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Choosing a School
School Report CardsThe Independence Institute has long been an advocate for parental choice in education. Beginning in 1995, the Institute was the first in the nation to publish annual school report cards on Colorado public schools.
Modeling our reports, Governor Owens successfully pushed for legislation in 2000 that created a state-run school report card system called School Accountability Reports. The Institute no longer publishes school report cards because we believe the state's reports are both valuable and credible. Colorado's School Accountability Reports, along with the input of other organizations found below, provide parents with vital information to help them choose where to send their children for a quality education. Please also see the section below for questions to ask when selecting a school.
Colorado School Accountability Reports
These public school report cards published by the state of Colorado include the overall school rating, a student academic growth rating, assessment results, school safety reporting, enrollment numbers, student to teacher ratio, staff information, and more. The database is searchable by school district, county, city, zip code, or school.
SchoolMatters.com
This database of public schools allows the viewer to compare as many as five schools at once. The database can also filter search results by size of school and student to teacher ratio. Additional information includes some assessment results, enrollment numbers, and if the school is a charter school.
GreatSchools.net
This site provides data for most private and public schools in Colorado (as well as the 49 other states). It includes assessment results, student to teacher ratios, and other student data when available. The site allows the viewer to compare schools to one another. Some sections of this web site are available by paid subscription only.
National Center for Education Statistics' Public and Private School Search
This site lists schools by city and includes information about school locale and enrollment numbers.
Questions to Ask When Choosing a SchoolHow to Pick a School for Your Child
The School Fair Foundation created this publication to help parents first examine how their child learns so they can find a school that fits the student's learning style. The School Visit: What to Look For, What to Ask
From GreatSchools.net Imagining Your Ideal School: An Exercise for Setting Priorities
This list from GreatSchools.net helps the parent brainstorm about what is important when looking at a school. The Elementary School Visit: Questions to Ask
From GreatSchools.net The Middle School Visit: Questions to Ask
From GreatSchools.net The High School Visit: Questions to Ask
From GreatSchools.net Choosing a Quality School
From FamilyEducation.com More ResourcesParent Power!
A web site created by The Center for Education Reform dedicated to helping parents make sense of education and the choices available today. Colorado Department of Education Charter School Page Colorado League of Charter Schools Homeschooling Resources
Book recommendations, support groups, satellite and correspondence schools, legal resources, online journals and magazines, and more! |
