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Every responsible parent sets out to provide quality education for their children, and this translates to choosing a good school. Thankfully, there is no shortage of schools to choose from, as parents are spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting a school. But with several schools available and each promising to be better than the next one, choosing a school can quickly become overwhelming for parents.
To make the decision-making process easier, parents must understand the important factors. This way, they can objectively compare schools and choose one that aligns with their child’s personality and is best equipped to educate them. It’s not enough to just choose the nearest public or private school; some real thinking must go into selecting the right school for a child.
Below are important factors parents should consider when selecting a school for their kids.
- Qualified Teachers and Management
The teachers and management of a school are the most important factor to consider about a school as they affect every aspect of the school. You want a school with a competent management team that can handle the seemingly never-ending challenges of running a school and efficiently managing the day-to-day activities.
Teachers determine the quality of education a child receives. Whether they are teaching traditional classes, extracurricular activities, or sports, they have the ability to shape the future of their students. They are role models, support systems, and inspiration sources for tomorrow’s leaders. A school without competent teachers is like a car without an engine. Utterly useless.
- Transportation Time
The location of the school must also be considered. While it’s desirable to have kids attend schools nearby to shorten transportation time and ensure they are mentally and physically fresh for classes, parents may need to look further if nearby schools aren’t up to par. In this scenario, parents will have to check if the school provides transportation and how reliable it is.
- Extracurricular Activities
Learning doesn’t end in the four walls of the classroom. Extracurricular activities are part of the learning process as it allows children to demonstrate what they are capable of outside the class, build leadership skills, explore various interests, and bond with other students.
Extracurricular activities can boost self-confidence and esteem, lead to better academic performance, and build essential life skills. So, as a parent, you have to check if the school you intend to choose for your child has extracurricular activities and what those activities are.
- Safety and Security
The importance of school security can never be overemphasized. Both students and teachers will spend a lot of time on the school premises, and the school must be a safe space for all. And any school you intend to enroll your child in should prioritize security.
There have been many school incidents in recent years, highlighting the need for better security at schools. Management should install CCTV cameras, secure the perimeter, provide adequate lighting, and install silent panic alarms linked with law enforcement for faster responses in cases of emergencies.
In some states like Florida, New Jersey, and Texas, schools are mandated to install silent alarms linked with law enforcement as per Alyssa’s Law. But all schools should endeavor to follow this law regardless of whether it is mandated or not.
- Teacher to Student Ratio
Many parents don’t pay attention to the ratio of students and teachers in a classroom. But they should as it reflects the teachers’ workload and how available they are to see to the needs of individual students. The lower the ratio of teachers to students, the more efficient the learning process, and students can get undivided attention more often.
Students are also more likely to feel more confident in smaller groups and interact more with their instructors. While some experts recommend a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:20 as ideal, the truth is that the ideal number depends on several factors such as budgeting, class size, type of school, and so on.
- Fees and Affordability
Without a doubt, this is one of the things parents will first consider when thinking of choosing schools for their children. But many parents tend to think about the present and forget about the future. It’s not enough to be able to afford a child’s school fees at present, and parents must think about whether they can afford the fees till graduation.
There are also other schooling expenses apart from the school fees, which many people tend not to consider. So, it’s important to go for an affordable option to avoid changing schools later on. Unless absolutely necessary, parents should endeavor not to change schools. While changing schools has both positive and negative effects, the negatives tend to overshadow the positives.