GreatSchools: The Parents' Guide to K-12 Success

Choosing a School: An Overview

To simplify the school choice process, you'll need to learn what to consider and how to evaluate your options.

By GreatSchools Staff

Read a related article in Spanish >
Whether you are choosing a school for the first time for your child or your child is making the transition to a new school, you probably have many questions. What are your options? How much choice do you really have? What's the best option for your child and your family? Where should you begin?
School choice options available to parents have increased dramatically in recent years. There's a growing national sentiment that promoting competition in public education may spur schools to improve and that parents who invest energy in choosing a school will continue to be involved in their child's education.
Where to Begin Think about your child's needs and your family's needs. Consider the personality of your child. A quiet child might fare better in a smaller school or a school with small class size. If you have a budding musician or scientist, you'll want to look for a school that has programs in these areas. Is it important to you that your school be close to home or your place of work? Or will you need a school with before and after-school care? Check out the following articles for ideas on what to consider:
Choosing a School: Considering Family Needs and Values
Choosing a School: Considering Your Child's Needs
What Are Your Options? Your Neighborhood School Generally, your first option is your neighborhood school. Each public school district sets up its own rules and boundaries for each school in the district, so it is best to check with your local district to find out which school your child will be assigned to, and what the rules are for attending charter schools, magnet schools, or other schools within or outside your local district.
Charter Schools One of the most significant changes in public education in recent years has been the growth of the charter school movement. However, in Washington, although charter schools have been brought to the ballot on several occasions, the citizens have voted against them. Thus, charter schools are not an option in Washington. In other states, Charter schools are public schools that are liberated from some of the traditional school regulations required by the state. These schools are bound by charter agreements granted by local school boards. If they don't meet the requirements of their charter, they can be shut down. Charter school enrollment is voluntary and is not governed by neighborhood boundaries, which means your child can choose to attend any charter school within your district, or outside your district, so long as there is space available. Schools that are in high demand usually have a lottery to determine who will be eligible to attend.
School Transfers School districts generally set their own policies for intradistrict transfers (from one school in the district to another) and interdistrict transfers (to a school outside the district). Preferences are often given to children whose child care provider is near a particular school, or whose parents work in the city where the school is located. Most school districts have an appeals process if your request is denied. Space limitations often make transfers difficult, and each district's process has its own regulations, so be sure to check with your local district for specific requirements.
Minnesota has an Open Enrollment program whereby any child can enroll in any public school provided certain deadlines are met. All districts are required to open a certain percentage of seats for open enrollment.
Magnet Schools Magnet schools are another option offered by many school districts. Magnet schools generally have a particular focus, such as art or technology, or follow a different structural organization, such as mixing different grade levels within one classroom, or operating on a year-round schedule. Magnet schools are not governed by neighborhood boundaries; they draw students from throughout the school district and must accept students on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Alternative Schools These are generally schools whose educational philosophies are different from traditional programs. Typically, alternative schools have small classes, a social and emotional development curriculum, and a self-paced academic curriculum. This title is used officially as well as informally to describe a wide range of schools, so it's important to ask specific schools why they are classified as "alternative."
Private Schools Private schools are schools that do not receive funding from the state. They set up their own criteria for admission. Families of the students pay tuition or, in some cases, students receive scholarships to attend. The teachers, principal, board of directors (and sometimes the parents and students) decide upon curriculum, teaching methodology and enrollment requirements. Private schools are not required to hire credentialed teachers. More
Homeschooling Another option is for parents to teach their children at home instead of sending them to a public or private school. Each state has different laws governing homeschooling. Many communities have organizations that assist homeschooling families with curriculum and opportunities to meet other homeschoolers. More
How Much Choice Do You Really Have? It depends. The amount of choice varies from one school district to another, and varies from state to state. In most instances, it depends on supply and demand, and schools that are well regarded are generally in high demand. So if you are hoping to transfer your child to a popular school outside your home district, or a popular charter or magnet school, you may find it difficult.
Always check with your local district to learn the rules, and once you have applied for a transfer, keep checking on the status of your application. In some districts, spots will open up at the last minute, or once the school year has begun, so it's a good idea to keep checking back with the school.
Narrowing the Field Once you have considered your options, you can check the school's stats on GreatSchools.net. You'll find school profiles for virtually every public school with information on test scores, teacher-student ratios and ethnic makeup. You can compare schools based on these stats using the Compare Schools tool.
Check to see if the school has Parent Reviews posted. Parent Reviews tell the story of the school behind the numbers -- the quality of the teachers, level of parent involvement, principal's leadership and extracurricular activities.
In Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, GreatSchools has even more information, including lists of top-rated schools, individual school ratings based on test scores and teacher-student data and yellow flag alerts about areas of concern.
The School Visit No amount of reading or research about a school can tell you as much as you'll learn by actually visiting the campus. Even a short visit, when you know what to look for and what questions to ask, will guide you in making the right decision. For help on planning your visit, what to look for and what questions to ask, check:
The School Visit: Things to Look For, Questions to Ask
Applications and Enrollment When you've made your choice, the next step is to find out what's required to enroll. Most public schools will require proof of your address and your child's health and immunization record. Check with your local district to find out the specific paperwork required, and the application deadlines.
Check well in advance of the school year, too. Even if you have chosen your neighborhood school, you'll want to be sure to secure your spot. In some districts, if there isn't room at your neighborhood school, the district can send you to a "host" school, which may not be in your immediate neighborhood.
Get Involved Your role is just beginning once you have chosen a school for your child. By staying involved you can be an advocate for your child's education, and the education of all children at the school.
Updated April 2008
More on GreatSchools.net
Related Links
Books
  • Hassel, Bryan C. and Emily Ayscue , Picky Parent Guide: The Elementary Years (K-6); Choose Your Child's School With Confidence, Armchair Press, 2004
  • Bennett, William J; Finn, Chester E. and Cribb, John T.,The Educated Child: A Parent's Guide from Preschool through Eighth Grade, Simon & Schuster, 1999

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Comments From GreatSchools.net Users

05/6/2008:
"What is the difference between 'honor of excellence' and schol of distinct'. Which one is better?"


05/5/2008:
"My daughter is a Thai student meaning international student. She is studying at grade 6 of school in Thailand. Now my family wants to move her to study in the US. How do international students apply one of private or public schools in the US.Thanks'"


03/25/2008:
"The article is very helpful for first timer preparing to send children to school. I wanted to know where should we enquire about which school we belong to as there are 3 different schools within a mile range. Thanks,"


03/18/2008:
"My brother is a Vietnamse student meaning international student. He is studying at grade 10 of high school in Vietnam. Now my family wants to move him to the US to study. Can we choose a public school or private school. I know that public schools have no tuition fees because they belong to state, government (the parents pay taxes that meaning they have paid fees for their child). How do international students do to apply one of schools in the US.Thanks"


02/25/2008:
"we live in an area that only has one school in the district to choose from. the schools for all grades are not rated over a 2 and the enviroment is worse. we cannot move because of caring for an elderly relative and would like to know what we can do. thank you. lisa"


10/17/2007:
"You didn't even mention the before and after child care, I need this kind of information for a multi-handicapped child. Are there caregivers and places for these children before and after school?"


08/21/2007:
"I live in a town that has the worse middle school ever. How do I get my son out of this school district without uprooting my whole family ? I am truely scared.I also have no money for private school and there are no catholic schools in the area. Please help me. Thanks Jese"


10/2/2006:
"I think one of the most important aspects of choosing a school is missing here - how many registered sex offenders live near and HOW near they live to the school. As a concerned citizen, I called Sugar Mill Montessori in Sugar Land, Texas and was surprised to hear that the director didn't care to inform the parents that a registered sex offender (for indecency with two children) lived half a mile from them. Her response was that 'it is public information and I don't care to talk to you about this' and she hung up. If this is how private schools treat the care of your children (on a buyer beware theory) then parents should really take note and look into the safety of their children... and more importantly, how the school weighs the safety of the children!"


05/25/2005:
"Very few charter schools in Michigan are chartered by an agreement with a local school district. Most charter schools are 'charterd' by a community college or a university. Central Michigan University holds the majority of the charters and has the best program, though not flawless, for working with and supporting the charter schools in their improvement efforts."


05/23/2005:
"I loved this article. It has helped me a lot. I have a 2 and 4 year old. This means that my son has to start going to pre-k, and i am in the process of moving to raleigh north carolina. I am currently living in New york city and do not know much about raleigh and its schools. It has helped me a lot in finding out about the schools in raleigh."


02/9/2005:
"Northern Suburbs of Illinois 2/9/05: I would like to know more about the guidelines/rules concerning out of district transfers to schools in other districts in the northern suburbs of Illinois. I am also interested in finding out if it is possible for a student residing in the northern suburb can attend a Chicago Public School in the city. Here's my situation: My daughter is African-American she has attended predominantly white schools in the northern suburb where we reside throughout her academic career. She is now in 8th grade. My daughter could be described as your typical average kid, good grades, outgoing, participates in sports and other extra-curricular activities. Up until middle school there was little to no incidence of racism. As African-americans living in a predominantly White suburb my husband and I knew at some point our daughter would be expose to the ugliness of racism. Over the years we have had many age appropriate discussions about racism, watched movies, read books together etc. She knows that some people would be mean to her simply because of the color of her skin. Of course one, especially a child can never be prepare enough to handle the ugliness of racism but we tried the best we could. When the summer of 2004 ended and school began, our daughter started to complain about being called derogatory na! mes on the school bus and at school. What was most perplexing and difficult for her was that the name calling came from peers and friends who she knew and they knew her. Friends who she grew up with, went to school over the years with,lived in her neighborhood, who she played with, their parents knew her parents, shared carpooling, these same kids who she had shared summer camp experiences, bike rides, b-days and sleepover parties with on the years. These same peers acted like she didn't exist when she began middle school. They called her ugliness names, made negative comments about the size of her lips, butt and nose. I won't mention the other racist remarks it hurts to write them and even more to see how they have affected my daughter. We've complained to the principal and teachers to know avail. The school response is a talk with the student. The name calling stops for a while and then starts up again. Our daughter knows that she is beautiful and beauty is the w! hole package what's inside and out however, repeated attacks o! n her lo oks and nasty remarks about her race has taken it's toll on her. Our normally, outgoing, friendly, caring daughter has become withdrawn. With little to know recourse or support from the school we've had to watch all this unfold. She believes as we do that going to a school with a more diverse group of students would be better. I've research several school demographics the area and although many are still predominantly white a few have a highter portion of African-american students and students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. I would like to know more about the schools demographic make-up in my area without broadcasting our situation. We certainly do not think that this is 'the' solution to the problem, we know that racism is deeply ingrained in our society, however, we believe that being around more students that look like her or are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds would provide for her a support base at school. We also know that there are not many ethnically divers! e schools in the northern suburbs. With that said we need some assistance in our search. If anyone could assist us with this issue by providing us with other options (must be a public school) or suggestions for our school research it would be greatly appreciated. I've exhausted my search on the internet. I know that there has to be more options out there available for our specific situation, please advise anyone. To those of you who are thinking, 'just move'! Well that was plan 'A', however, at this time that is not an option for us due to personal and financial constraints. We would like to hear from any of you with advise or guidance to give."


01/4/2005:
"My daughter is in a pre-k program in West Virginia. Our coordinator to address her IEP for special needs has changed 3 times in less than a year, and to say the least none of the 3 have knowledge of IDEA and it's impact for services of students with special needs. These coordinators have been special education teachers who have been 'promoted' and often are overbearing with opinions of what is best for my daughter. I am of a firm belief that MOST parents know what is in the best interest of their children, however, the educational system seems to lack the ability to understand this. These coordinators often try to tell us that even though she is eligible for specialized services such as speech therapy that is not offered in our school of residence, that they do not have to transport her to the nearest school (same district), that does offer the services to meet her needs. My child has two strong advocates whereas many children do not. My child has two parents who are n! ot in the least intimidated by the educational system. What happens to the many children who do not have this voice to speak out for them. The system has lied to us about services they can provide and its not until I force them to show me the law that states they cannot provide a service, that they then backdown and provide the service. How tragic that the educated people who want more and more from the taxpayers, and now do not want to provide services or be accountable for their work and actions. Maybe we do need to rethink our public school systems entirely and start over."


09/16/2004:
"This is a very informative article! Every question that I had was answered in detail. This article has given me more information than I could have ask for. Thanks Sincerely, "


08/16/2004:
"I am dealing with a major delimna in choosing a school for my 4 yr old. My baby has been in an early learning center where the teachers were great. Now, she needs to go on to pre-k and I can't find a teacher in my neighborhood who will work with her (she is testing on a -K- level. Why don't public schools have a plan for advanced kids? Also, why is the school system here segregated? Children are kept in their neighborhood schools from pre-k through 12th grade!! Children are being 'zoned' into the same bad neighborhoods forever!! This is a horrible thing to happen to good kids in bad neighborhoods! "


08/14/2004:
"We live in a small community where there is only one school per district. We are residents of one community, which we are closer to and belong in a farther communities school district. The schools around here basically say there are no options you are in the school district you are in and that is that. It has been very frustrating. The school district we are closer to will not allow us to switch taxes with someone in the farther district because they say it creates too many legal problems. I don't understand how these district lines were drawn up and why a school would not allow a student to go to their school. I think all schools should be open enrollment or someone needs to re-evaluate how these district lines were drawn. How can you be a resident of one community getting cheaper pool passes and such and not be in that same school district, especially when it is closer? I don't see many options but to move, which won't be an option for us for a couple! of years.THanks for letting me vent. "


07/9/2004:
"I found this article by linking through the website of a Realtor in the Chicago area. Unfortunately, here in Illinois the education unions have managed to strangle the development of charter schools except in the city. Do you want to find a Core Knowledge school for your child? There are NONE in the suburbs (not even close!) but there are four CK charters in Chicago. How 'bout a classical school? Nope, none in the suburbs. OK, how about a school that emphasizes Direct Instruction and traditional math? You're not going to find anything like that in the 'burbs either! Other states, notably Colorado, Michigan, Arizona, and others, are *WAY* ahead of Illinois in providing the kinds of options parents want through the free-market innovation encouraged by charters. Hey, Realtors, how about taking a stand for educational choice in Illinois? Put your weight behind legislation to free the logjam! "


06/24/2004:
"In response to MD: The fact that a child's parents are finically well off should not be the determining factor in the quality of education a child receives. This model only perpetuates a cycle of poverty and reinforces a child's feeling that there is no way out. If we don't support a quality education for all children now, these children will be the ones who end up in trouble later. These will be the children who end up teenage mothers in trouble with the law and possibly jail. Would you rather pay for an equal education for all children or for housing them in juvenile detention and paying welfare benefits later? We will all pay one way or the other. It is just a matter of when. Perhaps if the education was excellent in all public schools, we would see a decline in many social problems. Education is the key to success in a democratic society. Currently our tax dollars are not used exclusively within the 2-5 mile area surrounding our homes. Why do you support this in the case of funding public education? All children attending a public school should receive a quality education. If parents desire something above and beyond that is what private schools are for or perhaps home schooling would be an option for your family. Just as an aside, I live in a good school district and have a well paying job. Even so I realize the absolute necessity of a quality public education. "


06/24/2004:
"Supplement public school with ' KUMON' It is awesome! My son is in 3rd grade and has already mastered fractions. Check it out online..... "


06/7/2004:
"Okay, my entry is going to be a bit long because I have two points to make. First, just a little bit of advice for the parents... do some research on your child's school before sending him/her there. For the person that didn't like Stanford Montessori, guess what...that's how all Montessori schools are. Allowing the children to be self-directed and self-disciplined is the makeup of the entire program. Doing some research on Montesorri Schools probably would have prevented you from enrolling your child in a school that you did not like. So, please parents...do some research on the schools academic program first. Second, for all of you that will only send your child to private school, or put down public schools, I am disappointed. Today, we as parents feel that our children's education is solely the responsibility of the schools. Hello...where do we come in?? We are responsible too. Public schools get such a bad rep because we run from the public schools to private schools. We need to stick with the public schools and support them. We need to do whatever we can to help improve the school system/district that our child is enrolled in. Ofcourse there are some exceptions. For example, I am fortunate enough to have a Montessori school as a public school here in my district. If they were not offered, I would have enrolled my son in private school. Not because I felt private schools would are better, but because I perfer that particular program. If we all gave public schools the support that they need, we notion that 'Private schools are better' would be null and void. "


06/4/2004:
"I'm all for school choice, but let's not let choice stop at what the student wears to school that day. Public schools, especially elementary schools, need to allow parents to be parents and not force youngsters to look like they're headed to prison or the military. "


04/1/2004:
"If you want to go to a good school district, you need to live/buy property in that district and pay the real estate taxes!! Why do you think it should be fair for you to transfer into that district when the tax rate (and following dollars) for you are so much less than what people in that district pay on their homes in order to support those schools? With all districts experiencing overcrowding, why should you reap the benefit and not support the expense of running these great schools? You get what you pay for; people get great schools because they pay high taxes in those townships. "


03/15/2004:
"My family is looking to move to another state. Our driving factor is less than desirable public school systems in our area. All the best rated schools belong to high income residential areas and there are'nt even many on those. When looking for schools in a new state I am finding it very hard to find a superior school system for all three levels of learning. (Elementary, Middle and High) I am counting on interdistrict transfers to resolve my problem. My children are currently enrolled in Catholic School but they have trouble with reading and desperately need the additional resourses available only to public schools. I strongly believe that it should be mandated for all schools to have the same resources available for educating our children and that if these resourses are not in place that these schools should not be in the business of teaching. I have found it very frustrating for me as a parent to try and choose between additional help for my children or a! safe and secure learning enviornment. Parents need more choices so that all schools will then be forced to maintain a higher standard in these areas or risk the threat of being closed down! "


03/5/2004:
"Guarunteed if you are attending a public school you will be told time and time again that it is just as good as the private school down the street. However, I am now in my senior year of high school and have had the experience of 10 years in private school and now 4 in public and the differences are extrodinary. When I have to fight to get into an accelerated class because I'm new or for a spot at an Ivy League univeristy when my friends down the road are admitted no questions asked it makes me question the restrictions we put on public schools. If you are choosing between private and public schooling I will hands down vote for the private option. If money is an issue there are a lot of funds available for those who need it, just ask. For my 4 years of high school I've lived off the knowledge I gathered in private middle school. I can only imagine where I would be had I attended a private high school. "


07/30/2003:
"A few years back a daughter of mine was placed in 'Chapter 1' a class for slower readers in her school. She worked very hard and we requested her to be retested. Her profiecency level had increased and her reading was up to her grade level. We were so proud of her. Yet her teacher insisted she would keep our daughter in chapter 1. We decided to pull her from this school and enrolled her in an accelerated private school. She was now learning and achieving 2 grade levels higher than before. She graduated this year one of the top in her class, varsity cheerleader and accepted in a prestigious collage. If it wasn't for us not listening to what her teacher said years ago she would still be labeled 'behind'. I reccommend to any parents who are frustrated with the public school system to save their chid before it is to late. There are many different programs that each state offers for private school assistance such as Children First America. Greatschools.net I would like to see more private schools listed in your database. You claim to provide the best in education excellance yet only the low scoring public schools were listed in Utah's school search. "


07/14/2003:
"From Tennessee 07/14/03: My daughter is transferring here from Alabama. I live in a failing district (tests scores well below the national average.) I want a better education for my her. i don't know what to do. I called around to other schools within the Davidson County district but everyone stated that they are at full capacity and will not except transfers. My daughter met some students this past month from that school and they frightened her. Not only is she apprehensive about the move but she is also worried about school. I cannot afford a private school for her. Can anyone give me suggestions or help me? "