How Do I Choose the Best School for My Child?

It’s common knowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for our country's public education system, including class cancellations, student and teacher protests and a troubling increase in student behavioral issues. But the pandemic also exacerbated the significant problems that have existed in public education for decades, including resource shortages, low teacher pay and structural inequalities. 

For many parents, this has been the last straw. They're now actively searching for new learning environments that offer their kids the stability and physical and emotional safety that may be missing from traditional schools. However, changing schools is itself very challenging and requires a great deal of careful planning and consideration. Here are a few factors parents should consider. 

Why Do Kids Change Schools?

While every situation is different, there are a few common reasons kids change schools. They include:

• Health reasons: Some kids have health challenges that traditional schools have trouble accommodating. 

• Academic reasons: Kids may be struggling academically in their current educational setting and seek a different learning approach. 

• Personal reasons: A child might change schools for personal reasons, including school bullying or family issues.

• Behavioral reasons: The behavior of other students may be interfering with a child's ability to learn.

• Mental health reasons: An increasing number of kids are experiencing mental health issues, like anxiety, and need a safe learning alternative while dealing with them.  

Sometimes it's clear when children are facing challenges in a classroom. Other times, problems only manifest themselves in changes to a student's behavior, performance or motivation. In such instances, parents must trust their gut and start digging deeper when they see behavioral changes. Middle and high school students are often better able to express what's happening in their school. Parents of younger kids may need to explore the root of these problems with a teacher. 

Many parents' first instinct may be to pull a child out of school when they see them struggling, but that doesn’t always resolve issues. Transitions are difficult by nature, and an abrupt move may only worsen existing problems. That's why parents should attempt to collaborate with teachers and administrators to find solutions before making significant changes. However, if those efforts fail, there are other choices available.

Which Learning Alternative is Right?

When looking at alternative learning environments, parents have more options than ever, which can complicate the decision-making process. These options typically fall into three different categories:

Homeschooling

Homeschool is an attractive alternative because it gives parents complete control over their children's educational experience. However, it's also an incredible commitment. Before embarking on the homeschool journey, parents should ask themselves if they can consistently provide the time and resources it will take to ensure their child can meet state standards if they ever transition back into a traditional learning environment. Not every kid responds well when a parent assumes a teaching role, which must also be considered.

Charter or Alternative Schools

Charter and alternative schools have experienced rapid growth over the last few years. Today, parents can choose between schools with various focuses, from art to the trades to science and technology. Not every student will thrive in every situation, so parents should understand the potential new school's focus and the learning environment it provides to determine if their child will respond. The process requires research, school visits and conversations with school faculty and staff.  

Virtual Charter Schools

Online schooling can take several different forms. Many districts offer distance learning or online programs that allow students to study independently. However, the curriculum isn't designed for an online environment in most cases. By contrast, schools like the Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) exist almost entirely online and include curated curriculum, lesson plans and tools purposefully built to maximize online learning.  

Before choosing a fully online option, parents should understand exactly how educators approach learning in such settings. In ORCA’s case, we’ve been operating online for 17 years and are the only school on the west coast to receive the Cognia School of Distinction, earning a five-year accreditation score of 377.5 out of 400, with 278.34 - 283.33 being the average.

Parents can leverage this type of solid experience and excellent curriculum by setting up structures at home to facilitate learning, like dedicated workspaces and regular check-ins. They should also understand that motivated kids who can monitor their own school work tend to do well, while younger students require someone who can make sure they're accessing school and doing the work.

Is Anyone Here to Help?

It's common for parents to feel like they're facing these challenges alone. However, there are resources available that many parents overlook. School counselors can step in to address problems early on and seek out possible solutions. Counselors can also make recommendations based on a child's learning needs, which may help parents choose the proper course of action. 

ORCA has its own team of counselors who can share the pros and cons of enrolling in an online charter academy and our unique approach to educating the whole child, such as our career and technical education programs, college credit options, teen parent programs, AVID implementation, and monthly learning sessions with NASA. Moreover, we provide enrichment opportunities with approximately 40 student clubs and more than 200 field trips each year.

As parents navigate challenging education choice issues, the key to success is understanding their child and their child's situation. What is the urgency of the problem? What magnitude of change does the child need? What support is currently available? When these factors are well defined, parents will be more equipped to weigh their options and make the best possible decisions for their children.