Dexter School Board to Vote on Limited School of Choice Option Monday

A proposal to approve Dexter Community Schools as a limited school of choice for the 2012-2013 academic year will go before the Dexter Board of Education on Monday.

If approved, the proposal, recommended by Superintendent Mary Marshall, would allow the district to apply for "best practice" incentive funding from the state.

For the current academic year, public schools must complete seven out of eight “best practices” in order to receive an additional $52 per pupil from the state.

Dexter already meets six practices, including:

• The school district is the chief policy holder on medical benefit plans.
• Dexter obtains competitive bids for 2012-13 non-instructional services.
• Dexter monitors individual pupil academic growth in each subject area at least twice during the school fiscal year using competency based online assessments.
• Supporting opportunities for pupils to receive post-secondary credit while attending secondary school.
• Offering online instructional programs or blended learning opportunities to all eligible pupils.
• Provide a link on district’s home page for the MiSchoolData portal.

To receive the additional funding, Dexter would need to either become a School of Choice or meet increased seat time for physical education or health education.

Marshall is recommending the district provide enrollment for up to five sophomore students who plan to register as International Baccalaureate diploma candidates in the 2014-2015 school year.

"The purpose of bringing students in 10th grade is to give students the opportunity to assure their course offerings are aligned to meet the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements and foundational courses needed to be in the full diploma program," Marshall said.

Students who enroll under the School of Choice option would be required to enroll in and complete courses in a pre-International Baccalaureate program and demonstrate progress toward completing the full diploma program in order to remain eligible to remain in Dexter, according to information provided to the Dexter Board of Education.

Beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year, Marshall is recommending that the School of Choice option continue and remain available for students entering their sophomore year in high school.

The Dexter Community Schools Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. Monday at Creekside Intermediate School.