council and clubs for special interests like music , drama , and chess ? Make sure you ask about any activities with which your child is particularly interested .
• How does the school communicate with parents ? Ask for a schedule of events and plan to attend the first meeting .
• How many applicants are typically received for how many open seats ? The higher the ratio , the more competitive enrollment will be at that school .
• What is their application policy ? What selection criteria do they use ?
• To which colleges were last year ’ s graduates accepted ?
• What is their student attrition like ? This should give you a good idea of how happy other families were with this school .
• What about faculty turnover ? 10-20 % turnover will occur in most schools due to retirements and folks moving on . But telltale signs of potential problems would be a high rate of turnover ( 40 % or higher ).
Look for schools policies regarding students :
• How are students graded ?
• What is the class-size ? Smaller class-size is best .
• Is the library / media center well equipped and organized ? Can children regularly check out books and use the center ’ s resources ?
• What is their teaching methodology ? Do teachers work by themselves with students in small groups or do they work in teams to teach larger groups .
• How does this school encourage and monitor students ’ progress toward meeting academic standards ? How does this school use technology to support teaching and learning ?
• How does this school support students with academic , social or emotional difficulties ?
• What is this school ’ s policy for students who speak English as a second language ? What strategies do they use to teach students who are not fluent in English ?
Examine the school ’ s achievements :
• What professional development opportunities do teachers have ? In what ways do teachers collaborate ?
• What are some of the school ’ s greatest accomplishments ?
• What are some of the biggest challenges this school faces ?
Examining elementary schools :
• How does the school determine student placement in classes ?
• How does this school inform parents of school information and activities ?
• Is there an active Parent Teacher Association ( PTA ) or similar entity ?
• Is childcare available before or after school ?
Examining middle schools :
• How does the school guide and prepare students for academic decisions that define their options in high school and beyond ?
• Are foreign language classes ( French , Spanish , etc .) offered to students ?
Examining high schools :
• Does it have a particular academic focus , such as science or humanities ?
• Does it have any school-to-work programs or specialized academics ?
• How much does the school emphasize college preparation ?
• Does it have a good selection of Advanced Placement classes ?
• What percentage of students takes the SAT or ACT ? What is the average SAT or ACT scores of students there ?
• Where do students go after they gradu-
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