Whether or not to add school choice in Mattapoisett was a topic of discussion on Monday.

Currently, the Old Rochester Regional Junior High and Senior High Schools are the only institutions in Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester that have optioned the state program, which allows students who live in one district to apply to another one for public education.

“Last year we had already approved the budget and then we started talking about School Choice. We need to do that as part of the process,” said Superintendent Doug White.

Because Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester are each separate school districts, a student entered into the school choice program in elementary school would not be guaranteed enrollment at ORR. That factor is something Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos asked the committee to consider.

“I would not want to see children come in and enjoy the wonderful relationship with teachers, principals, and friends to then have to say goodbye,” said Frangos at the Mattapoisett School Committee meeting.

White said that it might be possible to provide continuity for school choice students, and that the discussion could be opened up to the ORR School Committee in the future.

Class size was also a topic of discussion. Currently, Center School and Old Hammondtown School have a limit of 25 students per classroom, though numbers are below that.

“It’s not as easy as thinking 25 because you have a lot of factors that are coming into this,” said committee member Grace Knox. “I certainly would not vote positively on anything that would increase the cost to the taxpayers as well as take away the services of the kids that live in our community.”

Knox said some local elected officials have voiced concern that school choice has negatively affected class size.

For the Junior High and Senior High School, White said, “The total population of the school easily fits within the building and staff to handle that number. It’s more about the structure of the schedule. I’m talking with principals moving forward about how we’re going to address this.”

The committee will continue to discuss school choice at its next meeting on January 14.

ORR's School Choice numbers by grade

Home district of School Choice students