{"id":2432143,"date":"2025-05-07T19:40:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T23:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/education-department-encourages-states-to-use-unsafe-school-choice-option-under-stricter-standards\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T19:42:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T23:42:41","slug":"education-department-encourages-states-to-use-unsafe-school-choice-option-under-stricter-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/education-department-encourages-states-to-use-unsafe-school-choice-option-under-stricter-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Education Department encourages states to use Unsafe School Choice Option under stricter standards"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Feducation-department-encourages-states-to-use-unsafe-school-choice-option-under-stricter-standards%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2432143&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Education Department is urging states to improve their policies regarding the Unsafe School Choice Option, which allows students to transfer to a school of their choice if their assigned school is labeled as &#8220;persistently dangerous.&#8221; This initiative is part of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, aiming to enhance student safety and educational quality. The acting assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary education emphasized the need for parents to be informed about their children\u2019s school conditions and the available options for safer schooling. The guidance also calls for states to reassess what constitutes a &#8220;persistently dangerous&#8221; school, which may include criteria based on academic performance and safety data collection.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2021-2022 school year, no schools were classified as persistently dangerous despite numerous reported violent incidents, whereas in the current 2023-2024 year, 25 schools across five states have received this designation. The Trump administration aims to prioritize school choice and has pushed for legislative measures to bolster financial support for school vouchers.Advocates for school choice, like ACE scholarships, praised the Education Department\u2019s actions, viewing them as vital for empowering families and improving educational environments.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Education Department encourages states to use Unsafe School Choice Option under stricter standards<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2113972\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-education\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Education Department<\/a> is asking states to revamp how they allow students to transfer from schools deemed especially dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>The Unsafe School Choice Option allows students the option to attend the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/school-choice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">school of their choice<\/a> if their assigned school is defined as &ldquo;persistently dangerous.&rdquo; The Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 grants this provision under section 8532.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3404090\/university-of-washington-antisemitism-review-trump-administration-linda-mcmahon-rfk-jr\/\">University of Washington faces antisemitism review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3403957\/university-of-washington-riley-gaines-protest\/\">Riley Gaines claims conservatives pelted with &#8216;human feces&#8217; at campus protest<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3403802\/texas-lawmaker-counters-teachers-union\/\">Texas lawmaker counters teacher&rsquo;s union on education funding levels<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The Trump-McMahon Department of Education is committed to ensuring all children can attend a safe school in which they can focus on mastering the reading and mathematics skills necessary for success in school and beyond,&rdquo;&nbsp;Hayley Sanon, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, said in a statement. &ldquo;In today&rsquo;s guidance, we encourage states to build on the work they have done to maximize parent options for choosing the safest school setting for their children.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/media\/document\/dear-colleague-letter-unsafe-school-choice-option-may-7-2025-109969.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">letter instructs <\/a>states and local education agencies to work together to inform parents of their children&rsquo;s school status.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;Education Department also instructs states to make updates of what constitutes a school to be &ldquo;persistently dangerous,&rdquo; which can include frequent poor academic performances. To that end, the Trump administration is calling on state and school officials to reduce the timeframe it takes to dub a school &ldquo;persistently dangerous,&rdquo; regularly review and revise the state definition of a violent school, review the process for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-democrats-block-bills-to-bolster-school-security-mental-health-resources-2\/\" title=\"Senate Democrats Block Bills To Bolster ... Security, Mental Health Resources\">collecting school safety data<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >provide multiple school choice options<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During the&nbsp;2021-2022 school year, no schools were reported as persistently dangerous, in spite of the Education Department&rsquo;s Civil Rights Data Collection reporting 1.2 million violent offenses that same school year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During the 2023-2024 school year, a total of 25 schools were deemed persistently dangerous in five states. In one state alone, 15 schools were given the definition.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring parents have options for their children to attend a safe school where they can learn and thrive, which is a goal we all share,&rdquo; the letter stated. &ldquo;Parent outreach is crucial for using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-breaks-tourism-record-for-2024-but-concerned-for-international-tourists-in-2025-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"DC breaks tourism record for 2024 but concerned for international tourists in 2025 - ...\">unsafe school choice option<\/a>. States and [Local Education Agencies] should work together to notify parents of their school&rsquo;s persistently dangerous status and what options are available as a result.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration has sought to make school choice a top priority as Education Secretary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3398264\/linda-mcmahon-rep-burgess-owens-national-tour-school-choice-bill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Linda McMahon<\/a> has advocated for Congress to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act, which would create tax credits to establish funds for school vouchers.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3404090\/university-of-washington-antisemitism-review-trump-administration-linda-mcmahon-rfk-jr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FACES ANTISEMITISM REVIEW<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>ACE Scholarships, a pro-school choice organization that offer scholarships to private schools, celebrated the Education Department&rsquo;s advisement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;President Trump and Secretary McMahon&rsquo;s actions to prioritize the Unsafe School Choice Option mark a bold and necessary step toward ensuring every student has access to a safe and supportive educational setting that allows them to reach their full potential,&rdquo;&nbsp;ACE Scholarships CEO Norton Rainey said in a statement to the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em>&nbsp;&ldquo;At ACE, we know that changing education, changes everything. When families are empowered with more options&mdash;including safe school settings in public, private, charter, and homeschools &ndash; students, families, and entire communities thrive.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2113972\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2113972\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Education Department urges states to enhance Unsafe School Choice Option standards<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2432144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/education-secretary-linda-mcmahon.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[35134,5152,37868,54812,38091],"class_list":["post-2432143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-department-of-education","tag-education","tag-policy-changes","tag-safety-standards","tag-school-choice"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/education-secretary-linda-mcmahon.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2432143"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2432147,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2432143\/revisions\/2432147"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2432144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2432143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2432143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2432143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}