Rex plan offers parents choices

State schools chief Jim Rex kicked off the 2007 legislative fight over school choice Wednesday, announcing a three-year plan to let parents send their children across school — and district — lines. Flanked by lawmakers from both parties, Rex said he will push for legislation that would give parents greater flexibility in finding a public school. Rex's announcement upstaged — by a day — veteran lawmakers who say they will unveil today their own school choice initiative, which includes private schools. The transition to a public-school choice system would take three years. Pilot programs to test policies and procedures to allow students to move from one district to another would be in place for the 2007-08 school year. How much would his ideas cost long term? Rex could not say.

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