A good education is the key to any child’s future success, and this means that when a child is ready for school, their parents will work hard to find the best day schools for them to attend. The best private schools may appeal greatly to families who can afford the tuition, and highly rated public day schools may be appealing, too. There are some distinct advantages of attending private schools, and a top rated public school may be nearly as good in some cases. Overall, what should parents know about finding the right day schools for their child? First-time parents may be nervous, but there is a clear and intuitive process to follow, and the best schools around will soon be apparent.
Finding Preschools
Attending preschool is not required for American children, but more parents than ever are enrolling their three- to five-year-old children in pre-K programs all the same. From 1990 to 2000 in particular, the attendance rate of preschools grew rapidly, and today, over half of all children aged three to five are attending day schools like these. A preschool is more than a day care center; it is a dedicated academic site where young students will learn how to learn, get used to following a teacher’s directions, and meet their peers. This can prepare them for elementary school and beyond.
When the family moves to a new city or county, or if this is the first time the parents are looking for day schools, an online search can be very helpful. To begin with, the parents should specify their home city or town’s name, and their ZIP code in the case of larger urban areas (Miami, San Diego, etc). The parents may also specify whether they are looking for public or private preschools, and they can enter a phrase such as “best” or “top rated” either way. A search might look like “best private preschools in Miami,” for example. Doing this will bring up a list of results, and parents can choose the most promising and appropriate schools from among them.
Now, the family will tour those promising preschools in person, to get a better impression of what each one is like. While there, the parents can meet and consult the staff, to review the credentials of each teacher working there and look into the school’s level of funding. The parents can also check what sort of educational and entertainment programs the preschool offers for students, from simple art programs to a safe indoor or outdoor play area to a library of age- appropriate books. And of course, the parents should double check that their child feels comfortable there and gets along with the staff. If so, that school may be a good fit for them. The family may tour a number of preschool this way (and visit some more than once) until they determine which school is best for them, then enroll their child there.
Other Schools
It is certainly required for American children to attend elementary, middle, and high school, to complete their K-12 education. To find schools like these, parents can follow a similar process above to find day schools, such as finding the top public elementary schools around or hunt down ideal private high schools in the area. As with a preschool search, the family should tour the most promising schools in person and look them over, and consult the staff working there. The prospective student can explain what sort of features they want a school to have, such as a swim team, dedicated arts or debate program, a football team or soccer team, and the like. Also, the prospective student may later tell their parents why they did or did not like a particular school, and this is a helpful reference.
Private schools are privately funded and run, hence the name, and unlike public ones, they charge tuition every year. In exchange, these schools are well funded and offer expert staff, allowing students to get a top tier education. Private high schools also offer plenty of college counseling for students. Still, a highly rated public school may be nearly as good in some cases, and parents can seek them out.