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What Your Should Know About School Transfers in Pennsylvania
If your neighborhood school is not the right fit for your child, there may be other options available.
By Vivian Kim, GreatSchools.net Staff
In contrast to most states, Pennsylvania does not require districts to offer public school choice. In other words, you must check with your local school district to see if you can transfer your child to a different public school from your neighborhood school.

The Charter School Option

If you are completely dissatisfied with your neighborhood school and public school choice is not offered by your local district, you can explore the charter school option. Charter schools are public schools that are liberated from some of the traditional school regulations required by the state. Charter school enrollment is voluntary and is not governed by neighborhood boundaries, which means your child can choose to attend any charter school within your district, or outside your district, so long is there is space available.

For more information on Pennsylvania charter schools, see Charter Schools Offer an Array of Options.

School Transfer Options Under the No Child Left Behind Act

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government requires that schools with a high percentage of low-income students designated as “in need of improvement” offer families the choice to send their children to another school within the school district. If there are no other such schools in the district, the district is encouraged to enter into cooperative agreements with neighboring school districts to provide options for parents.

There is a progression of options that a district must offer by law.

  • If your neighborhood school is marked as a Title 1 School in need of improvement, the district must offer transfers to other public schools in the district that are not identified as in need of improvement.
  • If there are multiple schools that are accepting transferred students, the district may limit the school options to those that are closest to your residence. However, they must provide at least two options.
  • If there are no other such schools in the district, or if there is no room available in these schools, then the district is encouraged to work with neighboring school districts.
  • If neither of the two options above is available, the school district must provide Supplemental Education Services (tutoring) in place of Public School Choice.

For more information on the No Child Left Behind Act, see What No Child Left Behind Means for Your Child.

For more information on choosing schools in Pennsylvania, see Choosing a School in Pennsylvania.

July 2005

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