Beyond Quality Educational Consultants

Our Contact Information: 


Owner: Theresa Lozac'h
Email: Beyondqualityconsultants@gmail.com or tlozach@gmail.com
Phone: (510) 332-6231

Twitter: TheresaLozach
Facebook: Beyond Quality Consultants
Linkedin: Theresa Lozac'h (full resume available)

More on Finding a School - The Top 10 Continues!

3. Distance, Time, and Money

This is the nitty gritty section of school choice. Take some time to compare the day to day aspects of your child attending school, including school location, school start and end times, and cost. Considering these key factors as a part of your decision making process is important in choosing a school that meets your family’s needs in an essential, practical way. Figure out for your family:

How far away can your school be from your home? Does it need to be near public transit? In a certain area to help with commuting? 

What time does school start and end daily? (Note: this varies greatly from school to school for the Kindergarten year.) Will you need before care or after care due to work schedules? Do your chosen schools have it available - or will you need to organize outside care? 

The money. No matter what the setting, there is money involved in kids attending school. Before care. After care. Tutoring. Enrichment classes. Transportation. School donations. School supplies. Field Trips. Uniforms. If you are looking at private schools, then other costs (a.k.a. tuition, annual funds, auctions, etc.) come into play.  If money is a concern for your family (like most of us), creating a school budget might be a necessary component of school selection.

One last note on practical decisions: What little research that has been done on why families choose the schools they do, many families note distance, time and money as the ONLY factor they examine in looking for a school. While important for the health and well-being of a family, I feel strongly that this should not be your only point of decision (notice I put it third). If you don’t consider your child’s key needs (#1) and your family’s educational values (#2), then both you and your child could be very unhappy in your chosen setting - for years. That unhappiness can impact the academic and social progress of your child - and the stability of your family. It isn’t worth it - in my opinion. Drive a little farther (or carpool) for a place that meets the critical needs of your family. 

4. Prioritization

The bad news first: 

No school will have everything that you could ever want for your child and your family, be located down the street from your home, and cost nothing to attend. 

There isn’t one. 

I’m serious.

Stop looking for it. 

Really.

The absolutely, 100% perfect, optimal educational setting isn’t out there - and believe me, I’ve looked. Every place you consider will have aspects that are just what you have always wanted; have things that you are flexible with or could work around if needed; and have things you prefer weren’t present in the school setting. I don’t think I am being a Negative Nellie here - for the diversity of children and families that schools need to serve in the Bay Area we have a great deal of choice (count your blessings you don’t live in Albuquerque, NM) - but we don’t have a school designed exactly for each individual child and family. There will be compromises ahead.  

Here’s the silver lining though, I do believe, with hard work and focus, that you can find a good school at a price your family can afford.

But you have to identify with razor sharp focus: 

Your child’s top three key educational needs (see #1). Remember, these are the things that your child has to have in his school environment on a daily or at least regular basis or you can’t see them thrive there. For my daughter, I knew that she needed a small environment (a school with under 150 children with a high student-teacher ratio) because she is very shy and new situations are difficult for her. Without a small setting, I was concerned that she would be extremely stressed each day as she went to school So, a small, supportive environment with a social-emotional focus were my child’s three key needs. Identifying your child’s critical needs will help you create a field of schools for you to choose from and focus your search.

 Your family’s top three educational values (see #2). Be careful and specific in selecting your top three. If you say that you want a school that supports diversity - describe what that would look like to you; what you would see in the classrooms to represent that; and what school leaders would do regularly to support continuing diversity in the school community. Do not use generalities here - they won’t help you in your prioritization process. Create your own personal definition for each value and highlight what meets that specific criteria that in your search for a school (especially when you are reading the school promotional literature (#6) and visiting the school (#7)).  

The top two practical needs for your family (see #3 above). The more flexible you can be on distance, time, and money - the more options you will have available. For instance, if you can’t be flexible on money, then being flexible on location widens your choice options for schools.  If you can say, I will focus on only my child and family’s needs and not worry about distance or money - fantastic - but make sure that in the end you can truly make that commitment for a K-5 setting (that’s six years people). Looking at the long run is key - otherwise you will be looking for another school in a few years due to a financial or logistical strain on your family.     

Coming up next....#5 - Find Some People You Trust

Top 10 Things to Think About When Choosing A School - Part 1

So - just to start - I am not a tremendous fan of the top 10 list format. While I will ALWAYS read a top 10 list on a topic of interest, I often leave the experience wanting more...what did they really mean by #3? But what if #7 simply doesn't apply? The simplicity of the structure draws me in (really, there is only 10 things to know?) - but the lack of specificity leaves me wanting every time.

Honestly, I am writing this list more as a way of organizing my own thoughts on this complicated subject. The more our schools are in jeopardy (and I think they are - if you don't, you might want to read here, and here, and here to form your own opinion), the more I feel like focused, supportive guidance is needed for families to navigate getting their child onto one of the sturdier lifeboats that still exist in the Bay Area - a.k.a. a good school.

But don't panic. :) Really. It won't serve you. (There are some reasons to hope. Plus, some good people are on the problem.) Let's just do some thinking to get you started.  When looking at a Kindergarten or early elementary setting for your child, consider:

1. Your child

 This truly is the only place to start. Your child will be at the school you select for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for at least the next six years (assuming you are looking for a K-5 setting). They need to be in a place that: 

Appreciates them for who they are. Is your child shy? Gregarious? Thoughtful? Creative? The school you choose should appreciate your child as a complex whole. A great kid. Because they are.

Feeds their passion. Is it Music? Writing? Math? Science? All of the above? Not sure yet? Choose a place that can not only support your child now, but can grow with them as their passions change and grow.
  

Meets their key needs. This is a tricky one. I have worked with children with special needs for many years and I have been a part of decisions to place a child in a setting that the family feels the child will “grow into” - and meet their needs at a later time. Occasionally, the kids do grow into the selected setting - which is great. Sometimes, they don’t. What that means is their needs aren’t being met in the now OR in the later. For any child, I feel that immediate success in a setting is a critical part of helping them feel competent and confident in school. Pick a setting you can envision your child in - playing, working, making friends -  and that is the one where your child will be successful on their first day of big kid school.  

So to do that means you need to figure out what your child’s key needs are - and this is possibly the difficult part. For some kids, what they need to have consistently in their first educational setting is obvious. My nephew, for instance, is one of the fastest moving kids I have ever seen.  For Kindergarten, he will probably need a school that supports active learners with opportunities for athletics and movement during and after school. His family doesn’t have to think too much about his key needs - they and his past teachers know what he needs to feel successful in his day. However, for other children, this process isn’t as straightforward. Identifying what your child needs to have in their school day and prioritizing those needs (see #4) is essential to finding a setting that meets them  consistently. When you do that, you have the capacity to find a special place that supports your child where it matters most. 

2. Your family

Your educational values are shaped by many factors. Your education - and your feelings about your education. Your family’s education - and their history. Your culture, your ethnicity - and where you grew up. If you are parenting with another person, the same goes for them as well. (And a little bit of a news flash - your educational history, values, etc. might not match each other.) All these pieces (and more) create a picture what you and your partner feel is a “good education” for your child.

 If that picture is crystal clear for you (and shared between you and your partner) - great. Then selecting a school that matches that picture should be fairly easy.  If your picture is fuzzy, or doesn’t match your partner’s, then it is going to be more of a challenge. 

Some people might look at this part of their school search as something they might do by feel - “I know a good school when I see it” kind of a thing. In part, I think that is true (see #8). However, if you don’t know what is most important to your family in terms of a school you will, in the end, find it difficult to prioritize and choose (see #4). An elementary school that offers French as a language is a great benefit to a child - but is it more important than having an up-to-date technology center, or having a project-based curriculum,  or having a school garden, or having experienced, tenured teachers, or having a library staffed with a librarian... or, or, or. You get the picture. Without having specific qualities in a school to point at, it makes it difficult to begin your school search (how do you know where to start if everything is equally important); it will be difficult  to hone your search; and it will be extremely difficult to make a final decision.

In talking to your partner (or someone you trust, see #5) about their values regarding schools and education, some good starter conversations might be: 

Examining educational histories - thinking about experiences you had and would love for your child to also experience and situations/school settings you would like him/her to avoid. Additionally, bringing in the memories of extended family in remembering really what Kindergarten was like for you or your partner might also be helpful. 

Thinking about optimal school climate and culture - what would a school be like that supported your particular family’s uniquenesses? Start with broad descriptors (like traditional, faith-centered, progressive, warm, professional, etc.) and then move to the detailed descriptions of your vision as soon as you can. What would the ideal school look like? Feel like? Sound like? What would you see there on a regular basis? Be specific as you co-create your vision with your partner. 

If you had to pick three school amenities (garden, music program, computer lab, athletics, etc.) that were the most important to you, what would they be and why? Try to agree on the top three - it will make looking for a school with your three priorities easier to find. 

And if this wasn’t enough - there is one more thing. This picture of a “good education” that you are creating with your partner or trusted friend.... is actually completely separate from your child’s needs in a school. While difficult to do, you need to balance what makes your family at ease with a school choice while looking at your child key needs (see #1) at the same time. Because if you and your partner don’t feel comfortable at your child’s school, guess who else won’t feel comfortable? Your child.  

Coming up next....#3 - Distance, Time, and Money

Why GreatSchools.org is just....OK

My thoughts on this started one day, talking to a mother of three. In waiting for a meeting to begin, we were casually talking about one of her children attending Kindergarten next year in Oakland and I asked her what schools she was considering. She said her home school was Franklin Elementary and when I effused about Franklin's dedicated teaching staff and diverse student population (it is the home of district Deaf and Hard of Hearing programs for children with special needs) she looked at me with cold, accusing eyes.

In all fairness, this used to happen to me a lot when I worked for Oakland Public Schools. People don't necessarily.....um.....appreciate opinions expressed by OUSD personnel. But I was pretty used to it by then, and frankly, I am a fairly effusive person when it comes to East Bay schools - so it will take more than a little non-verbal cue to stop me from talking with someone about their thoughts regarding a school choice.

"Oh," I said with my sweetest expression and most innocent tone (very helpful to have those if you are going to work for Oakland), "you don't like Franklin?"

Slight disdainful sigh detected. "I would NEVER send my child to any school that had less than a 7 on GreatSchools.org." Sniff.

OK...I sighed at this point in the conversation - but I really did try to stifle it. You know, professionally and stuff.

Now, to be clear, I don't have any problem with GreatSchools.org. I have their app on my iPhone. Good information, nice articles (for the most part)...a good tool.

But that is it - it is a simply a tool. A way of getting a little bit of information. Reading some people's opinions. Getting a link to a website or two. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

However, I worry - more than a little - about when people start to use one source of information as an end-all-be-all reference point in making a decision as important as choosing a school. I don't know about you all, but when I have a complex decision to make - I don't just read one article or go to just one website to formulate my opinions...I read what I can get my hands on; I ask different types of people their opinions - I look around, because it is important to me that I make the right decision the first time.

What I wanted to remind that mother of three (very politely) is that when you go to GreatSchools.org (or other websites fueled primarily by user contributions, like Berkeley Parents' Network), you are getting opinions generated by the types of people who voluntarily post to those sites.

Generally, those people:

• Have a strong opinion of some kind - because they have the motivation to take time out of their busy day to post to a website. They forgo spending time with their spouse, their kids, their friends, their Hulu addiction, and the other million things one could do with 30 minutes free time in order to organize their thoughts, write some coherent sentences, and send their thinking off into the electronic world. So...I am guessing these folks aren't super neutral in their feelings about a particular school - or why post?  Participants of these sites seem to be either cheerleaders for a school (PTA presidents anyone?) or HATE the school with a passion. Unfortunately, that leaves a few folks in the middle unaccounted for. 
• Have a computer and some free time. This implies a few things about the posters' socioeconomic status.  GreatSchools and BPN don't necessarily represent the single working moms of the world, the grandmas raising their grandkids, the families that are working hard to make ends meet and stumble into bed at the end of the day.  Fine - but not a diverse population. Maybe their values, experiences, and expectations for a school match yours. Maybe they don't - which leads me to my next point. 
• Are...unknown. The people posting could be thoughtful, knowledgeable, and full of integrity and helpfulness - wanting to post to GreatSchools to support other families in making a really hard decision. Or....they could be nuts. Certifiable. Or anywhere in between. Just saying. 

I appreciate why people turn to GreatSchools. When people are trying to make a decision as complex as choosing a school for their child, I understand why people want to get their information in one place and to distill a school - a complex community - into a simple rating from 1 to 10.  It makes the process seem less overwhelming, less confusing, less unmanageable. 

But it won't help it become less important. 

Author's Note:  Franklin School in Oakland, CA just received an Honorable Mention for Best Public Elementary school in Parents' Press Best of the East Bay 2011. That's the top five, baby. That seems better than a 5 out of 10 on GreatSchools....but I don't know who filled out all those ballots....