CBS12 News Team

PBC schools ready for impact of No Child Left Behind waiver

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- Palm Beach County School officials are still trying to decide whether students will still be allowed to opt out of
underperforming schools to attend others.

Earlier this year, the federal government granted Florida and other states a waiver from the no child left behind law. That means starting next year, the district is no longer required to offer students a choice of schools.

Jeffrey Pegg: I believe we need the best administrators and teachers at the highest risk schools.

Wynnebrook Elementary school principal Jeffrey Pegg hopes the Palm Beach County school district takes advantage of waiver from the Federal No Child Left Behind Education Law.

Jeffrey Pegg: I hope we let students stay in schools they need to stay in and that we support them so they can be successful academically.

The waiver allows schools more flexibility with federal funds and relief from NCLB's one-size-fits-all mandate. But it would also prohibit students from opting out of schools that weren't making the grade.

"We had some calls from parents, a lot of them are effected because they had the ability to transfer from their home school to other schools that also exists with opportunity scholarships. That was first year we've done that as well. We have almost 2,000 kids that have gone to different schools because of that.

Even though Wynnebrook Elementary is a title one school with a 90 percent poverty level, Pegg says in the 12 years he's been principal here he's never had a child opt out.

Jeffrey Pegg: There's no reason the things we're doing at Wynnebrook can't be replicated throughtout our district, throughout our state.

Leslie Millar/3rd Grade Teacher: We supply them with uniforms and sneakers. We go into the homes if we see they're having problems in the home.

Officials say students already attending different schools should not be effected. The new requirements would go into effect next school year.

District officials will recommend to the school board whether to keep offering the choice option and providing transportation sometime this summer.

Tuesday, June 5 2012, 12:53 AM EDT

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