MAKE CHOICES
Pick schools with care.
To ensure a child is on the path to future success past the K-12 level, one of the most important decisions parents make is making the right school choices now.
It will help them get into a reputable college or university, or manage a successful career further down the line in life.
However, the decision is not easy. Parents must evaluate options carefully, weigh their priorities and choose a school that enables their child to thrive.
Before researching schools, know what questions to ask, such as: • Is the student-teacher ratio
reasonable? • Do you agree with school policies? • What are the teachers and staff like,
and what are their qualifications? • Does the school offer a supportive
environment with good resources? • What extracurricular activities are
offered? If a child has special needs, also determine if a school has teachers or staff trained to work with them — whether the school has the necessary services and resources to help your child. Questions should lead to answers that help determine whether your priorities and a school’s are aligned.
Derrick Alexander, a married father of two school-aged children who attend schools in the Conroe Independent School District, said he and his wife carefully combed through and evaluated many individual schools and school districts to determine which had the best passing rates for testing — a detail that was important to them. However, they also prioritized diversity when choosing a school.
“We looked at the cultural make-up of the school as well. (My wife) Heather and I went to a very diverse high school in the Aldine school district, and it was a very positive experience.” he said. “We thought it was important to expose our children to kids from different backgrounds, ethnicities and even religions.
“We are happy with the school we chose. I think they are in a great environment where they can learn and thrive.”
Parents have a wide range of resources at their disposal to access the answers to questions. Dayna Owen, director of communications at Friendswood ISD, said parents typically research district websites or may look at the Texas Education Agency’s website, tea.texas.gov, to compare schools in a particular area. “We also recommend setting up an appointment to go and look at the school you are interested in. It is important to walk through a campus to see and feel the culture of a school — see how it runs,” Owen said. “Also, talk to parents and community
members who have children attending the schools.”
Private institutions
While a majority of students attend public schools, sometimes the best fit for a child is a private school. Private schools charge tuition, which helps them generate funding. They also may require an application, and the admission process can be a difficult one, depending on the school.
However, parents who choose the private school route are willing to master these hurdles so their children benefit from what private schools offer.
Private schools typically have smaller class sizes, along with lower teacher-student ratios, which allow children to receive more individualized attention.
“Our smaller classroom size allows teachers to observe, acknowledge and guide each child’s level of progress,” said Donna Boase, owner and director of The Woods Private School in Houston.
A vast majority of private schools also have religious affiliations, which may be a priority to some parents who desire these teachings to be a part of what molds their child’s education, outlook and awareness.
“Parents want their children to be in a school where the values they teach their children at home are emphasized. In (Christ the Redeemer Catholic School’s) case, parents choose a Catholic education not just for our excellent education, but most of all for our Catholic identity that permeates everything we do,” said Bridget Hardy, director of communications at Christ the Redeemer Catholic School.
Hardy said parents should look at programming offered at private schools, such as how instruction is differentiated in the classroom to meet the needs of all learners.
“They should ask to see the school’s strategic plan; this will stress the vision and goals of the school. Parents have varying viewpoints of what they envision for their child’s education. More than anything, they need to make sure that their vision closely matches the school’s vision,” she said.