How to Check Out a School System

Scores: Get the objective measures of the local school or schools in the district, such as California Assessment Program (CAP) scores, the percentage of students fulfilling state university college entrance requirements and the percentage of students who drop out of high school. This data is available from the district, or through the California State Board of Education, 916-445-9016.

Report card: Call the local school to get a copy of the local school’s state-mandated School Accountability Report Card, which includes information on student achievement, student attendance, expenditures and services, class size, teacher assignments and school facilities.

School staff: Talk to the staff at a school in the district, meet with the principal and look over the literature the school regularly sends home to parents, such as the school bulletin. Ask what the school’s major problems are and how they’re being solved. Find out the school’s philosophy about education, discipline and parent involvement.

Network: Seek out parents with students in the district. Talk to the PTA president and to the chairman of any booster or parent association at your target school.

Set priorities: Make a list of specific programs that are important to your children, such as band, drama, art, science, speech therapy and athletics and find out what the district offers.