In article ,
"Donna Metler" wrote:

"Sara" wrote in message
...
We're working on a list of possible places to move to. I'm trying to
come up with important specific attributes for Futureville, such as
climate, a nearby university, etc.

One quality we want is "good public schools," but how can they be
judged? We're talking kindergarten, first grade -- things like college
admission stats aren't relevant. Any suggestions?

Visit the schools. You can get a lot on the general climate just by seeing
and observing. Things I'd look for:

1) Programs like art, music and PE classes (often the first things cut in
budget crisis)
2) Do the schools have playgrounds?
3) Homework policy (if any)
4) Gifted programs
5) Class size
6) Electives at the elementary level-clubs and after school groups.
7) District or school-wide discipline policy
8) The school library-if a school doesn't have a librarian, this is a very
good indicator that there isn't much student-directed learning going on, or
much free reading, either.
9) PTA/PTO

Great list! I would add how long teachers tend to stay at the school
compared to others, if you can get that information. And even though
you are looking at elementary school, if you look at the middle school
and high school programs into which they feed, the quality of things
like THEIR music and art programs will tend to reflect on the quality of
those programs going into middle school and high school, so if those
things matter to you, take a look at them.


One thing I wouldn't be terribly concerned about is standardized test
scores-it is very easy for a school to be doing a great job and be labeled
"failing"-and for a school to have great scores, but at too high of a cost
for a kindergartener.


--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle


--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care