When building a home location is always important, however if you are a parent, school districts and school ratings may come into play when making this decision. In Arizona parents have a “CHOICE”. Do you wish for your child to go to public school, private school, online or a local area charter? The choices for many Arizona families can be difficult, and picking the area that fits your needs as a family may not be the area that fits the needs of your student.
Scottsdale Unified school district scored an “A” with 144 points on the Arizona report card. It is home to 30 schools, serving more than 24,000 students. Paradise Valley hosts 30 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 area high schools. These numbers don’t take into account the various charter, private and online school options available in the area. Great students, high scoring academics and dedicated teachers can be found all over this state.
As a home buyer, you have narrowed down the location for the new home to be built but the local school doesn’t offer the program that best fits the needs of your child. In Arizona parents have a choice. You can enroll your child outside of the boundary of the neighborhood school and use “Open Enrollment” options in the public sector schools. Open enrollment applications are available on most district websites. These applications allow you as a parent to choose a school that best fits the needs of your child. Many public schools offer specialty programs like, Mandarin, French, aeronautics, STEM, technology and sports. As a parent you are given the CHOICE to choose the programs that best you’re your child’s individual needs.
Local Area Charter schools are available to Arizona families as well. “Created by the Arizona State Legislature in 1994, charter schools are state funded public schools. Charter schools are established to give parents academic choices for their children and provide a learning environment to improve student achievement. Charter schools contract with the state or district to provide tuition free educational services.” – Arizona Department of Education.
Many of the area charter schools offered specialized programs and smaller class sizes. Many do not provide transportation and or school lunch to save on operating costs. Parents wishing their child to attend a Charter school may be required to provide transportation to and from each day.
Private schools are available as well, and costs can be subsidized with scholarships money. Those who wish to Homeschool, may request curriculums from the Arizona Department of Education or become a Learning Coach for one of the many online schools available to Arizona residents. The choices of educating your child are endless. Do your homework, visit the campus and remember that the when choosing the right area to build, you always have the “Choice” when it comes to education in Arizona.