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D.C. Releases Proposed School Boundaries and Far-Reaching Student Assignment Policies
4/5/14 | Washington Post

Behind the Headline
How D.C. Schools Can Ward Off the Big Flip
1/29/14 | Education Next

In Washington, D.C., the school district is considering a major overhaul of school boundaries that could include a shift away from automatically assigning students to neighborhood schools. At a public meeting, the city unveiled three policy proposals, two of which would give parents more choice but would also create more uncertainty about school assignments, since students would not necessarily be assigned to the nearest public school.

In “How D.C. Schools Can Ward Off the Big Flip,” Sam Chaltain, Richard Kahlenberg, and Michael Petrilli argued that D.C. should move away from neighborhood school assignments in favor of a controlled choice system that will lead to more diverse schools.

Chester E. Finn, Jr. responded that a controlled choice system would actually limit options for parents.

Mike Petrilli responded to that response in a piece arguing that parents do want diverse schools but cannot get them unless we engage in a little social engineering.

-Education Next