Finding a Good School
for Your Kids
If you have a family, one of the primary concerns for you
when you move within South Florida is education. You want
to find schools that are safe for your children to attend
and will help develop their skills that they will need later
in life. So how do you find a school that best fits your
needs?
First, start with word of mouth. Asking parents that live
in the area is a great beginning. Most parents know about
area schools and can tell you the pros and cons of various
schools and districts.
Second, when considering a specific school, you can utilize
the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to get more details
about the individualized attention within a school and the
mix of students attending.
Third, look up news stories online. A cursory examination
online for references to a specific school will quickly
show if any red flags are raised, such as drugs or violence.
Likewise, such a search will accentuate positive aspects,
such as awards and recognition.
Fourth, ask your realtor. They deal with this question all
the time. While they may be motivated to get you to buy,
there isn't an incentive to push one neighborhood as opposed
to another.
|
|
Finding a Good School
(cont'd)
Lastly, actually go to the schools. Most schools will accommodate
prospective students' parents and show them around. Ask
pertinent questions and show an interest. Administration
is most likely to be cooperative to parents who take an
active role in their children.
Good questions include the student/teacher ratio, are there
special facilities, are there advanced programs/remedial
programs, what extra-curricular programs are there and what
emphasis is placed on them, what curriculum is offered and
what is the reading list, what is the primary language of
most students, how much support is provided by the school
district and how well maintained is the equipment, and if
they could change one thing, what would it be?
These questions (and more) will help you get a real sense
for the school and the educational possibilities.
Links to School Districts:
Broward
County Public Schools
Miami-Dade
County Public Schools
Palm
Beach County Public Schools
Flagler
County Public Schools
Monroe
County Public Schools
|
