What is school choice and why did the School Committee vote against it?

From the NPS Preliminary FY21 budget:

The school choice program allows parents to send their children to schools in communities other than the city or town in which they reside. Tuition is paid by the sending district to the receiving district. Districts may elect not to enroll school choice students if no space is available. Natick has chosen not to enroll school choice students at this time but continues to educate those students who were previously allowed to attend the Natick Public Schools or had an agreement made with the previous superintendent.

School choice is a separate program from METCO. The decision to continue to not enroll in school choice has no bearing on the METCO program.

On June 1 the School Committee voted to not enroll school choice students at this time. The reasons that were given by school committee members were that enrolling additional students during this period of uncertainty is risky. New students could increase school density and although in the short term they could be educated online, the school system would be responsible for them until they graduate.

The NPS maintains a school choice revolving account (pg 55 in the preliminary budget). The projected balance for FY20 of that account is $438K. The projected balance for FY21 as of January was $342K.