Question: We are moving across country and will soon be looking for a new place to live. Naturally, finding a good school district will play a big role in our decision, as we have three children in elementary school. Do you have any suggestions for ways to learn more about schools in districts that the realtors suggest to us? - Searching
Answer: It is getting very easy to find out how schools perform academically. Most State Departments of Education have this information on their websites. In addition, some states have even rated all their schools. Plus, a school or its district office will have accurate information on test scores and student-teacher ratios.
Furthermore, there are absolutely loads of websites for major cities that compare schools by such things as test scores, school environment, student-teacher ratio and much more. One caution: Some sites that compare schools are based more on opinions rather than facts. Another possibility is talking to parents in school districts in the immediate area where you are considering buying a home. Do try to talk to several parents to get a range of opinions.
Finally, there is no substitute for visiting a school before making a final decision on where you want to live. At a minimum, you will want to do the following things:
- Observe the outside area around the school to see if it is in good order.
- Take a quick look at the halls and bathrooms.
- Note how the students behave between classes. Are they orderly?
- How are individual classrooms decorated?
- See as much as you can about how students are interacting with each other and teachers and administrators.