How to Choose a School for Your Child

Expert Advice on Choosing a School

This article was originally printed as part of an education series on MoneyGeek, by Patricia Jean Anderson, with expert advice from Carolyn Sloan Founder & CEO at TeachMe TV®

Teachers are schools' most important assets. Choose carefully. Photo by Drazen Photo.

If parents are moving to a new area and are looking for a public school for their children, what factors should they consider?

Always look at the transportation options when choosing a school. Parents often underestimate the convenience factor in their choices.

Parents should always consider convenience first. Considering the distance, transportation to and from the school is important too, as it relates to cost. Does my child need money for a bus? What will a morning commute be like? Do I need a car to drive my child to school? What's the traffic like in the morning? Don't underestimate the importance of whether your child can eventually walk to school by themselves or within a group.

Driving may not always be practical, or public transportation, if unavailable, could be a major problem if not considered beforehand. In addition to convenience, parents should consider the size of a school (how many students are enrolled) and how that might impact their child. You might ask, "What's the typical class size, and what is the teacher-to-student ratio?" Parents should always visit a school and talk to the principal, if possible, and talk to the parents of students and the students themselves if appropriate.

In middle school and up, parents often forget to look at things like class schedules and how much art or music is offered. What kind of parent organization does the school have? How does the school communicate with parents? What's the educational philosophy of a school? Is it progressive or more traditional? What kinds of after-school programs exist, and how late does after-school continue?

All these questions help inform parents of the total school experience and what it might be like for their child and the entire family. Choosing a school is one of parents' most important choices for their children. It makes sense to take time and conduct thorough research.

What is the most reliable source of information regarding individual public schools?

Always look at the transportation options when choosing a school. Parents often underestimate the convenience factor in their choices.

You can source a lot of information regarding public schools and their performance from websites and local newspapers in your area. However, parents can find the most reliable statistics in terms of attendance, school administration, class size, student demographics and the total number of students attending a particular school through the National Center for Education Statistics.

If you want to drill down into public school performance, you can search a school by district number and borough in New York City. Another great site to search for public and charter school information is publicschoolreview.com. You can search anywhere in the United States within 5 miles of a particular town or city.

Niche.com has information regarding the best Los Angeles school districts. If you live in the middle of the country or the southern states, you can use the same process by searching your district, local schools, reviews, reports and official records online. The best way, however, is to find a school you're interested in, visit it and talk to the administration, teachers and parents.

A live visit, if possible, is always the best way to get a sense of what a school is all about. Most importantly, you'll get a feeling about the school, and knowing your child, you will know right away whether it seems like a good fit.

What advantages does public schooling offer to most families?

Public schools offer a plethora of services to most families, such as free or discounted lunch if you qualify, free additional services such as educational supports like speech therapy, reading support by learning specialists, tutoring in math, after-school programs, free books and a curriculum that's been vetted by administrators and school board officials.

Public schools are our nation's most democratic institutions and strive to give all students an impactful and thorough education. However, depending on where you live, you may find this is not the case, and then you may need to consider alternative options.

If a parent is considering making a move from traditional public schools to an alternative such as a private school, charter school, or homeschooling, what questions should they ask themselves?

When a family considers alternative options to public school, this is a major move and can be an investment of time and energy. To help you decide what is most important in this switch to a charter or private school, first, decide whether you want to have to pay each year for your student’s education. Remember that higher education has reached an all-time high in terms of cost, and be sure you are in it for the long haul.

Prices for private schools range from $15,000 a year to over $60,000. If you have more than one child, this could present a huge investment of resources. If, however, funds are not a concern, then the next step is to visit the school and understand the culture of the school. By that, I mean what’s important to them? Math and science? The arts? How do they communicate with their families? What’s the student-teacher ratio?

If you’re investing a large sum, you would want the student-to-teacher ratio to be somewhere around 10:1 and not any more than that. Small class sizes are one of the benefits of private school, along with individualized attention and a curated curriculum that is rich and varied. Be sure to ask about parent-teacher conferences and what measures are put in place to ensure student progress and accountability.

More arts programming is usually common in private schools, attempting to give students the ‘best of the best’ and a well-rounded education steeped in the humanities, arts and cutting-edge subjects like computer science and physical education. Sports are a big attraction at private schools. Make sure they have facilities for an enhanced sports program, like a track or gymnasium, or if you’re interested in the arts, a theater and/or concert space.

Charter schools are free and often do not have to subscribe to federal or state mandates in terms of curriculum. This attracts parents who want a more curated experience like a private school but who do not want to or cannot spend thousands each year on primary or middle school education. Charter schools are usually smaller and sometimes have a school ‘lottery’ for entry, meaning that your zip code is not the determining factor for attendance but rather a more chance approach for families wanting to attend.

Be sure to check all dates for registration and open meetings for parents so you can learn about the school, its teachers, curriculum, sports and arts facilities, and the other families who attend. Don’t take things for granted and ask questions about the schedule, class size, reading and math methodologies, expectations about homework, and finally, the size of the school and expected enrollment for the next few years.

It's important that a school use local resources to help teach children. Look for schools that take trips to museums, botanic gardens, and local parks.

It would help if you addressed everything you would in a public school, but perhaps be a little pickier since you are selecting this school above another one that you might be automatically zoned for.

If you decide to homeschool your child(ren), you must consider that you will be your children’s primary teacher, classmate and guidance counselor. It’s a big responsibility that requires a lot of forethought. Are you prepared to source material, develop or curate the curriculum? Make sure they’re on or above grade level in reading and math; teach them history and science; and round out their curriculum with arts and/or sports. It’s a tall order.

It's important that a school use local resources to help teach children. Look for schools that take trips to museums, botanic gardens, and local parks

If you are excited about teaching your children at home, you might want to consider where you will source your materials, books and curriculum. Be sure to consult experts, read through research on best practices and monitor your child’s growth from month to month. Parents who love to educate their children at home know their children do have the advantage of individualized instruction, personal freedom and the ability to move as fast or as slowly as they need because everything is tailored to them.

There are many benefits to homeschooling your child, but be sure to weigh the benefits against the requirements of time and the social factor of your child being at home without classmates. If you have a large family and your children are learning alongside their siblings, then this might mitigate loneliness or potential isolation.

There has been a huge upswing in homeschooling lately. In New York City, the percentage of homeschooled children has doubled, and the total number of homeschooled children in the US is approximately 3.7 million. To get an idea of how many students that is, the number of students receiving a public school education is 49 million. The number of children being homeschooled in the US today is almost 10% of the number of children receiving public schooling.

What is the most important thing parents can do to support the education of their children?

The most important thing parents can do to support their children's education is to listen to them, read to them and read with them, pay attention to them, notice what seems difficult for them and get them the services they need. Conversely, notice what seems to be their strength and seek out enrichment activities that help them explore areas of strength. Demonstrate a positive attitude about learning at home.

Honestly, there is no single most important thing you can do to support their education. There are many, but the ones listed above are some of the most powerful ways to set a good example, make your child feel heard, get the support they need when they are struggling and get them the enrichment they need when they are excelling in something. This last point goes unnoticed a lot, and kids then grow weary of school and subjects they're less interested in.

If your child has a keen interest in science, enroll them in afterschool clubs that focus on botany or astronomy. Buy a chemistry set and give it to them as a Christmas or birthday present. Take them to museums, see what they love and do more of that. Visit libraries and pay attention to the books they choose. Don't choose for them. Maybe they can join a chorus or take guitar lessons if they're super into music. Investigate who in your community gives music lessons.

If you're paying attention and listening to your kids, you'll know what they need. Being a responsive parent doesn't mean you are indulging or spoiling them. It means you are noticing who they are and who they are becoming while recognizing their need to be their best. In my experience as a longtime educator and parent, that is the best way to support your child — to recognize them for who they are and give them what they need to succeed in school and beyond.