It is a tough decision to decide where to send your child to school. But, first, what is the best way to research the kind of information that will ultimately help you decide? There are several great ways to learn about the schools in your area.

Word of Mouth About Local Schools

This is the easiest and most basic of ways to find out which schools have a good reputation in your neighborhood and which schools do not. Who else can tell you than parents who already have first-hand experience with the different schools in your area? Of course, it's best to get as wide a sampling of opinions as possible. The opinions of one or two parents are not sufficient enough to get a true assessment of a school's qualities (or lack thereof). Opinions can be tainted by a singular negative experience and, likewise, a positive opinion can be acquired by a parent's singular experience with his or her child's school.

A wide sampling of parents can give you more of an idea whether the school is liked by few or many. Ask around at your child's sport events or lessons. Parents with children the same age as your child often have older children who have already started attending local schools and can be a fountain of knowledge.

Searching the Internet for School Information

The Internet can be a good place to read up on schools, as well. There are many sites that allow users to rate schools; of course, the users can be parents or students so take that into consideration. Also, test scores, demographics, and other statistical information about the different schools in your area is available online. Test scores can be a great indicator as to how the school is performing academically and give you some insight into the school's academic reputation. Look at information going back several years, too, because it is best to get a solid picture of the school and one year is not always telling enough.

Try visiting the school's website, in addition to other sites. You can tell a lot of about a school's focus from their website. If you're looking for a technologically-advanced school and a particular school you're looking at has a detailed and sophisticated website that can be a hint that technology is a school-wide focus. In addition, here is a great opportunity to pre-screen the teaching staff. There are almost always teacher and administration biographies. Take a look at the teacher's backgrounds. How long have the majority of the staff been teaching? Where did they obtain their degrees? All of this information can help paint a picture of the school in question.

Contacting the School Directly

Finally, the schools themselves can give you an idea as to whether they are right for your child. Schools almost always offer some sort of informational orientation, and even sometimes a walk-through. If not, there is usually an open house sometimes in the spring. This is perhaps the single most effective way to find out real, practical information about schools. School work is on display, teachers are available to talk, and it is very apparent as to the quality of work demanded and given in the classrooms. Also, take a look at the school. Is it well-maintained? Is staff courteous and organized? In the end, can you picture your child being happy there?

Utilizing Web Resources

Don't forget - the K-12 Directory of Schools is a comprehensive resource for parents who want to search for a local school, read on parent reviews, and compare it with local schools in the surrounding area (example: finding a local high school in Hacienda Heights, California).