These are the kinds of things parent advocates and school staff suggest that you consider when visiting schools.  Decide which ones are important for YOUR family.  You may also wish to download a Microsoft Word document or PDF file containing this checklist.

Location.  Do you prefer a school close to home, close to where you work, or close to another family member or a sitter?

Number of grades in the school.  Most BPS elementary schools are K1 or K2 to 5th grade. A few start at K0; others run through 8th grade.

Total number of students in the school. In BPS elementary schools, the number ranges from 100 to 900 students in the building.

Class size and the teacher/student ratio.  Most BPS K1 classes have 20 children in a class; K2 classes have 22 children in a class. However, integrated classes may have less. Are there any professional  
          teacher’s aides or volunteers assisting the classroom teacher?

Hours of the school day.   Most schools are either early schools (8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.) or late schools (9:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m.), but exact hours vary by school, and schools may switch their times for a new
          year.

Facilities.  Is there a playground? gym? cafeteria? auditorium? library? pool? How clean is the building?

Educational philosophy.   What is the school philosophy about how children learn best? How does the school teach literacy (basic reading and writing) and math? What kind of support does it provide both for
          children who are struggling academically and for children who are
          excelling?

The atmosphere.  When you walk around, are children excited about learning and proud of their school?  How about the teachers?  What kind of student work is displayed on the walls?  What do you think of
          the interactions you see between the children and the teachers,
          principal, and other school staff?

Specialties/"enrichment".  Does the school offer art, music, computer classes, a foreign language, drama, swimming, or other physical education? At what age do children participate in these programs?

Test scores.   If you are interested in these, you can find out the State test scores (MCAS) for each school and the Stanford 9 scores by looking at each school’s Report on Teaching and Learning at the
          Family Resource Centers, asking at the individual schools, or
          looking on the BPS website.

After school (and before school) programs.  Does the school have a program on site? What does it offer?  What does it cost? What are the hours? Who runs the program? Is transportation provided to or from
          the program?

Diversity.  What is the racial mix in the school of children, teachers and staff?  How does the school encourage interactions and respect across different racial and cultural groups?

Parent involvement.  What opportunities do parents have to be active in the school and how many parents are active now?  Does the school have ways to involve working parents who are not available during
          the school day?

Discipline. How does the school handle discipline?  Has discipline been an issue at the school?

The teachers.  What is your overall impression of teachers in different grades?

The principal.  How long has the principal been at the school? What does she/he see as the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the priorities for the coming years?