More than 300 students choose not to go to Brockton schools. See how school choice works.

The Commonwealth’s school choice program provides options to parents. The program, in place since 1991, allows parents to enroll their children in public schools outside their hometown.

While most students attend the closest school to them in their city or town, the program allows students to attend any Massachusetts public school if the school has enough room, and the district hasn’t opted out of the school choice program.

The sending school district must pay the student’s tuition, transportation and special needs services at no cost to the family or the receiving school district.

While over 30 states currently have similar school choice laws that let public school students enroll in private schools for free, the Massachusetts’ program doesn’t reimburse students who attend private schools. Instead, like in New York and California, students can switch between public school districts without having to leave the city they reside in.

More: Wondering why Fall River has giant billboard recruiting teachers … in Brockton. Here's why

How does school choice work?

The school choice program was created to give students and families an equal opportunity to attend any school in the state regardless of their financial situation or location, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website.

Once a student is enrolled in a choice school, their siblings can automatically attend that school once they're old enough regardless of that school's future participation status or capacity.

Brockton Public Schools: 'We’re giving money back that we don’t have:' BPS returns money from expired open grants

Parents who are interested in enrolling their child in a choice school should contact the superintendent of the receiving school district in the winter or spring of the prior school year. Parents will fill out an application before a lottery process selects the students who can participate in the program.

According to DESE, tuition at a typical choice school costs the sending district $5,000 per student, while tuition at one of the state’s two virtual schools costs $9,597 per student. The sending school also has to pay an extra $75 administration fee per student.

By the end of the 2022-23 school year, over 17,000 students in the state participated in the school choice program, according to DESE, for a total tuition of $128,448,644. Just over 300 school districts sent their students out to 184 receiving districts.

Does Brockton participate in school choice?

Yes, Brockton participates in the school choice program, accepting outside students for grades 8-12. The Brockton School Committee votes annually on whether to participate in the program. The committee will discuss and vote on whether or not to participate in the school choice program next year at its May 21 meeting.

How many Brockton students participate in school choice?

According to enrollment data taken by DESE in October 2023, 303 students from Brockton opted to participate in school choice this year and attend an outside district.

Where did Brockton students choose to go?

Students opted to go to the following districts: 106 to West Bridgewater; 97 to Avon; 14 to East Bridgewater; 9 to Holbrook; 5 to Mansfield; 4 to Taunton; 10 to Bridgewater/Raynham; and 8 each to Norton, Rockland, and Whitman/Hanson. Thirty-four Brockton students attend one of the state's virtual academies.

How much does school choice cost Brockton?

When students choose and are accepted to attend outside districts, the sending district is responsible for the costs of educating that student. According to DESE data, 303 students from Brockton chose to participate in the program, costing Brockton $1.3 million in tuition

Brockton is among the top school districts with the highest number of students who participate in the program, and who pays the most money in school choice tuition.

How many students choose to come to Brockton for school?

Brockton, who accepts students in grades 8-12 through school choice, received nine kids this year from outside the district: 3 from Avon, 2 from Easton and 1 each from Boston, Bridgewater/Raynham, Randolph and Whitman/Hanson.

'I’m all in': Jorge Vega to fill School Committee seat vacated by Kathleen Ehlers

Are districts required to participate in school choice?

Although every school is required to send interested students to their school of choice, school committees can vote to opt out of receiving students, or certain grades, by the deadline of June 1. Currently, Brockton accepts school choice students only in grades 8-12.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: What is school choice? How does it work in Massachusetts?