It's Your Decision
Choosing your child's school carefully is an important way to help your child achieve all that he or she can be. Choosing your child's school may also make you more confident that your child will receive effective and fair treatment according to his or her needs.
What Choices Are Available?
Different schools offer alternatives in teaching styles, content, and learning opportunities. This section briefly describes some types of schools you may find.
Public schools
Many parents choose to send their children to the public school in their neighborhood. This is done according to an assignment system developed by the school district. Attending a neighborhood public school can make it easy for your child to get to school, to work with classmates on group projects, and to visit friends. These schools are often anchors in a community.
You may want to investigate other public schools. In an increasing number of districts, you can choose to send your child to a specialized public school. These schools of choice often emphasize a particular subject or have a special philosophy of education. One school might emphasize science, art, or language study. Another might offer a firm code of conduct, a dress code, or a rigorous traditional academic program.
Another may be an alternative school designed to respond to students who are insufficiently challenged by the regular school program, who might be likely to drop out, or who have behavioral or substance abuse problems. These schools, often small, work to make students feel that they belong. Some states also offer second-chance schools or clinics for students who have dropped out of regular schools and now want to complete their education.
Charter schools
Charter schools are public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the local and state regulations that apply to traditional public schools. Charter schools allow parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs, and others the flexibility to innovate, create and provide students with increased educational options. Charter schools exercise increased autonomy in return for stronger accountability. They are sponsored by designated local, state, or other organizations that monitor their quality and integrity while holding them accountable for academic results and fiscal practices. The quality of your local charter schools may vary greatly.
Magnet schools
Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds by focusing on a specific subject, such as science, technology, or the arts. Some magnet schools require students to take an exam or demonstrate knowledge or skill in the specialty to qualify to go to the school, while others are open to students who express an interest in that area.
Virtual schools
Virtual schools offer students an education through an online curriculum. Also known as “distance learning,†this type of education does not take place in school buildings, but instead through a computer. Although fairly new, virtual schools have an organized curriculum , and depending on the state and district, students can take a full curriculum or choose to enroll in individual classes. Some school districts offer these online schools to offer classes that will help students learn at their own pace.
Advanced Placement / International Baccalaureate programs
Advanced Placement courses offer rigorous content, and at the end of a course students can take the national Advanced Placement exam. If they score well on the exam, many colleges and universities will grant college credit for completing the course. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a program of rigorous academic courses. Students who graduate from the program receive an International Baccalaureate diploma that is recognized by colleges and universities throughout the world. Other students may choose not to take the full IB curriculum but pursue certificates in individual areas. Although these programs are aimed at high school students, some elementary and middle schools may also offer components of the IB program.
Private schools
In addition to public schools, you can choose from a variety of religious, other nonpublic schools or boarding schools. These schools of choice have been part of the fabric of American education since colonial days. These schools have been established to meet the demand to support parents' differing beliefs about how their children should be educated.
Religious private schools. The majority of nonpublic schools are religious. Many are affiliated with a denomination, local church, or religious faith such as Roman Catholic, Protestant, conservative Christian, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or other. These schools combine a full educational curriculum with religious teachings.
Secular private schools . There are also many nonpublic schools without a religious identity or affiliation. Some of these private schools are preparatory schools designed to prepare students for college. These schools often have a traditional or elite reputation and a long history. Other schools are based on a particular educational philosophy or approach to learning, such as Montessori or Waldorf schools; have a special education focus, such as schools for the deaf or blind; or have been established for families and children who may be dissatisfied with various aspects of conventional schools.
Home schools
Homeschooling is an option for a growing number of parents. Some parents prepare their own materials and design their own programs of study, while others use materials produced by companies specializing in homeschool materials. Some take advantage of virtual school programs or other educational resources available on the Internet. Of course, exercising this option may require major changes in how your family lives. Teaching your children at home is an ambitious undertaking, requiring time, planning, creativity, and commitment. Be sure to check with your state because different states have different requirements for homeschooling.
Use the Internet to Learn More
The Internet can be an effective tool for finding out more information about choosing the right school for your child.
The Web has many other resources, including instructional materials, assistance on legal issues, links to support groups, and others. Web sites for homeschoolers are too numerous to list here, but a search on terms such as "homeschool" or "homeschooling" should lead you to those sites that best match your interests and needs.
Admissions Procedures for Public and Private Schools
The admissions process for both public and private schools can be tricky. Keep the following questions in mind when you think about applying to a school for your child.
Public school admissions
- Are admissions requirements published in languages other than English?
- Is there an application process?
- What is the application deadline?
- Is anything else required in the application (test scores, interview, recommendations, application fees, etc.)?
- Are test scores required for admission?
- What are the ranges of scores for admitted students?
- Do admissions requirements include a portfolio, an audition or statement of interest?
- Are there any other admissions requirements?
Private school admissions
- Does the school close for religious and federal holidays?
- What is the tuition?
- Is there a payment plan?
- Is there a sliding scale for tuition, based on parish, church affiliation, or family income?
- What are the other fees and expenses (room and board, uniforms, books, transportation, lab and computer fees, activity fees)?
- What scholarships and loans are available?
- Are students or their parents required to be of a particular faith?
- Does the school have a policy on student participation in religious instruction and worship?
Questions For Homeschoolers
- Have you identified curriculum materials for your child, and how much they will cost?
- Is there a suitable place for your child's study and instruction?
- Do you, your spouse, or another homeschooling parent have adequate free time to be available to your homeschooling child?
- Do other families in your area homeschool their children?
- Is there a support group of homeschoolers near you?
- If you are interested in some outside instructional support, have you checked your local library, parks department, scouting organizations, public and private schools, and similar resources?
- Have you searched the Web for resources on instruction, legal issues, support groups, and other matters?
- Have you identified other resources you will need?
- Have you checked state regulations? (They are usually available on the web or from your local public school or school district.){mospagebreak}
Tips for Parents
Consider your child and your family
Start your search for the best school by thinking about what you want a school to do for your child. Perhaps your child has special language or education needs. After all, you know your son or daughter better than anyone else does. Keep these questions in mind:
- Is your child logical or mathematical? Is your child musical or artistic?
- What is your child's learning style?
- Does your child need a more structured (or less structured) environment?
- Does your child need more challenging work?
- Does your child like to learn alone or in groups?
- Does your child need an English language acquisition program?
- Does your child need more individual attention?
- Does your child generally need extra help or more time to complete an assignment?
- Does your child need an environment that fosters creativity?
- Does your child like to learn through physical activity?
Consider the location of the school
When you are thinking about where to send you child to school, consider the following questions about location:
- Do you want your child to go to a school within walking distance of your home?
- Can your child's talents be nurtured outside your neighborhood?
- How far are you willing to have your child bused?
- How far are you willing to drive your child to school?
- Does your child want to be in a school with his or her friends?
- Do you want your child to go to a school near your after-school care? Near where you work?
- Near a close relative?
- Does your child have any special transportation needs that must be considered in choosing a school?
Gather information about schools
When investigating schools, you should make phone calls, collect written material from different schools and look for reports in your local paper to get the information you need. Check public school report cards and go to parent fairs and school open houses.
You can find reliable school information online on sites such as GreatSchools and SchoolMatters , or find more resources by contacting the U.S. Department of Education. The hard work will be worth your while if you find a school that brings out the best in your child.
Along with the schools' curricula and philosophy, you will want to know about school policies and services. You may also wish to consider the after-school programs a school offers; for example, sports, clubs, tutoring, or academic enrichment. Some schools have after-school activities funded by the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. These centers provide educational activities outside of the regular school hours—before and after school or during summer vacation—that complement the school's standard curriculum. You may also want to ask if the school has supplemental educational services, including free tutoring.
Ask about the curriculum:
- Does the school have a strong program of core academic subjects such as English, history, mathematics, science, arts, and foreign languages?
- What courses does the school offer in addition to the core subjects?
- What evidence is there that the school is effectively teaching students to read?
- Does the school have a special focus or theme for the curriculum?
- Does the school offer challenging courses such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and high school honors courses?
- Does the school provide enrichment opportunities for all students? For gifted students?
- Does the school have extracurricular activities that support what is taught?
- Is there an effective English language acquisition program for children who need it?
- If your child has special learning needs, does the school have a curriculum and the necessary supports to appropriately accommodate those needs?
Visit and observe schools
Contact the schools you are interested in and make an appointment for a visit. If possible, tour the schools during regular school hours and visit a few classes. Avoid visiting schools during the first or last week of a term in order to get a realistic sense of how the school operates.
Schedule an appointment with the school principal. If possible, attend an open house, parent-teacher meeting, or other school function that would also provide valuable information about the attitudes of staff, students, and parents.
Listen closely to what teachers say about the school. The teachers will be the adults closest to your child, and you will want to know if they are well prepared, dedicated, and happy in their work.
How are the teachers?
- How do teachers grade student work?
- Do teachers have high expectations for all students to achieve to high academic standards?
- How do teachers inform students of their expectations?
- Do teachers share the course content and objectives with parents?
- When and how frequently are teachers available for parent conferences?
- Do teachers assign homework? Is it rigorous? Frequent? Sufficient?
- Are the teachers highly qualified to teach in their subject areas (do they know the subjects they are teaching)?
- Do teachers have the skills and knowledge to address students with special learning needs?
- Are specialized staffs available to address the special learning needs of a child (e.g., speech therapist, psychologist or aides)?
- Do the teachers know the individual students in their classes?
- Are teachers willing to provide extra help to students?
- What is the school's policy regarding teacher response to parent inquiries?
- Do teachers have Web sites with class notes and other information for students and parents?
Check the school district's report card for public schools
The No Child Left Behind Act requires school districts that receive federal funds to provide a report card on how its schools and the school district are doing. For individual schools, the report card will include whether the school has been identified for school improvement and how its students performed on state tests compared to other students in the school district and the state.
For the district, the report includes the combined test scores of the students at all the district's schools. Public school report cards should include:
- Students' scores on state tests, broken out by student subgroups;
- How many students performed at the "basic," "proficient," and "advanced" levels on the tests;
- Graduation rates;
- Numbers and names of schools that need to improve in the district;
- Qualifications of teachers; and
- Percentage of students who were not tested.
Know your rights under the "No Child Left Behind" Act
Parents of children in public schools designated as "in need of improvement" can choose to transfer their child to another public school or supplemental educational services such as tutoring. Even if the child is enrolled in a school that is not in need of improvement, under this act, the school must accomodate your child's special needs if the school receives federal "Title 1" funds.
If your child's public school receives federal Title I funds, it must let you know how well the students in the school are learning. The school district must contact you if the school does not meet the academic standards set by the state for two consecutive years. You can find out how well your school is doing by looking at the school's report card.
If your child's school has been identified by the state as “in need of improvement,†the school district must give you the choice of keeping your child in that school or sending him or her to another public school.
If your child attends a school that has needed improvement for more than a year, your school district must give you a list of organizations and institutions that provide tutoring or extra help outside of the regular school day. This extra help is called "supplemental educational services."
If your child is eligible for this help, and your income is low, the school district must pay for these extra services. Such services may include before school and after school tutoring in reading, other language arts, or math.
If you have not heard from your public school about whether the school is "in need of improvement" and whether your child qualifies to receive supplemental educational services, contact the school or the school district and ask for the person/s in charge of choice and supplemental services programs.
If you have difficulty finding these lists, contact the U.S. Department of Education for more information.
What is the school's behavior policy?
- What does the school do to help develop character and citizenship?
- What is the discipline policy?
- How does the school handle students who misbehave?
- Are teachers fair in their responses to students?
- Does the school have a program and supports to prevent and address behavior problems?
- Are students allowed to leave school by themselves?
- What measures has the school taken to ensure safety?
- What security measures are in place?
- What is the policy on school absences?
- How does the school encourage daily attendance?
- Do school personnel call parents when students are absent?
- Does the school have a drug and alcohol abuse prevention program
- Does the school have a dress code? Do students wear uniforms?
How safe is the school?
Safety is should be of utmost importance for parents when deciding on a school for your child. Consider the following things when researching schools:
- How does the school prevent and handle problems with drugs, alcohol, and tobacco?
- How does the school prevent and handle violence, bullying, harassment, and other forms of abusive behavior?
- What measures does the school take to ensure safety? What security measures are in place?
- What is the school's relationship with the local police?
- Is there a police officer on duty during school hours and for extracurricular activities?
- What information is available on serious crime in the school?
- What information is available on students bringing weapons to school?
- Does the school have an emergency plan for local and national emergencies?
- What does the school do to ensure that parents and all school administrators know the emergency plan?
- How does the school notify parents about emergency closings? How does the school communicate with parents in other languages?
What are the school's special offerings?
- Are publications for parents available in other languages?
- What extracurricular activities does the school offer after school or on weekends?
- Do all students have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities?
- What interscholastic activities are available to students?
- What intramural activities are available to students?
- What activities receive the most attention and resources?
- Are there school and student publications?
- Does the school sponsor field trips?
- Are they available to all students?
Other Resources from the U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) provides information regarding the choices available to parents seeking the best educational opportunities for their children.
Visit the OII website.
You can reach the OII at (202) 205-4500; or contact the department by mail at: Office of Innovation and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
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