Originally published February 14, 2016. Lightly edited for clarity. Some details, such as deadlines and transfer rules, may have changed since then.
With the expansion of open enrollment policies and the growth of the charter school movement, competition to get into “public schools of choice” with a great reputation has become fierce. No matter how simple or complicated, competitive or not, your district’s system is, there are some basic strategies that can be applied to help your child get into the school that is best for him or her. While the following is not a comprehensive list, these are among the core considerations when considering your child’s next school of choice.
First things first, avoid “Herd Mentality” and connect directly with the School: “One tip, even for the public school system, is to write a cover letter to the school that really zeros in on what we call your child’s fit with the school,” says Bryan Hassel, author of The Picky Parent Guide. While many schools have a lottery process, this type of connection with the school ensures that you will be a part of that process and in the event that there is room in the school you have already begun to build a relationship with the school.
While it is a good idea for parents to look at a school’s standardized scores as a measure of how well students achieve, it is only part of the picture of a school. If you are serious about making an informed choice, you really should visit the school and sit in on classes. Take time to talk to the staff and ask specific questions such as:
- What are the school’s goals? (This is where you probe beyond test scores. Yes, achievement scores are good, but what else does the school aim to achieve? Personalized Learning, Dual Language, Arts, Technology, Music, etc.)
- Is the school meeting its goals? How do you know it is or isn’t meeting its goals?
- How do parents know if the school is doing well? What valid/reliable metrics and/or other publicly available information tell you that it is indeed doing well?
- What does the school expect from every student?
- How does the school’s academic program fit my child’s needs, compared with the other schools my child could attend?
- How long has the school been open?
- If it is a charter school, do you believe the school’s charter will be renewed? If it is a private school, is it in good standing, is it in any danger of closing? If it is a program within a traditional Public School District, is it in any danger of being shut down?
- How will the school help my child to succeed?
- What role do parents play at the school?
- How long is the school day? The school year?
- How many students are in each class?
In today’s growing school choice environment there are more opportunities for students than ever before. The road to student success starts with finding the right educational institution for your child. Other ways you can support your child include researching and investing in supplemental education supports such as private tutoring, mentoring and extracurricular activities designed to support your child’s social, emotional and academic needs. After over two decades serving as an education professional, I can say without any doubt when you provide students with access to an excellent school, targeted individualized instruction and strong parental support, you have a recipe for success. While these elements may seem obvious and elementary in nature, I can also tell you that after over two decades in education, not everyone is in tune with the core issues associated with school choice.
You’d be surprised at how many times a parent has asked me “How much does it cost to go to that school?” and they are referring to a tuition-free public charter school (yet charters have now been part of the education landscape for decades). As an education professional and a former charter school leader, I get many people asking the same inevitable questions each year, “Where should I send my child to school? How do I get them in?” This was the genesis for an effort to outline some School Choice Basics. While my top suggestion is pretty obvious, “Go visit the school, ask questions and make sure it is a good fit,” the other aspects of getting into a public school of choice can be more nuanced.
Don’t Miss Deadlines or “Miss Out”: Don’t lose out because of missed deadlines or incomplete paperwork. Bryan Hassel, author of The Picky Parent Guide, cautions, “If it truly is a purely mechanical system, such as a lottery, then the most important strategy is to make sure that you get things in on time. Don’t mess up. Don’t mess up is one of those basic technical requirements.” Even after you’ve gotten your child into the school, complete all the steps.
New Schools: Public schools often create small academies within larger schools, or new public, charter or private schools are opened, after the regular enrollment process is over. These schools sometimes have seats available for months before word spreads. Check with your district for more information about new public and charter schools. Use caution when selecting new schools; you will have to do more homework.
Information from the Right Source: Make sure you get information from the correct source, which is often a district office or the administrator of the charter school or private school you wish to attend.
Apply to More Than One Program at a School: “Some larger schools have several programs, such as one in art, or one in government,” says Wheaton of Insideschools.org. “So if that’s the school you want to go to, apply to all the programs, because once you get in you can transfer to the program you really want.”
Schools That Require Special Admissions Procedures: Some schools require auditions or portfolios of past work for admission. If you feel that your child has a special talent or a strong interest in a particular field, preparing for these schools will create more options for your child.
Review all Preferences that Apply: “Find out what kinds of preferences are built into the system,” says Hassel, “and make sure that you’re taking advantage of those that apply to you, such as sibling preferences and neighborhood preferences.”
Interdistrict/Intradistrict Transfer: In California, you can legally apply for a transfer to a district in which you work, regardless of whether you live in that district. The district must consider your request, although they do not have to admit you if there are no seats available. Knowing the rules of district transfers might allow you to place your child in a school that is a better fit, however it probably won’t help you land a spot in an oversubscribed school.
