On March 28, the Dartmouth school committee first passed the School Choice program—allowing students from other districts to attend Dartmouth High. Now, all 30 openings have been filled by lottery.

The district received 33 applications for the only openings in grades 9 and 10. The committee expected tor receive more, but other communities were not aware that Dartmouth was participating in School Choice, said superintendent Bonny Gifford.

Students will receive acceptance letters this week and are expected to respond within five days, said Gifford. Those who decline their acceptance will have their seat waived to someone in the surplus of applicants.

The School Choice program was enacted in Massachusetts in 1991. It allows parents to send their kids to public schools outside of their home district so long as the kids are accepted into a limited number of slots in “receiving districts.”

After being accepted, students would be part of the Dartmouth system until graduation unless they should choose to withdraw. Siblings of accepted students would receive preference. However, because Dartmouth is only accepting students for grades 9 and 10 at this time, siblings that fall outside of that range will either be separated or families may decline acceptance to Dartmouth High.

Committee member Chris Garth stressed that a solution to avoid “separating families” may be necessary in the future.

The sending district pays for the child’s tuition in his or her new school district via a reduction in Chapter 70 state aid funds that are given to the receiving district. In this case, School Choice permits students from other districts to attend school in Dartmouth.

Chairperson Chris Oliver reminded attendees that School Choice would be voted on every year. After the first year, the committee can review the program and decide if they’d like to keep it, expand it it, or remove it.