The Foreign Service Journal, June 2022

78 JUNE 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Being able to choose where to live based on the public school district or neighborhood schools, parents may have a choice between neighborhood schools, charter schools, out-of-district schools (in a lottery system like Washington, D.C.), or a private school. In narrowing down their school choice, parents should focus on the educational needs of their children, their social and emotional needs, special needs, gifted and tal- ented considerations, and other areas of interest and special programming their children can take advantage of. One size does not fit all. If location is not a determining factor for choosing a school for your child, the following three factors should guide your search: • Think about your child and your family’s needs. What kind of learning environment and student-to-teacher ratio is best for your child? If your child needs after-school care, does the school offer it? What kind of learning style best suits your child, and which schools offer the subject focus that your child excels in? • Start early, and learn all you can about the schools you are considering. Find out about the school’s curricu- lum, its approach to learning, facilities, behavior policies, safety measures in place, extracurricular offerings and aca- demic performance. You can research a school’s “report card” at GreatSchools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality information Although short- and long-term academic planning is important, it is not the only factor parents need to consider when moving back to the U.S. public school system.