You have children, and you’ve always contemplated a move because the school system in City X is better. But is it worth moving just to give your kids the possibility of a better education? Before you decide, you should investigate a possible move from every angle. Make sure this is the right decision, not just for your kids, but for your entire family.
First, you need to be sure that the school you’re looking at is the best school for your kid. If you’re searching for schools in other school systems, other counties, or other states, this might be a harder job than you may think. Finding a good school involves a lot of research. Call the school, or better yet, ask for a meeting in-person, and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. If you’re not sure what to ask, look online. Search for articles on how to assess a school and which questions to ask when reviewing a school.
In some parts of Florida – and the U.S., it’s not always clear to parents which school their child will attend based. Sometimes it’s decided by geography, sometimes it’s based on a lottery system. In this case, it’s literally a gamble. And what might be considered the best school in a district might not be the best school for your particular child. Research the rules of acceptance before you move.
Of course, education is very important, but so is your child’s ability to feel comfortable and fit in at school and have teachers and friends who are there to provide support for them. It can be argued this may be more important than a school’s academic grade. Talk with your child. Talk with their teachers. Discover which is the right environment to support his or her education. Do they prefer hands-on, one-on-one teaching? Does he or she prefer to learn on their own?
Take your child’s abilities, interests, and goals into account and find a place where your child will be nurtured and developed. You may want your child to excel in science, but is she’d rather play the flute, she may not like a school where there is no music program. Even though you can help ease the transition to a new school, moving is hard, and it’s an enormous life change.
Moving in Brevard County is also a huge financial expense for you. The cost of living in a new city may be more than you can afford, not to mention, you’d have to pay for a move. Assess the entire situation, do the math, and be honest and realistic. If you can afford the move financially, if your family is strong enough, another school just may be a better option for your child.
