Thirty-one families, with a total of 38 kids registered at Clark Elementary (about 12% of the enrollment), have elected school choice for the coming school year. Choice was offered under the conditions of the No Child Left Behind act, because Clark third-graders, for the second year in a row, did not pass Virginia's reading SOL test in sufficient numbers.

According to Bobby Thompson, Director of Academic Support Services for the City Schools, 25 families were able to move to their first choice for an alternative school, and the balance got their second choice (two kids will return to Clark, since that was the families's second choice).

Of those going to a different school, nine will go to Greenbrier, eight to Venable / Burnley Moran, seven to Johnson and four to Jackson-Via.

Thompson says that most of the children going to new schools are from Clark's Kindergarten and First Grade. (Dave Sagarin, July 23, 2004)

For more information on the recent history of Clark school and NCLB, see also:

Clark Elementary Prepares for Potential NCLB Impact May 28, 2004

Martha Wood Comments About NCLB and Clark School May 31, 2004

Implementation of Choice Plan at Clark Elementary July 1, 2004

Clark Elementary has a Problem; is School Choice the Answer? July 20, 2004