By Relocation.com Staff
What are the schools like and are they nearby?
If you are a single person, this may need little consideration unless you are planning on starting a family whilst living in your new community. If you are married or single and have kids, this most probably will be high on your list of needs. You may want to check out how good these schools are. There are many ways to do this. You can contact the schools directly and talk with the principal or you can generally find this information on the internet.
You may find information on the internet by checking out the local district website or going to: www.theschoolreport.com for detailed school comparisons. You will find contact names, numbers and locations as well as student teacher ratios and class sizes. Sat score information as well as how many students go on to college and the awards and recognitions the school has achieved are also posted on this site. TheSchoolReport.com is an excellent free resource when you are moving or relocating.
Public Act 92-0604 requires school report cards to be published on the district Internet site so check these out and look for awards and recognitions the school has achieved. The secretary of education has initiated the Blue Ribbon Schools program in an effort to meet the requirements of the "No child Left Behind Act." This award is given to schools that fall in the top 10 percent of state assessments or to schools that have at least 40% of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who has dramatically improved on student performance in accordance with state assessment systems.