Sending Your Child to a Great School

All parents are invested in finding the best school for their children, since a good education will unlock a child’s future success in all sorts of ways. This means that when a child becomes old enough for preschool or elementary school, or when the family moves to a new city or county, it is time to look up the best day schools in the area online. Doing this can show the parents all of their options, ranging from the best preschools (including private preschools) to the top rated elementary, middle, and high schools. Around 25% of all American schools are private ones, and the advantages of private schools are many. Still, a highly rated public school may be nearly as good in some cases. So, what are those advantages of private schools, and how can parents find them? What should a proper school offer for a new student?

Finding Preschools

Preschool and other pre-K programs are not mandatory for American children, but attending them can prepare a child for elementary school in all sorts of ways. After all, a preschool isn’t just a day care center; it is a dedicated academic zone where young students learn how to learn and get used to following teacher directions. The enrollment rate of preschools has been rising since the early 1990s, and as of 2015, 87% of American children aged five were enrolled in pre-K programs of some sort. Any child aged three to five may be enrolled in preschool.

A private preschool offers some advantages of private schools, such as access to expert teachers and staff, and well funded extracurricular activities or programs. Private preschools are privately funded (hence the name) and charge tuition, but the advantages of private schools may appeal greatly to parents who can afford this option. Otherwise, the parents can look carefully to find a well funded public preschool that’s nearly as good in most regards.

Finding a good preschool means looking online, if the parents don’t already have a personal reference to use. Specific keywords and names should be used, such as the city or town’s name, the parents’ ZIP code, and the type of school desired. For example, “best public preschools in boston” or “top rated private preschools miami” to find a list of relevant results. The parents can strike out unappealing options, such as low-rated schools or those that are too far away, and compile a list of prime candidate preschools.

Now it is time to tour those preschools in person, and the whole family can get a fair impression of what each school is like once they visit. While there, the parents can consult the staff to review each teacher’s credentials and the school’s level of funding. Parents can also look for schools that have special education programs of particular educational options, such as for children with distinct physical or mental disabilities. Meanwhile, the parents should also double check to ensure that their child feels comfortable at a particular preschool, and this is a useful reference. A number of schools can be toured this way (and some more than once) until the parents choose one and enroll their child there.

Elementary Through High School

A similar process can be used to find elementary, middle, and high schools as well, using the Internet to find the most promising schools and then touring them in person. K-12 schools can also be either public or private, and the advantages of private schools range from generously funded educational and club programs to expert teachers to robust counseling services. Private high schools offer a lot of college counseling prep for the students, which is one reason why over 90% of private high school grads go on to college. If the parents are looking for a public school instead, they will have more options, though public schools vary more widely in funding and quality. A thorough search should be done to find the best schools.

During this search, the child’s own input is useful, since he or she may want a school with particular clubs or activities or programs, anything from a soccer team to an arts program to a marching band or a math club. And adolescents can consult a school’s staff directly, just like their parents, for more information.