As you consider which elementary school or middle school is best for your child these questions may help you think of others that are also important to you, how your child learns, and finding the best environment possible. I used these as the basis of my phone interviews with schools before I went on site to visit the classrooms. I chose five schools, filled in the questionnaires on the phone, rated the top six most important questions for me, compared the results and then went to see the school in person if they had met my criteria.
Questions Responses: Yes, No, #,
or comment
- Tuition $
- How is tuition paid? Upfront? Monthly?
- 100% giving/donation program
- One time capital charge/initiation fee $
- Supply Fee $
- Tuition includes:
- Tuition does not include:
- After school care fee $
- Before school care fee $
- Parochial or Non-
- Public: charter, neighborhood, IB, immersion
- Financial sustainability plan
- Grades of instruction
- School days/hours of instruction /
- Start & end time
- Number of students
- Teacher/Student ratios
- Average number of students in each classroom
- Stated policy on number of students per class
- Standardized tests used for assessment
- Average test results
- Accreditation
- Memberships
- Parent Handbook
- Student Handbook
- Foreign Language
- Days per week
- French, Spanish, Mandarin
- Latin
- Laptops issued to each child?
- Core curriculum evaluation frequency
- By subject
- Mapping
- Evaluation/adjustments
- Liberal Arts (computer, art, drama, music)
- Frequency of technology class
- Schedule of software applications taught per grade
- Music class
- Art
- Performing Arts
- Choir
- Clubs
- Science
- Science competitions
- Mathematics
- How many levels per grade
- English
- Athletics
- Team sports available to girls and boys
- Facilities
- School is on school property
- Library on site
- Gymnasium on site
- Grass playing field onsite
- Summer Programs
- After school Enrichment Programs
- Parent/Family Participation
- Encouraged to share talents & skills w/ classes?
- Cultural Diversity
- Economic Diversity
- How is character taught
- Is the school known for anything in particular, what are they most proud of, specialty
- Culture Described
- Teaching Methodology
- Emotional Learning
- Small group advisory
- Emphasis on emotional IQ
- Parent Communication
- Report Cards Online
- Homework Online
- Newsletters
- Electronic summaries of class outings
- Lunch onsite provider
- International Travel Experiences
- Other trips (fees included or excluded)
- Student Government
- Written Evacuation Plan for Earthquakes, 911 Scenarios
- Texting plan to contact parents in emergency
- Emergency Committee
- Parent Education
- STAR speaker series onsite
- Common Ground series with other schools
- Other
- Classroom Facilities
- White boards
- Electronic white boards
- Overhead projector
- Slide projector
- Computer projector
- Age of textbooks
- Access to teachers before school, after school, email, phone, in person
- Study groups available
- Discipline and accountability process outlined, understandable
- How does the school handle bullying: social, physical, cyber
- Parental dispute management, how does the school resolve parental concerns
- Increase in applications from 20__ to 20__
- Number of applications for number of openings in 20__ /
- Acceptance rate to High Schools of interest
- # applied, # wait-listed, # accepted, # w/ honors, # Scholars
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