New Jersey is justly proud of its Interdistrict Public School Choice Program (IPSCP), which allows kids to transfer to districts outside of their zip code, as long as the receiving school is willing. Once a tiny pilot, last year the Legislature authorized a permanent IPSC program and applications from districts, probably eager for tuition payments, rolled in. (Sending districts pay tuition and transportation, as long as the receiving school is within 20 miles.)

The Press of Atlantic City reports on the status of local districts enrolled in the program and finds a wide disparity of popularity. For example, Folsom Elementary School, a K-8 school with four hundred kids, received 150 applications for 24 open slots. And Hammonton Public Schools, a K-12 district, received 117 applications.

Other districts find few takers. Green Bank School, a K-8 school with all of 69 kids, received one application. Stafford, a K-6, received two and Estell Manor, a K-8 with 190 students, received four.

Why the disparity?

One reason might be that both Folsom and Hammonton are next door to Buena Regional School District. Buena Regional High, which enrolls 903 students, is in its 8th year as a School In Need of Improvement, which means it’s failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress almost from No Child Left Behind’s inception. According to DOE data (most recent is 2009-2010), about 40% of high schoolers failed the math portion of the standard high school assessment (HSPA) and 19.7 failed language arts. Only four A.P. courses are offered; in 2010 six students got 3 or higher.

Hammonton High, which got 117 applications from students outside district boundaries, is only in its 6th year of SINI. 24% of its kids passed the math HSPA, and only 10.6% failed the language arts portion. Nine A.P. courses are offered and 168 kids got 3 or higher.

Both schools’ economic profile is similar, although Hammonton’s cost per pupil is $12,201 and Buena Regional High’s is $15,064.

According to the Press, 1,878 kids this year across the state are enrolled in the IPSCP and 3,100 seats remain available among the 71 districts signed up for the program. Perhaps it will take time for families to become comfortable with the process. And volunteering receiving districts are hardly even distributed across the state. For example, Atlantic County (students have to stay within their county) has four receiving districts. Camden County has twelve, although only 3 of those districts have high schools, which may be the more popular option for children leaving neighborhood programs. (How many choice districts in Mercer County, the home of Trenton? Zero.)

Let’s hope that IPSCP gets some legs. It’s a potentially strong dose for what ails NJ: we’ve been immune to assaults on our exalted home rule culture for so long, and this program promises to break down some of those walls between kids in thriving schools and kids in failing ones. It’s a win-win for everyone. Receiving districts get cash, kids get choice, and sending districts can benefit from a boost of competition.