Guide to Choosing the Right School for Your Child
byConnections Academy
6 min to read
Selecting a school for your child comes with a lot of consideration for not only your child’s needs, but for the needs of your family, as well.
For example, how involved do you want to be in your child’s education and the school’s community? What type of school can accommodate your schedule? What kind of relationship do you want with your student’s school or teacher? Would your child benefit from accelerated instruction or do they need extra support?
Knowing the answers to these simple questions can help determine which of these schools you select:
Traditional public school
Charter school
Private/independent school
Magnet school
Homeschool
Online Public/private school
While learning how to choose a school for your child, begin by exploring what each school has to offer.
What Types of K –12 Schools are There?
Online Public School
Online public schools offer virtual programs that are designed to allow students to learn from home. At online schools like Connections Academy® , students learn from an accredited curriculum under the guidance of instructors, with support from their parents as Learning Coaches.
In-Person Public School
Traditional, brick-and-mortar public schools are tuition-free learning institutions that divide instruction into grade levels typically based on a child’s age and academic abilities. The curriculum is overseen by school districts and need to meet state standards, which include licensing requirements for teachers, policy and government, which are decided at the state and local levels. At these schools, students participate in in-person instruction with their teachers and peers. Class size, extracurricular offerings, and more vary by location.
Charter School
Charter schools are similar to traditional brick-and-mortar public schools but are not a part of a specific school district. Like public schools, charter schools do not charge tuition. However, enrolling your child often requires a separate application, as space is often limited. Charter schools offer advanced or unique education opportunities for students, whether that be the arts or college prep, and they are funded by the government but can be opened by any company, organization, or individual.
Private/Independent School
Private schools are not funded by the government, and therefore have the freedom to develop their own curriculum. These schools may be operated by for-profit businesses, private foundations, religious organizations, and more, which typically determine the type of environment or philosophy the school focuses on. Private schools typically charge tuition, though many also offer scholarships. They can be either online or brick-and-mortar.
Magnet School
Magnet schools specialize in specific areas, such as technology, science, or the arts. Many magnet schools admit students based on their achievements and can therefore be highly selective and competitive, while others enroll students based on a lottery system. Magnet schools can be a great option for students who have an established passion in a specific area and want to explore their interests more in-depth.
Homeschool
Homeschooling is when students are primarily educated by their parents or guardians at home or in a community learning pod. Many homeschooled students follow a set curriculum and may take part in clubs, groups, and co-ops to receive a well-rounded education.
Now that we’ve identified your choices, let’s dive into the similarities and differences of each.
How Much is School?
When choosing a school, several factors can impact your decision—one of the most important being cost. While traditional, charter, and public online schools are typically tuition-free, private school parents are accustomed to spending thousands of dollars on education.
One of the primary reasons parents may choose a private school is better college or career preparation. Students at private schools may experience a more student-focused learning environment, rigorous coursework, and individualized attention on a day-to-day basis.
But before deciding to send your child to a private school, it’s critical to consider everything associated with this type of education. What are the uniform costs? How much are books and supplies? Research is important, so learning more about the financial details of private school can help inform what option is best for your student. Charter schools can also offer many of the same benefits to students as private schools but are typically tuition-free.
With public online schools, homeschool, and in-person schools, parents pay little to nothing, which could be a major deciding factor when figuring out how to choose the right school for your child. While families still incur costs for school supplies, field trips and extracurricular activities, all these options are more budget-friendly than private-school options.
How Important is Location When Selecting a School?
Your location has a huge influence on the educational options available to your student. In most cases, students will go to school based on the district they live in. So, if you prefer a simple and easy commute for your student and yourself, an in-person school in your neighborhood might be a good option.
Private and charter schools, however, may not be in your neighborhood, so you’ll need to consider if the travel distance is feasible for your family. If the commute is over 30 minutes, for example, not only does that lengthen your day, but it could also potentially cut into your student’s homework time and significantly impact their overall well-being.
On the other hand, online school and homeschool students don’t have to worry about transportation. Instead, learning at home can provide the perfect opportunity to use your location to your advantage.
What is a Typical School Schedule?
Classroom culture and structure is typically influenced by an individual teacher, but the overall school day setup varies by school setting.
Brick-and-mortar schools—whether they be public, private, or charter—typically have a set schedule for all students with clear start and end times to the day. This setup is ideal for working parents and students who thrive with more structure, but provides little flexibility to pursue outside passions.
Parents who have students that attend online public schools or homeschool can create schedules that best suit their students’ lifestyles and family schedule. Homeschool and online parents can also choose to implement frequent breaks for students to help them focus better versus traditional or private schools where students may only receive a break once or twice a day.
How to Select the Right School for Your Student
Now that you know what choices are out there and you’ve considered the needs of your child as well as your family, you can begin to pick schools.
What to Consider When Researching Schools?
Try asking friends, family members, or neighbors about schools they may know of, as well as conducting an internet search. Once you have that list, you can:
Check out the schools’ websites, which will have information like tuition, application requirements, and materials like student handbooks and the curriculum.
Get on their email list so you can receive updated information.
Look at the schools’ social media accounts to get a sense of each school’s personality and offerings, and what life at the school may look like for you and your student.
Look up the school on review websites, blogs, Reddit, Google reviews, and more. You may also be able to find parent testimonials on the school’s website.
Why You Should Attend School Events Before Enrolling
Many schools hold regular open houses for potential new students. Make sure to mark your calendars and register in advance, as space may be limited.
You can also attend another school event, like an athletics competition, play, or fundraising event, which can give you a unique opportunity to get to know the community you and your student might be joining. Most schools have social calendars on their website, but you can also ask an administrator if they have any upcoming events open to the public or prospective students.
Prepare for the Enrollment Process
It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the enrollment processes of your top schools, including key dates and deadlines.
To help you compare schools and make a final decision, we suggest creating a checklist of all the schools you’re considering. Include areas like academics, cost, diversity, support services, and extracurriculars.
But if you do have other questions on how to pick the right school for your child or what it looks like to be enrolled in an online public school, you can take this quiz to determine if a virtual school is right for your student. You can also receive a free eGuide that outlines online learning, provides advice from experts, and much more.
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