As parents and children get ready to head back to school, they will be returning to all types of schools. Some will learn in a classroom in a public school, a private school or a charter school, or they can learn at home with home schooling or an online school. The options can be overwhelming as parents search for the best educational choice for their child, but it’s great for families to know they have choices.

The web site www.GreatSchools.org offers four steps for choosing the right school. They include:

·          defining the ideal school for your child

·          starting the search

·          prepping for a school visit

·          applying and enrolling in the right school.

Many students are going back to a traditional public school this year. There are eight city, village and local school districts in Lucas County educating 55,000 students. If a traditional public school is what you think is best for your child, be sure to take note on how the school is rated with a look at the state’s annual report cards, just released last month, for every public school in the state. These report cards are based on standardized test scores, attendance, and other factors.  Schools can receive a score from “Excellent” down to “Academic Emergency.” See how your child’s local school is performing by visiting the Ohio Department of

Education’s Local Report Card web site (http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/).

If a student is looking for a non-traditional school within the public school system, Toledo Technology Academy High School may fit the bill. It is a magnet school that offers a four-year manufacturing engineering technology curriculum that includes academics as well as technical classes. The school received an Excellent rating on its 2009-2010 School Year Report Card.

Other kids are heading to a private school this year. There are 34 private schools that educate 12,762 students in Lucas County. Generally, private schools have smaller class sizes and lower student-to-teacher ratios. Michelle Roundtree is the mother of two students at Rosary Cathedral School. She appreciates the family feel at the school: “The teachers do a great job communicating with the parents and show interest in her children.”

Unlike public schools, private schools have a cost attached and some parents are not able to afford the tuition. Need-based scholarships may be available through The Northwest Ohio Scholarship Fund. Parents can apply for the scholarship lottery by visiting www.nosf.org.  Another scholarship that may be available for your child is the EdChoice Scholarship program. These scholarships are limited to children who attend low-rated public schools (or who will be starting at a low-rated school next year). These scholarships are awarded through the Ohio Department of Education and the application period is generally February through April before the school year begins. If parents want to see if their child is eligible for an EdChoice Scholarship they can visit http://edchoice.ohio.gov later this month, when the new school eligibility list is released.

Another option for families is charter schools. There are 33 charter or community schools in Lucas County with 8,236 students. Charter schools are public schools created and organized by teachers, parents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, or community leaders. Charter schools, like all public schools, receive a rating from the state that can be found online (http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/). Keith Polin, a parent of three children who have attended Toledo School for the Arts said this of his children’s school: “We chose not just a ‘charter school’ but an arts-based education for our children. Toledo School for the Arts was our choice for that reason. My wife and I believed an arts-based education would unlock our children’s creativity.”

Other educational options include home schooling and online schools. Many parents feel that children learning at home may be the best fit for their child. There are more than 24,000 students in the state of Ohio learning at home with their parents. Parents must provide Home Education notification to their public school district superintendent. Christine Scarlett has home schooled her children for 20 years and said that some of the reasons she loves home schooling is “customizing each child’s learning style as well as the added benefit of great sibling relationships between her children.” Families can have their children learn at home with free public online schools such as Ohio Virtual Academy. Ohio Virtual Academy has 500 students learning at home in Lucas County utilizing the K12 curriculum, technology, and administrative services.