Following Superintendent Jason Calichman saying he doesn’t think the school district should participate in school choice, the Swampscott School Committee unanimously voted to not join the program during a meeting Thursday.

The school choice program allows students from other districts to attend a school outside of their typically assigned placement. According to the Massachusetts Department of Secondary Education, the school district receiving students in a school choice program is paid tuition by the students’ home school districts they are opting not to attend.

Proponents of school choice say the option allows for more educational choices and promotes competition between schools, according to School Pathways. Contrarily, critics often raise concerns about equity and funding.

School Pathways noted that “more states are adopting school choice policies, reflecting the growing interest and support from families across the country.”

Choice programs are not limited to districts like Swampscott either. They also can include charter and magnet schools, as well as home schooling. Parents who are interested in enrolling their child in a choice school must fill out an application before entering a lottery process.

There are 122 districts in Massachusetts that offer school choice, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Locations include Salem, Pittsfield, Ipswich, Gloucester and Reading.

In the 2022-23 school year, over 17,00 students in the state participated in the school choice program.

A public hearing to discuss the possibility of Swampscott participating in the program was opened on Thursday and closed within a minute.

School Committee Vice Chair Glenn Kasper said that to his memory, Swampscott has never participated in the program.

In February 2025, a similar public hearing ended with the same result. At that meeting, then Superintendent Pam Angelakis opposed participation due to limited space at Swampscott schools.