美国教育部文件“为你的孩子择校”

全慧升

整理电脑时看到的几年前的旧文件。

——————————————
指点江山——全慧升之道


“…School choice is part
of the strategy to give
every child an excellent
education.”
U. S. Secretary of Education
Margaret Spellings
United States Department of Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement


Choosing a School
for Your Child



Office of Innovation and Improvement
United States Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education
Margaret Spellings
Secretary
Office of Innovation and Improvement
Nina S. Rees
Assistant Deputy Secretary
March 2005
This book is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part for educational
purposes is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should
be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Choosing a School for
Your Child, Washington, D.C., 20202.
Listing of materials and resources in this book should not be construed or interpreted as an
endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any private organization or business listed herein.
To obtain copies of this report in English or Spanish,
write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398,
Jessup, MD 20794-1398;
or fax your request to (301) 470-1244;
or e-mail your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov;
or call in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). If 877 service is not yet
available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN). Those who use telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should call 1-877-576-7734;
or order online at www.edpubs.org
This book is also available on the Department’s Web site at:
http://www.ed.gov/parents/schools/find/choose
On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print or computer
diskette. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center
(202) 260-9895 or (202) 205-8113.
ii
Production of this book was led by Jack Klenk, Director, Office of Non-Public Education,
Office of Innovation and Improvement, and Cynthia Hearn Dorfman, Director of
Communications, Office of Innovation and Improvement; and funded by the
Office of Parental Options and Information in the Office of Innovation and
Improvement, John Fiegel, Director, as part of the Voluntary Public School Choice Program.
Contents
3 Letter from the Secretary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
3 Choosing a School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3 Learn What Choices Are Available to You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3 Four Steps for Selecting the School That Is Right for Your Child. . . . . . 6
Step 1. Consider your child and your family.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Step 2. Gather information about schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Step 3. Visit and observe schools.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Step 4. Apply to the school(s) you choose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3 Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
• Web Sites for Directories and Other Information . . . . . . . . . . 31
• Recently Published Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3 A Few Organizations That Provide
Information to Parents. . . . . . . . . . 33
3 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3 Your Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3 Months at a Glance. . . . . . 40
iii
List of Parent Tips
3 Know Your Options Under the No Child Left Behind Act
for Children in Public Schools That Are “In Need of Improvement”. . 9
3 Check the School District’s Report Card for Public Schools . . . . . . 14
3 Know Your Options Under the No Child Left Behind Act
for Children in Public Schools That Are Unsafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3 10 Things to Look for in a School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
3 Start Early and Cover All the Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3 Find Helpful Resources at the U.S. Department of Education’s
Choice Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
iv
v
For additional resources on choosing a school, you can
visit the U.S. Department of Education’s page for parents at
http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=fp
or the page on school choice at
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/choice/index.html?src=ov
vi
Choosing a School
Parents have a growing array of options in choosing a school, though the extent
of the options varies from state to state. The enactment of the landmark No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001; the rapid growth of the charter school movement; the
increasing number of states enacting voucher, scholarship, and tax credit programs;
the expansion of privately funded scholarship programs for low-income
children; and the growing acceptance of homeschooling have all increased the
choices available to families.
Parents can exercise choice in many ways. The most common way may be in
choosing where to live based on the public school district or neighborhood
schools. In many areas, parents can choose from neighborhood schools, charter
schools or other public schools of choice, or transfer their child to another public
school (in or out of district). They can also select a private school (religious or secular)
or teach their child at home.
Choosing a School for Your Child offers step-by-step advice on how to choose
among the schools available to your child. It identifies important factors you may
want to consider before making a decision. As you and your child visit different
schools, you may want to consider the questions in each section of this booklet.
Why Should You Choose Your Child’s School?
No one cares more about your child’s welfare than you do. No one else will be more
careful to see that your child is well educated and well treated in school. You know
your child’s personality, strengths and weaknesses. You know the interests that light
up your child’s eyes. You know the values that your family wants a school to respect.
Choosing your child’s school may also make you more confident that she will be
taught effectively and treated fairly. Choosing your child’s school carefully is an important
way you can help your child achieve all that he can be. This is a head and a heart
decision. Don’t be afraid to heed your own informed and intuitive wisdom.
1
Learn What Choices
Are Available to You
Different schools offer alternatives in teaching styles, content, and learning
opportunities. This section briefly describes some types of schools you may find.
Public Schools
Neighborhood Public Schools
Many parents choose to send their children to the public school in their neighborhood,
according to an assignment system developed by the school district.
Attending a neighborhood public school can make it easy for your child to get
to school, to work with classmates on group projects, and to visit friends. These
schools are often anchors in a community.
Other Public Schools
You may want to investigate other public schools. In an increasing number of
districts, you can choose to send your child to a specialized public school.
These schools of choice often emphasize a particular subject or have a special
philosophy of education. One school might emphasize science, art, or language
study. Another might offer a firm code of conduct, a dress code, or a rigorous
traditional academic program.
Another may be an alternative school designed to respond to students who are
insufficiently challenged by the regular school program, who are likely to drop
out, or who have behavioral or substance abuse problems. These schools, often
small, work to make students feel they belong. Some states also offer second
chance schools or clinics for students who have dropped out of regular schools
and now want to complete their education.
2
Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools of choice that operate with freedom from
many of the local and state regulations that apply to traditional public schools.
Charter schools allow parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs,
and others the flexibility to innovate, create and provide students with increased
educational options. Charter schools exercise increased autonomy in return for
stronger accountability. They are sponsored by designated local, state, or other
organizations that monitor their quality and integrity while holding them accountable
for academic results and fiscal practices.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic,
ethnic, and racial backgrounds by focusing on a specific subject, such as science,
technology, or the arts. Some magnet schools require students to take an
exam or demonstrate knowledge or skill in the specialty to qualify to go to the
school, while others are open to students who express an interest in that area.
Virtual Schools
Instead of taking classes in a school building, students can receive their education
using a computer through a virtual school. Virtual schools have an organized
curriculum. Depending on the state and district, students can take the full
curriculum or individual classes. Some school districts have used these online
schools to offer classes that will help students learn at their own pace. Virtual
education is sometimes used in remote areas for specialized or advanced
courses that are not available in the immediate area. This type of studying is also
called “distance learning.”
Advanced Placement/
International Baccalaureate Programs
Advanced Placement courses offer rigorous content, and at the end of a course
students can take the national Advanced Placement exam. If they score well on
the exam, many colleges and universities will grant college credit for completing
the course. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a program of rigorous academic
courses. Students who graduate from the program receive an
3
•
•
•
•
International Baccalaureate diploma that is recognized by colleges and universities
throughout the world. Other students may choose not to take the full IB curriculum
but pursue certificates in individual areas. Elementary and middle schools
may also offer components of the IB program.
Nonpublic Schools
In addition to public schools, there may be a variety of religious and other nonpublic
schools available in your area or boarding schools away from home. These
schools of choice have been part of the fabric of American education since colonial
days. These schools have been established to meet the demand to support
parents’ differing beliefs about how their children should be educated.
Religious Private Schools
The majority of nonpublic schools are religious. Many are affiliated with a
denomination, local church, or religious faith such as Roman Catholic,
Protestant, conservative Christian, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist,
or other.
Secular Private Schools
There are also many nonpublic schools without a religious identity or affiliation.
Some of these private schools are preparatory schools designed to prepare students
for college. These schools often have a traditional or elite reputation and
a long history. Other schools are based on a particular educational philosophy
or approach to learning, such as Montessori or Waldorf schools; have a special
education focus, such as schools for the deaf or blind; or have been established
for families and children who may be dissatisfied with various aspects of conventional
schools.
Home Schools
Homeschooling is an option for a growing number of parents. Some parents
prepare their own materials and design their own programs of study, while others
use materials produced by companies specializing in homeschool materials.
Some take advantage of virtual school programs or other educational resources
available on the Internet. Of course, exercising this option may require major
changes in how your family lives. Teaching your children at home is an ambitious
undertaking, requiring time, planning, creativity, and commitment. Be sure to
check with your state because different states have different requirements for
homeschooling.
4
5
Selecting a School
for Your Child
How do you pick the best school for your child? Whether you are choosing a
public or private school or homeschooling, whether or not you are paying tuition,
careful planning is a must. The following sections have questions for you to consider,
with workspace for you to write down your thoughts, as you go through
the process of choosing a school for your child. Remember, you are looking for
a school that will make the educational experience for your child and you as
rewarding as possible.
Write Down Five Things That Are Most Important to You
You may wish to write down five things that are most important to you as
you consider the choice of a school. As you go through the selection
process, you may want to add to and revise your list.
1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Four Steps for Selecting the School
That Is Right for Your Child
Start your search for the best school by thinking about
what you want a school to do for your child. Perhaps your
child has special language or education needs. Keep
these in mind. After all, you know your son or daughter
better than anyone else does.
Consider
your child
& your
family. Step Step1
6
Your Child’s Needs
Does your child need a more
structured environment?
Does your child need a less
structured environment?
Does your child need more
challenging work?
Does your child need more individual
attention?
Does your child generally need extra
help or more time to complete an
assignment?
Does your child have any special
learning needs?
Does your child need an environment
that fosters creativity?
Does your child need an English
language acquisition program?
Your Child’s Learning Style
Does your child learn best by seeing
how things work?
Does your child learn best by reading
about how something works?
Does your child learn best
by listening?
Does your child like to participate
in discussions?
Does your child like to learn through
physical activity?
Is your child logical or mathematical?
Is your child musical or artistic?
Does your child like to learn
in groups?
Does your child like to work alone?
7
NOTE
PAD
Read the
questions and
jot down some
notes to help
you with your
decisions.
Location of School
Do you want your child to go to
a school within walking distance of your
home?
Can your child’s talents be nurtured outside
your neighborhood?
How far are you willing to have your child
bused?
How far are you willing to drive your child
to school?
Does your child want to be in a school
with his or her friends?
Do you want your child to go to a school
near your after-school care? Near where
you work? Near a close relative?
Does your child have any special transportation
needs that must be considered
in choosing a school?
8
NOTE
PAD
Read the
questions and
jot down some
notes to help
you with your
decisions.
Parent Tip:
Know Your Options Under the
No Child Left Behind Act for Children
in Public Schools That Are “In Need
of Improvement”
Parents of children in public schools
designated as “in need of improvement”
can choose another public school or
supplemental educational services
such as tutoring.
If your child's public school receives federal Title I funds, it must let you
know how well the students in the school are learning. The school district
must contact you if the school does not meet the academic standards set
by the state for two consecutive years. You can find out how well your
school is doing by looking at the school's report card.
If your child's school has been identified by the state as in need of
improvement, the school district must give you the choice of keeping your
child in that school or sending him or her to another public school.
If your child attends a school that has needed improvement for more than
a year, your school district is required to give you a list of organizations and
institutions that provide tutoring or extra help outside of the regular school
day. This extra help is called "supplemental educational services". If your
child is eligible for this help, and your income is low, the school district may
pay for these extra services. Such services may include before- and afterschool
tutoring in reading, other language arts, or math.
If you have not heard from your public school about whether the school is
“in need of improvement” and whether your child qualifies to receive supplemental
educational services, contact the school or the school district
and ask for the person/s in charge of choice and supplemental services
programs. You can also go to your state department of education's Web
site for a list of schools in need of improvement and approved supplemental
educational services providers. If you have difficulty finding these lists,
call the U.S. Department of Education at 1-888-814-6252 for help in
reaching your state contact, or go to the U.S. Department of Education's
Web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/nclb/sea.html for a
list of contacts in your state.
9
Four Steps for Selecting the School
That Is Right for Your Child
If you were looking to buy a car, vacuum cleaner, or
refrigerator, you could talk to friends and family and find
information on the Internet, in consumer magazines, or in
other published resources. Similarly, when investigating
schools, you may also have to make phone calls, collect
written material from different schools and look for reports in
your local paper to get the information you need. You can
check public school report cards (see Parent Tip) and go to
parent fairs and school open houses.
You can find reliable school
information online on sites such
as www.greatschools.net
and www.schoolresults.org
as well as other sites listed in the Resources
section of this booklet. The hard work will be
worth your while if you find a school that
brings out the best in your child.
10
Gather
Information
About
Schools Step Step2
Along with the schools’ curricula and
philosophy, you will want to know
about school policies and services.
Parents may also wish to consider the
after-school programs a school offers,
for example, sports, clubs, tutoring, or
academic enrichment. Some schools
have after-school activities funded by
the U.S. Department of Education’s
21st Century Community Learning
Centers program. These centers provide
educational activities outside of the
regular school hours—before and after
school or during summer vacation—
that complement what is taught in
school. You may also want to ask if the
school has supplemental educational
services, including free tutoring, that are
offered outside of the regular school
hours under No Child Left Behind.
Curriculum
Does the school have a strong program
of core academic subjects such
as English, history, mathematics, science,
arts, and foreign languages?
What courses does the school offer in
addition to the core subjects?
What evidence is there that the
school is effectively teaching students
to read?
Does the school have a special focus
or theme for the curriculum?
Does the school offer challenging
courses such as Advanced Placement,
International Baccalaureate, and high
school honors courses?
NOTE
PAD
Read the
questions and
jot down some
notes to help
you with your
decisions.
11
Does the school provide enrichment
opportunities for all students? For gifted
students?
Does the school have extracurricular
activities that support what is taught?
Is there an effective English language
acquisition program for children who
need it?
If your child has special learning needs,
does the school have a curriculum and
the necessary supports to appropriately
accommodate those needs?
Approach to Learning
Does the school have a particular
approach to teaching and learning (e.g.,
group projects, individual performance,
frequent testing)?
If yes, do you think your child will enjoy
and learn from this approach?
Does the school do all it can to make
sure each child learns? Does it provide
opportunities for children to get extra
help when they need it?
Is the school staff able to communicate
in the language that your child understands?
Are children with limited English language
skills, learning disabilities, or other
special needs learning and performing
well on tests?
What is the homework policy? Does it
match your expectations for how much
homework your child should do?
Do you want your child to go to a singlesex
(all-boy or all-girl) school, or a coeducational
school?
How large are the classes?
12
NOTE
PAD
Read the
questions and
jot down some
notes to help
you with your
decisions.
Academic Performance
How do the school’s test scores compare
to those of other schools?
(Check the school’s report card if it is
a public school or ask for information
from the school if it is a private
school. See “Parent Tip” on school
report cards.)
In the past few years, have test
scores risen or declined? How does
the school explain the rise or decline?
How well have children similar to
yours performed on these tests?
How do students moving on to the
next level of schooling perform in their
new schools?
How many students leave the school
before completing the last grade?
What special achievements or recognition
has the school received?
Behavior Policy
What does the school do to help
develop character and citizenship?
What is the discipline policy? How
does the school handle students who
misbehave?
Are teachers fair in their responses to
students? Does the school have a
program and supports to prevent and
address behavior problems?
Are students allowed to leave school
by themselves?
What measures has the school taken
to ensure safety? What security
measures are in place?
13
Parent Tip:
Check the School District’s
Report Card for Public Schools
No Child Left Behind requires school districts
that receive federal funds to provide a report
card on how its schools and the school district
are doing. For individual schools, the report
card will include whether the school has been
identified for school improvement and how its
students performed on state tests compared to
other students in the school district and the state.
For the district, the report includes the combined test scores of the
students at all the district’s schools.
Public school report cards should include:
Students’ scores on state tests, broken out by student subgroups;
How many students performed at the “basic,” “proficient,” and
“advanced” levels on the tests;
Graduation rates;
Numbers and names of schools that need to improve in the district;
Qualifications of teachers; and
Percentage of students who were not tested.
14
What is the policy on school
absences? How does the school
encourage daily attendance?
Do school personnel call parents
when students are absent?
Does the school have a drug and
alcohol abuse prevention program?
Does the school have a dress code?
Do students wear uniforms?
Safety
Is the school safe?
How does the school prevent and
handle problems with drugs, alcohol,
and tobacco?
How does the school prevent and
handle violence, bullying, harassment,
and other forms of abusive behavior?
What measures does the school take
to ensure safety? What security
measures are in place?
What is the school’s relationship with
the local police?
Is there a police officer on duty during
school hours and for extracurricular
activities?
What information is available on serious
crime in the school?
What information is available on students
bringing weapons to school?
Does the school have an emergency
plan for local and national emergencies?
What does the school do to ensure
that parents and all school administrators
know the emergency plan?
Are there drills?
15
How does the school notify parents
about emergency closings? How
does the school communicate with
parents in other languages?
Special Offerings
What extracurricular activities does
the school offer after school or on
weekends?
Do all students have the opportunity to
participate in extracurricular activities?
What interscholastic activities are
available to students?
What intramural activities are available
to students?
What activities receive the most attention
and resources?
Are there school and student
publications?
Does the school sponsor field trips?
Are they available to all students?
Are publications for parents available
in other languages?
Facilities and Services
Is there a well-stocked library where
students can check out books and
do research? Are reading materials
available in other languages?
Is there interlibrary loan?
Is time provided in the day for students
to go to the library?
Do students have access to computers
and to the Internet in the classroom
and library?
Is use of the Internet monitored?
16


以下省略。。。。