Back-to-school advice for newcomers
As children in the Houston area head back to school, they will likely see some new faces in the classrooms.
The summertime is generally the most popular time of year for people to relocate to a new city, and Houston has definitely seen a steady stream of new residents in the past couple of months.
Schools are often the driving force behind the decision about which areas, neighborhoods and properties that a family will ultimately choose when looking for a new home. That decision can be especially difficult and daunting in the Houston area, given the many choices available. Whether parents are interested in private or public school options, there is much to understand and decipher, which can make for a very cumbersome process.
Additionally, people who are relocating to Houston generally have a relatively short time period in which to move and get settled into their new community. As such, the need to make a quick decision about where to live and where their children will go to school can add stress to an already stressful situation.
For that reason, many parents choose to enlist the services of an educational consultant who can help them to navigate the confusing and complicated waters of the many Houston area school districts, schools, and the various programs offered.
“There is a ton of information out there, and sorting through it all is absolutely overwhelming,” said Aisha Crumbine, founder of Crumbine Education Consulting here in Houston. “That’s part of the value add in working with someone who knows the Houston landscape, and who knows kids, and knows education well enough to tell people where they should focus their energy.”
Crumbine said it is important to have a clear understanding of the particular needs of a child and what his or her strengths are, and to let those aspects guide the decision about which school might be the best fit.
For parents who are new to the Houston area and are doing their own research about schools, Crumbine suggested that a good starting point is to look for published school ranking lists, such as the one that the local nonprofit Children at Risk releases each year.
In its 2015 list, Children at Risk ranked public schools in the eight-county Houston region, as well as school districts statewide. (For more information, please visit www.childrenatrisk.org).
While the school decision is ultimately a personal one for parents, Crumbine said that she tries to simplify the process by providing parents with the necessary information and resources that can help guide them in the process.
“My job is really to help give parents the language and the tools that they need to make a decision that is as informed as possible on behalf of their kids,” explained Crumbine.
Jackie Rowan is area manager, destination services for CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway company. She specializes in assisting newcomers settle quickly into life in Houston.
Originally from Manchester, England, Rowan has also experienced firsthand the many challenges that a family faces when moving to Houston and trying to understand the various school choices and the enrollment process.
She said that it is extremely important for people to understand which schools are zoned to a particular property when they are looking to buy or lease a home in the Houston area.
“People need to be sure when looking at housing that the property they choose is also zoned to a school that they will be happy for their children to attend. They also need to be careful if they are looking at information on MLS about the schools that a property is zoned to, because the information is not always accurate. So, they need to double check that information before they sign a lease or buy a house,” emphasized Rowan.
She also pointed out that the task of finding a property and understanding the school choices is obviously much easier for families who move to Houston during the summer prior to the start of the new school year; however, the fact remains that people move to Houston year round.
According to Rowan, most Houston area public schools are accustomed to having new students enroll at various times throughout the school year and are generally very accommodating.
“I have found that it helps for people who are moving here at different times of the year to contact the school registrar or principal and just explain their situation,” said Rowan. “The school administrators are usually very welcoming and friendly.”
Rowan added that it helps for people to do a bit of research on the front end of their relocation by visiting the websites of the Houston area school districts, as well as visiting the school search website: www.greatschools.org.
Michelle Sandlin is a writer, journalist and relocation industry expert. She serves on the Board of Houston Relocation Professionals (HRP), and was President of the organization in 2014. Follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMichelleSandlin and on Twitter: @MichelleSandlin. Also visit “On the Move — Exploring Houston Relocation with Michelle Sandlin” at blog.chron. com/onthemove. For questions and comments, email: michelle.sandlin@me.com.