Many parents want to ask questions of their child’s school but don’t always know the important ones to find the answers to. The United States Department of Education has offered up many questions that they think are important ones to find out about.
Does this school have a written behavior and academic plan in place and does it set high standards for students allow for improvement over time?
Does this school or the school district have a written policy on the amount of homework given for each grade level?
How does this school and district compare on achievement tests when compared to other schools in the state and the country?
How have test scores been for this school? Are the scores increasing or decreasing compared to previous years? Is student proficiency improving or getting worse compared to the past?
How many special education, minority, limited-English speaking and economically disadvantaged students does this school have that are achieving at grade-level in math or reading? How does this compare with other schools in the state and in the nation? Are these scores rising or falling when compared with previous years?
If your child is in high school, ask if the school has programs that prepare your child for life after graduation and for life in the workforce. Ask how many of the students who are juniors or seniors take college entrance exams such as ACT or SAT tests. Find out how these test scores compare to other schools in the state and to the national average.
Ask your child’s school how they will stay in contact with you throughout the school year. Find out what the school will do if your child is falling behind academically and if they will contact you at the first sign of a problem.
And last but certainly not least, ask the school if they stress the importance of parental involvement and just how easy it is to get involved and stay involved.
These are just several of the questions the education department deems as important ones to ask. There are even more that can be found at the United States Department of Education website.