig-nificant enough to warrant mention.

Boulder Valley School District removed thelink titled Enrolling your child in BVSD,found on its home page in July, replacing itwith a link titled Newcomer Family Page.Enrollment information, including the Open

Enrollment page, had moved to thisNewcomers page. The Newcomers titlecould be misleading to parents who are cur-rent residents of Boulder Valley, but wish toopen enroll their children in a school other

than their neighborhood school. BecauseBoulders open enrollment information wasno longer found under a link titledEnrollment or Registration, the districtwould lose two points if rescored.

Cherry Creek School District removed thenon-resident application form from its enroll-ment page. There was a statement noting theform would be available from April 1through August 1, the period during which

the district accepts non-resident open enroll-ment applications. No changeswould be made to Cherry Creeksscore because the district stated whenthe form would be available.

Jefferson County School Districtplaced a new link titled Enrollmenton its home page, under the headingBack to School 2007-08. JeffersonCounty would receive two more points if res-

cored in August, to account for the additionof an enrollment link. However, the link ap-peared to be posted only due to the start ofthe school year. A link to enrollment infor-mation should be available year-round, notonly during the open enrollment windowand the beginning of the school year.

St. Vrain Valley School District made themost noteworthy changes to its Web site.Whereas St. Vrain had no information re-

garding open enrollment on its Web site inJuly 2007, as of August 7, the district hadadded an entire section regarding the topic toits general enrollment page. While St. Vraindid not provide a thorough summary of itsopen enrollment process, it did provide linksto the open enrollment application, an appeal

Four dis-tricts madechanges totheir Websites in Au-

gust 2007.St. VrainValleySchool Dis-trict madethe mostnoteworthychanges toits Web site.


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form, and school district policy and regula-tions, which outline the procedures in detail.Although the district should still make itsinformation more parent-friendly, if St. Vrainwere rescored in August, it would have re-

ceived 28 points (rather than six points) ac-cording to the Open Enrollment Rubric.

Districts that made changes in August werenot rescored because it is important thatopen enrollment information be availableyear-round, not only during the open enroll-ment window or just prior to the beginningof the school year. Changes made in Augustillustrate the fact that school district Websites are continuously changing, sometimes

for the worse but often for the better. Dis-tricts should be working to ensurethat accurate and complete infor-mation is always readily availableon their Web sites for interestedparents.

Presentation of InformationWhile the manner in which infor-mation is presented on Web siteswas not evaluated with the Open

Enrollment Rubric, the organizationof information is an important aspect of eas-ing parental research. Not only should com-prehensive information regarding the openenrollment process be clearly posted on dis-trict Web sites, it should also be presented inan easy-to-read format. All informationshould be linked from one page and shouldbe written in clear, parent-friendly language.The Denver Public School District and thePoudre School District Web sites stood out

because of the manner in which their infor-mation was organized and presented. Nei-ther district received a perfect score on theOpen Enrollment Rubric, but both providedaccurate information in an organized, user-friendly format.

The Denver Public Schools Web Site offered,in Spanish and English, a tri-fold, double-sided brochure that contained most of theinformation parents need in order to openenroll their children in a DPS school. Parents

could download this brochure for future ref-erence. The brochure defined school choice,detailed the timeline for both first and sec-ond round selection, and explained the selec-tion process in detail. The brochure notedwhen and where applications were available,where they must be submitted, and whatdocumentation would be required. Therewas also a short question-and-answersection, which addressed the issues oftransportation, the open enrollment

process, and the choice provision ofthe Federal No Child LeftBehindAct.A phone number for the School ofChoice Office was listed.16 In addi-tion to the brochure, Denver pro-vided links to the full text of its offi-cial open enrollment policies on theopen enrollment section of its Website, which explained the process ingreater detail.

Denver should give parents a morecomplete understanding of the openenrollment process by providing in-formation on the CHSAA restrictions,information the brochure did not in-clude. Additionally, the brochure was diffi-cult to find in the summer. In July 2007, itwas found on the School of Choice OfficeWeb page, located under the Departmentslink from the Districts home page. In Janu-ary 2007, open enrollment information was

linked directly from the Districts home page;the brochure was therefore easier to find.

Poudre School Districts presentation wasalso well-organized and comprehensive. Themost specific information could be found viathe School Registration link, under the sub-

All informa-tion shouldbe linked

from onepage andshould bewritten inclear, parent-

friendly lan-guage.

The DenverPublic

Schools WebSite offered,in Spanishand English,a tri-fold,double-sidedbrochure thatcontainedmost of theinformation

parents needin order toopen enrolltheir childrenin a DPSschool.


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heading School Choice Registration.17 Thedeadline for applications was noted, the ap-plication procedures outlined, and the proc-ess of selection explained. A PDF link titledEducational Choices Overview offered

parents a closer look at the unique schoolsand programs offered by the district. A time-line that guides parents through the openenrollment process, the school district policy,and an application were linked from theRegistration Information page. Poudrealso made an obvious effort to ensure parentsknew about CHSAA restrictions. The Trans-fer Rule was explained on the school choicesection of the Web site, as well as being notedon the School Choice Application just above

the signature line. With the excep-tion of the school district policy andthe athletic eligibility document,Poudre offered all the documents inboth English and Spanish.

One concern was Poudres exten-sive use of PDF documents, whichcan be time-consuming to

download, especially if parents do not haveaccess to high-speed Internet. The district

should consider providing HTML or Wordlinks, in addition to the PDF files.

Besides Denver and Poudre, six districts hadinformation available in languages otherthan English. Adams 12, Brighton 27J,Greeley 6, and Jefferson County had applica-tions available in Spanish, while Boulder Val-ley provided a link to its entire Open Enroll-ment page in Spanish. In January, Adams50 published its Educational Choices bro-

chure in Spanish. Jefferson County also pro-vided applications in Russian. The availabil-ity of information in languages besides Eng-lish increases the number of families able toresearch open enrollment.

ConclusionThe increasing availability of the Internet inhomes and public libraries provides schooldistricts with opportunities to market alltheir schools to Colorado families. Though

not a replacement for paper brochures andmaps, the Internet is yet another means forparents to research educational options. Us-ing the Internet, a parent can gather informa-tion about multiple school districts at herconvenience, which allows for more in-formed decisions.

The evaluation of school district Websites was conducted with the goal ofencouraging districts to provide par-

ents with the pertinent details regard-ing open enrollment policies andeducational options. The Open En-rollment Rubric by which school dis-trict Web sites were evaluated repre-sents the basic standards that schooldistricts should meet in supplyingparents with information. ColoradoSprings District 11 and DouglasCounty School District received allpossible points, but nonetheless still

have room for improvement.

School district Web pages dedicated toschool choice should contain a comprehen-sive description of the open enrollment proc-ess, including the application window, loca-tion of forms, where to submit the forms, themethod of applicant selection, the length oftime the enrollment is valid, and open enroll-ment contact information. A statement noti-fying parents of the CHSAA Transfer Rule

should be included in any information andon the open enrollment application. Provid-ing the application online simplifies the openenrollment process by allowing parents toapply without searching out any further pa-perwork. While complicated school board

Poudre alsomade an ob-vious effortto ensure

parents knewaboutCHSAA re-strictions.

Using theInternet, a

parent cangather infor-mationabout multi-

ple schooldistricts ather conven-ience, whichallows formore in-

formed deci-sions.


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policies should not be the only source of in-formation for parents, the district shouldprovide a link from its open enrollment pageto the specific board policies for both intra-and inter-district open enrollment.

All open enrollment information should beclearly-labeled and well-organized so thatparents can quickly find the necessary de-tails. Providing a link from the home page

labeled as a variation of Open En-rollment, Options, or Choiceeases research, as does placing allpertinent information on one page.

Numerous Colorado school districts

offer a wide array of educationaloptions. Besides charter schools,many neighborhood or other dis-trict-run schools have developed a

particular focus or offer unique programs.Descriptions of the schools or programsshould be differentiated by school type andbe available on school district Web sites.

The school district Web sites scored in tables2 and 3 are from the largest districts in Colo-

rado. The scores demonstrate that whilesome districts are meeting high standards,others have a number of improvements to

make. For example, Cherry Creek SchoolDistrict is the fourth-largest district in thestate, yet according to the Open EnrollmentRubric, ranked only 15th and 13th in January2007 and July 2007, respectively. By contrast,

Brighton 27J, the 18th largest school district inthe state, ranked sixthin the January evalua-tion and eighth in the July evaluation.18 TheInternet is an affordable and time-efficientmeans by which all Colorado school districtscan aid parents in the school choice process.It is not simply the size and resourcesof a district that determine the qualityof its online open enrollment infor-mation, but also a districts attitudetoward open enrollment.

School districts and families alike canbenefit from high quality open enroll-ment Web pages. By encouragingparents to search out the best educa-tional opportunities for their children, dis-tricts help parents become more involved intheir childrens education, and thus improvethe chances for academic success.19 It is ineveryones best interest to encourage in-formed decision making on the part of par-

ents. School districts should strive to meet orexceed the standards set by the Open Enroll-ment Rubric.

School dis-tricts and

familiesalike canbenefit from

high qualityopen enroll-ment Web

pages.

School dis-tricts shouldstrive tomeet or ex-

ceed thestandards setby the Open

EnrollmentRubric.


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Appendix:Compliments and Recommendations

All school district Web sites in this evalua-tion presented open enrollment information

in a different manner. In their open enroll-ment sections, many school districts pro-vided valuable information not included inthe basic Open Enrollment Rubric. The fol-lowing observations compliment district ef-forts that met or exceeded the standards setby the Rubric and provide suggestions forimprovement on each district Web page.

1. Academy 20Compliments: A schedule of choice informa-

tion meetings was posted. The site indicatedwhen the choice application window wasclosed.Recommendations: Provide information re-garding the selection process, and a link todistrict policy from the open enrollment sec-tion. Link year-round to the open enrollmentsection from the home page and title the linkas a variation of Open Enrollment,Options, or Choice.

2. Adams 12Compliments: An application was available inEnglish and in Spanish.Recommendations: Provide contact informa-tion for open enrollment questions, and linkto the district policy from the open enroll-ment section. Link year-round to the openenrollment section from the home page andtitle the link as a variation of Open Enroll-ment, Options, or Choice.

3. Adams County 50Compliments: A good Choices brochurewas provided in January, in English andin Spanish.Recommendations: Provide information forboth inter- and intra-district open enroll-ment. Link year-round to the open enroll-

ment section from the home page and titlethe link as a variation of Open Enrollment,Options, or Choice.

4. Aurora

Compliments: The site improved significantlybetween January 2007 and July 2007. In Julythe site had an open enrollment section.Recommendations: Provide contact informa-tion specific to open enrollment. Link year-round to the open enrollment section fromthe home page and title the link as a varia-tion of Open Enrollment, Options, orChoice.

5. Boulder Valley

Compliments: Provided the entire open enroll-ment section in English and in Spanish.Recommendations: The district should pro-vide a correct summary of the CHSAATransfer Rule. Link year-round to the openenrollment section from the home page andtitle the link as a variation of Open Enroll-ment, Options, or Choice.

6. Brighton 27JCompliments: Though difficult to find duringthe summer, the site was well-organized andhelpful. An application was available inEnglish and in Spanish.Recommendations: The district should providea link to its inter-district open enrollmentpolicy. Link year-round to the open enroll-ment section from the home page and titlethe link as a variation of Open Enrollment,Options, or Choice. Never place openenrollment information under the PlanningDepartment.

7. Cherry CreekCompliments: The district had added informa-tion for non-residents when the site was re-evaluated in July 2007.Recommendations: Provide more detailed in-formation regarding the open enrollment


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process, including links to applications andto the district policy. Link year-round to theopen enrollment section from the home pageand title the link as a variation of Open En-rollment, Options, or Choice.

8. Colorado Springs 11Compliments: An open enrollment link wason the home page year-round.Recommendations: Rather than just mentionthe CHSAA Transfer Rule, the district shouldexplain that there may be restrictions forhigh school athletes.

9. DenverCompliments: A nicely-organized, succinct

school choice brochure was available in Eng-lish and in Spanish.Recommendations: Add information about theCHSAA Transfer Rule to the brochure. Linkyear-round to the open enrollment sectionfrom the home page and title the link as avariation of Open Enrollment, Options,or Choice.

10. Douglas CountyCompliments: The Educational Options linkwas maintained on the home page year-round. The district also indicated whichschools had space available for open enroll-ment, which schools were near capacity, andwhich were full. Provided clear, well labeledsummary of CHSAA Transfer Rule.Recommendations: Move the Educational Op-tions publication link up higher on thehome page so that it is easier to find, and up-date the brochure so that it addresses the up-coming school year. The Educational Op-tions link should also direct parents to theinformation found on the Open EnrollmentInformation page.

11. Falcon School 49Compliments: The number of open enrollmentslots available in each school was noted, and

most information was found in one section ofthe Web site.Recommendations: Provide more detailed in-formation about open enrollment. Link year-round to the open enrollment section from

the home page and title the link as a varia-tion of Open Enrollment, Options, orChoice.

12. Greeley-Evans 6Compliments: The information on the Web siteclearly indicated that some charter schoolshad different enrollment procedures andtimelines. Educational options were listed onthe school choice information section. Anapplication was available in English and in

Spanish.Recommendations: Provide information re-garding where to submit forms, the selectionprocess, the length of time the enrollment isvalid, contact information, and the CHSAATransfer Rule. Link year-round to the openenrollment section from the home page andtitle the link as a variation of Open Enroll-ment, Options, or Choice.

13. Harrison TwoCompliments: Between the January 2007 andJuly 2007 evaluations the district added theheading School of Choice under theRegistration section.Recommendations: Provide details suggestedunder the Detailed Information category ofthe Open Enrollment Rubric. Link year-round to the open enrollment section fromthe home page and title the link as a varia-tion of Open Enrollment, Options, orChoice.

14.Jefferson CountyCompliments: The Web site was nicely organ-ized, mentioned the CHSAA Transfer Ruleon the application, and provided informationand applications in English, Spanish, andRussian.


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Recommendations: The district should providea contact number for questions specific toopen enrollment. Link year-round to theopen enrollment section from the home pageand title the link as a variation of Open En-

rollment, Options, or Choice.

15. LittletonCompliments: The district maintained a well-organized site with specific information forintra-district and inter-district applicants.Recommendations: Link year-round to theopen enrollment section from the home pageand title the link as a variation of Open En-rollment, Options, or Choice.

16. Mesa County Valley 51Compliments: None.Recommendations: Provide more detailed in-formation, differentiate between types ofschools, note the existence of a charter schoolin the district, and provide descriptions of allschools or links to all school Web sites. Linkyear-round to the open enrollment sectionfrom the home page and title the link as avariation of Open Enrollment, Options,or Choice.

17. PoudreCompliments: Good information on CHSAATransfer Rule restrictions. All informationwas well organized and detailed.Recommendations: Combine the open enroll-ment information on the Registration pagewith the information on the Choice page.Either put all information under both links,or provide a link to the Registration pagefrom the Choice page. Link year-round tothe open enrollment section from the homepage and title the link as a variation of OpenEnrollment, Options, or Choice.

18. Pueblo 60Compliments: None.Recommendations: Dedicate a section of theWeb site to open enrollment/choice informa-tion and include the information suggested

on the Open Enrollment Rubric. Link year-round to the open enrollment section fromthe home page and title the link as a varia-tion of Open Enrollment, Options, orChoice.

19. St. VrainCompliments: Added an open enrollment sec-tion on the Enrollment page in August,2007.Recommendations: Provide a more thorough

summary of open enrollment procedures inparent-friendly language. Link year-roundto the open enrollment section from thehome page and title the link as a variation ofOpen Enrollment, Options, or Choice.

20. ThompsonCompliments: None.Recommendations: The principal determinesacceptance on a first-come, first-served basis,but this is not mentioned on the Schools ofChoice page or in district policy. The au-thors were informed about this policy by adistrict employee.20 No points wereawarded. Also, all information is directedtoward district residents only. The districtshould provide information for out-of-district students, and link year-round to theopen enrollment section from the home pagewith the link titled as a variation of OpenEnrollment, Options, or Choice.


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Notes1 Colorado Revised Statutes 22-36-101. Restrictionsapply to non-public school students seeking to enrollinto an online school, effective until July 1, 2008.2 There are only five reasons for a school to deny a re-quest for application: 1) Lack of space or teaching staff

in the requested school or program; 2) The school doesnot offer the program or is not structured to meet spe-cial needs of the applicant; 3) The applicant does notmeet the established eligibility requirements for theschool or program; 4) A desegregation plan is in effect;and 5) The student has been expelled or is in the proc-ess of being expelled. In addition, the school is not re-quired to do any of the following to accommodate anapplicant: Alter the structure or function of the schoolor any classrooms; Establish a program not currentlyavailable; Alter or waive established eligibility require-ments; Enroll any student after October 1. See C.R.S. 22-36-101.3 Paul Teske, Jody Fitzpatrick, and Gabriel Kaplan,Opening Doors: How Low-Income Parents Search for theRight School (Denver: Graduate School of Public Affairs,University of Colorado at Denver and Health SciencesCenter, January 2007).4 Colorado Springs School District 11, http://www.cssd11.k12.co.us/choicewindow/faq.htm; ThompsonR-2J School District, http://www.thompson.12.co.us/nprograms/choice/html5 Examples of districts that were difficult to contactregarding open enrollment: Pueblo School District No.60, August 1, 2006; Academy School District 20, June18, 2007.6 Telephone conversation between Pam Benigno and

Kathy Mitze, July 2, 2007.7 CHSAA Bylaw, Article 18, CHSAA Transfer Rule,http://chsaa.org/about/pdf/handbook.pdf8 Douglas County School District, 2007-2008 DCSDOpen Enrollment Application (bold lettering in original).9 Poudre School District, http://www.psd.k12.co.us/psdinfo/newsevents/index.aspx?newseventid=1

10 At the time of publication Littleton School Districthad corrected its statement about the Transfer Rule andBoulder Valley School District had removed the docu-ment containing the incorrect information from its Website.11 The nine districts were as follows: Colorado Springs

11, Douglas County, Jefferson County Public Schools,Brighton School District 27J, Adams 12 Five StarSchools, Denver Public Schools, Boulder Valley, Acad-emy 20, Greeley-Evans School District 6.12 The three districts that retained their open enroll-ment announcements on the main Web page were asfollows: Colorado Springs 11, Douglas County, Adams12.13 Colorado Springs 11, http://www.d11.org/. Beforepublication, the district had changed the You HaveChoices! link to a menu button titled Choice.14 January: Littleton, Adams County School District 50,Falcon School District 49, Cherry Creek, Thompson,Mesa County Valley. July: Aurora, Jefferson County,Falcon 49, Cherry Creek School District, Mesa CountyValley School District 51.15 As of August 7, 2007.16 Denver Public Schools, Traditional Choice ApplicationInformation School Year 2007-2008,http://soco.dpsk12.org/stories/storyReader$14317 Poudre School District, http://www.psd.k12.co.us/psdinfo/newsevents/iondex.aspx?newseventid=118 Colorado Department of Education, 2006 DistrictRanking; Pupil Membership (high to low), http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/rv2006pmlinks.htm19 Philip Vassalo,More Than Grades: How Choice BoostsParental Involvement and Benefits Children (Washington

D.C.: Cato Institute, October 26, 2000),http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-383es.html20 Telephone conversation between Benigno and BobbyMurphy, Executive Administrative Assistant to theDirector of Student Achievement Services, ThompsonSchool District, June 18, 2007.


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Copyright 2007, Independence Institute

INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE is a non-profit, non-partisan Colorado think tank. It isgoverned by a statewide board of trustees

and holds a 501(c)(3) tax exemption from theIRS. Its public policy research focuses on eco-nomic growth, education reform, local gov-ernment effectiveness, and Constitutionalrights.

JON CALDARA is President of the Inde-pendence Institute.

DAVID KOPEL is Research Director of theIndependence Institute.

PAMELA BENIGNO is the Director of theEducation Policy Center at the IndependenceInstitute. She is the author of No Child LeftBehind Mandates School Choice: Colorados FirstYear; Public K-12 Online Education: Stop theDiscrimination; Colorado Public School OpenEnrollment Policies: Not Very Open and the co-author of Should Colorado School Districts

Stop Collecting Political Funds? andAddressingSafety Reporting Deficiencies on ColoradosSchool Accountability Report.

KIRSTIN HASLER is a Research Associate

for the Education Policy Center. She is theco-author of the Issue PaperAddressing SafetyReporting Deficiencies on Colorado's School Ac-countability Report.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES can be found at:http://www.IndependenceInstitute.org andhttp://SchoolChoiceForKids.org

NOTHING WRITTEN here is to be construedas necessarily representing the views of the

Independence Institute or as an attempt toinfluence any election or legislative action.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT this paper inwhole or in part is hereby granted providedfull credit is given to the Independence Insti-tute.


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