# US school entry system



## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

Hi there, 
My husband has the opportunity to move to the US and I need to start thinking in terms of how does the school system work. I have children aged 7, 5 and 2 and was wondering how to get them into school. We would be coming over in the summer next year and I have no idea whether they automatically get into the school nearby or if it is a case of registering beforehand...any help would be gratefully appreciated.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

The school systems in the US are operated at the local level, usually town or county, so it depends a great deal on where you'll be living. In some areas, children automatically go to the nearest school (or the school that covers the district in which you live), in others there is some selection process or possibly even an admission process (say, for a magnet school or other alternative program within the local public school system). 

In general, though, public school starts at age 5 (Kindergarten) or 6 (First grade). Kids younger than that can enroll in a nursery school, pre-school or day-care program but these are general private, fee-paying programs.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

What state/city will you be moving to?


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

Hello again,

Sorry, what is a Magnet school? 
Also, does this mean that if we move to a town, the nearest school would have to take my children, even if it were full? Also,is there a maximum amount of children per class?


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

twostep said:


> What state/city will you be moving to?


Hi there, 

This is another one of our decisions, he is not office based and just needs to be within an hour of a major airport. We would like to remain on the East side of the country and more north but other than that, flexible. It is almost too big. Any recommendations?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

MovingUSA said:


> Hello again,
> 
> Sorry, what is a Magnet school?
> Also, does this mean that if we move to a town, the nearest school would have to take my children, even if it were full? Also,is there a maximum amount of children per class?


Because the public schools in the US are locally run, the quality of the schools varies tremendously from town to town even. (And often even within larger towns and cities.) Magnet schools are special, competitive (usually) programs set up to draw students from a range of backgrounds and areas within a large school district. Magnet schools might have an especially good science or arts program, for example.

While in many areas, there are guidelines regarding the maximum number of children per class, they vary from town to town. Within a given town, if a school is "full" they generally will just redraw the district boundaries to send children to another, less full school - so it's not always the case that your child will attend the closest school.

But the real estate agents usually have lots of information about the schools in a given area, as housing values depend greatly on the reputation of the school district that serves the area. There is no real national level coordination of the schools in the US, no national curriculum and no national standards. You're pretty much dependent on the local tax structure and socio-economic profile.
Cheers,
Bev


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> Because the public schools in the US are locally run, the quality of the schools varies tremendously from town to town even. (And often even within larger towns and cities.) Magnet schools are special, competitive (usually) programs set up to draw students from a range of backgrounds and areas within a large school district. Magnet schools might have an especially good science or arts program, for example.
> 
> While in many areas, there are guidelines regarding the maximum number of children per class, they vary from town to town. Within a given town, if a school is "full" they generally will just redraw the district boundaries to send children to another, less full school - so it's not always the case that your child will attend the closest school.
> 
> ...


Thanks Bev for your reply, I am now even more confused than ever!! Not because of your explanation but because there is not a national standard that you can then compare like with like. 
If you have children, how would you say the two educational systems compare? (British vs American) 
And when you say that you are dependent on the local tax structure, is that something that can vary widely from year to year or is it fairly constant? i.e. we choose one area this year,will it be the same the next year?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

MovingUSA said:


> Hi there,
> 
> This is another one of our decisions, he is not office based and just needs to be within an hour of a major airport. We would like to remain on the East side of the country and more north but other than that, flexible. It is almost too big. Any recommendations?


That is a personal preference. I have developed allergies against temperatures below 80F:>)
It does not make sense to start looking for information about school systems until you narrowed the location down to a few final possibilities.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

MovingUSA said:


> If you have children, how would you say the two educational systems compare? (British vs American)
> And when you say that you are dependent on the local tax structure, is that something that can vary widely from year to year or is it fairly constant? i.e. we choose one area this year,will it be the same the next year?


Basically, I'm not British and I don't have children, so I can't really say much in comparison. What you need to understand is that there isn't a single educational system in the US. It's in the hands of the local school districts. 

Regarding the tax structure, what I meant is that the relative affluence of a town will have a huge bearing on the quality of the schools, simply because there is usually a greater tax base (mostly property taxes) and thus more money available to fund the schools. The Federal government kicks in some funds, usually tied to a few standards like how many days a year the schools must be in session, and now, I guess, this No Child Left Behind program, which involves testing the students to make sure they are learning basic skills. But what is taught and when and how it's taught is a local issue.

I grew up in the US (and moved around several times) so to me this is the "natural" way of things. For me in France, the concept of a centralized single education system is literally mind boggling. (Though even in France there are variations in the quality of the schools by location.)

In your situation, you need to decide where you want to live - near what city, or in what area - and then look into the various school districts in the area in which you will be living.
Cheers,
Bev


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## RICHNTRISH (Jun 4, 2008)

Hi, go to Florida Schools - Florida State School Ratings - Public and Private , there you will be able to find a school in a good area whereever you want to be , then reseach homes in that area.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Some states have better reputations than others, too. Florida is not one of them.

If you are in a moderately sized school district, that has good schools, your residence should assure a good school for your child. If you are in a larger school district, it's possible to move into a section of the district that has good schools, then have them redraw boundaries and put your child in a worse district. I know someone that ended up putting her child in a private school because of this.

As soon as you know where you will be, contact the school for information and see what you need to register them. Find out if there are any special programs you might want them to be in. You might be surprised at the choices. Montgomery County, Maryland, for instance has (or used to, anyway) a French immersion magnet school.

Register the children as early as possible if you want a special program, because they can be full. 

In some area, there will be a public Pre-K program, for foru-year-olds. The cutoff dates for an academic year vary, too. Where I grew up, if you were six before February first, you could start school. Other places have a cutoff date of September 1 or December 1.

As Bev says, it is all local, and varies wildly.


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

synthia said:


> Some states have better reputations than others, too. Florida is not one of them.
> 
> If you are in a moderately sized school district, that has good schools, your residence should assure a good school for your child. If you are in a larger school district, it's possible to move into a section of the district that has good schools, then have them redraw boundaries and put your child in a worse district. I know someone that ended up putting her child in a private school because of this.
> 
> ...



Dear Synthia,

That's great advice, thanks for that.I will look into it more thoroughly when I have a better idea as to the area we will move to. Expect lots more questions!

Claudine


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

RICHNTRISH said:


> Hi, go to Florida Schools - Florida State School Ratings - Public and Private , there you will be able to find a school in a good area whereever you want to be , then reseach homes in that area.


Great link, thank you!

Claudine


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## cpturfpro1 (Oct 8, 2008)

Here are some links about the US Educational system, the schools are controlled by the state, and they administer standardized testing to see how they rank against other schools and states. I have 2 children in elementary school now. Where you live is a big factor, we live in a desirable area with good schools, it is a small school in an nice area, graduates about 95 kids per year. 1 mile away is a school district boundry that it not so good, very big about 350-450 graduates per year, it covers a bigger area but has some unsavory areas in the district. If you are looking at staying in the east and somewhat north, Pittsburgh, PA is a great area. And i'm not just saying that because i grew up there and still live there now, ok maybe a little. But it is very affordable and has a great way of life and educational system in the suburbs. If you would want more info on the area just ask and i'll let you know what I know.
Top USA High Schools: High school Diplomas Best High Schools


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## cpturfpro1 (Oct 8, 2008)

sorry the link wouldn't post


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Small schools can be nice. I went to one. But in retrospect, I think I would want to be in a medium sized school, with at least a couple of hundred students. In larger schools, there are usually quite a few social groups, and it can be easier to find a group that suits you. They tend to offer more academic options, such as more languages to chose from and more AP courses. They offer more sports opportunities, too.

For older students, the smaller schools mean that there is less competition for things like working on the school paper or sports. For young children, activities are all organized around a classroom, so the number of students in the class means more than the size of the school. Being in a small school with two second grade classes of 30 may not be as good as being in a large school with 10 second grade classes of 20.

While states administer tests, there is no national standard. What is considered 12th grade reading level in Alabama is equivalent to the 8th grade requirement in New York State.


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## cpturfpro1 (Oct 8, 2008)

Synthia,
The school i described has over 400 kids in the high school, but each graduating class has about 95-100 per year. I disagree about the academic and sports offerings, our school has many options, and is ranked very high academicly. People are always looking for houses in the district, so they can send thier kids here. I agree with you that in rural areas your thoughts might ring true, but not in the suburbs of bigger cities. Right now we have 5 grads playing division 1 football, 1 is a coach at a large university, 3 kids have been drafted by major league baseball in the last 2 years. It all depends on the area and the community makeup, in my opinion.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

In some districts the options may be good, but in others they won't be. It is very, very dependent on how much money the district has, what is generally considered to be important, what the school administration wants, and a ton of other factors. You really have to ask. In a small school, any boy who can walk and is interested can play football, but in a larger school it is competitive. Small schools may offer only French and Spanish, larger ones are more likely to offer German or even Japanese. Rural areas aren't going to have a separate school geared to the performing arts or science, either.


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## nonie (Aug 4, 2008)

synthia said:


> In some districts the options may be good, but in others they won't be. It is very, very dependent on how much money the district has, what is generally considered to be important, what the school administration wants, and a ton of other factors. You really have to ask. In a small school, any boy who can walk and is interested can play football, but in a larger school it is competitive. Small schools may offer only French and Spanish, larger ones are more likely to offer German or even Japanese. Rural areas aren't going to have a separate school geared to the performing arts or science, either.


Synthia's comments are dead on. For public schools it all depends on the money they are receiving. There are schools in larger areas that make your 5th graders try out for band class. Leaving parents to feel they need to start their children on instruments at age 4 so that they can be good enough to make the cut for band class starting in 5th grade. 

Of course there is always the private school option. Pay big money for your choice in what your child is taught. For our family we find the cost of tuition at our kids' private school crazy. Private schools like to say there is tuition assistance but I know at our school they brag about that but the bottom line is, it's very minimal and hard to qualify for. So here you send your kid to private school where the students generally come from wealthier homes (because who else can afford the tuition!) and your children tend not to be exposed to all walks of life....leaving your kid less able to relate to those who haven't had things quite as easy as they have. 

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change where my children attend school. We choose to send them there because we don't believe the public school system teaches the right things...for us all aspects of education should taught 
from a biblical view, but there are still drawbacks to the private schools as well.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

If you can swing it, you might want to look at the more affluent outer suburbs of Boston or Philadelphia for good school systems within an hour of international airports. Boston would be my first choice.


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## RachaelK (Oct 14, 2008)

Boston has some great public school systems in its suburbs. My cousin and her fiance have been researching the housing market and she's hooked on the idea of living in Arlington - mostly due to their EXTENSIVE research into the school systems. It's a gorgeous little community just north of Boston. A lot of the suburbs around Boston are great. Plus it's fairly easy access to Logan Airport with the new highway/tunnel system.

It can get a 'bit' cold in the winter but having all 4 seasons is well worth it. I'm in Ireland now and I miss them like crazy!! Snowy winters, warm and flowery springs, hot and sunny summers, and gorgeous autumns with the most colorful foliage you'll ever see.  I'm a bit biased but it's definitely a spot worth looking into if you don't mind the cold.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

A 'bit' cold is, of course, sarcastic. Temperatures can go way negative, in Farhenheit. It's been milder the last few years, but a hard winter is, well, hard. A couple feet of snow that won't be gone totally for months, -5F (about -20C) plus wind.


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

cpturfpro1 said:


> Here are some links about the US Educational system, the schools are controlled by the state, and they administer standardized testing to see how they rank against other schools and states. I have 2 children in elementary school now. Where you live is a big factor, we live in a desirable area with good schools, it is a small school in an nice area, graduates about 95 kids per year. 1 mile away is a school district boundry that it not so good, very big about 350-450 graduates per year, it covers a bigger area but has some unsavory areas in the district. If you are looking at staying in the east and somewhat north, Pittsburgh, PA is a great area. And i'm not just saying that because i grew up there and still live there now, ok maybe a little. But it is very affordable and has a great way of life and educational system in the suburbs. If you would want more info on the area just ask and i'll let you know what I know.
> Top USA High Schools: High school Diplomas Best High Schools


Thanks for your reply, 
I do have a few more questions, if you don't mind. You say that you have elementary school children so I am wondering about a few things (and one thing I get is that things are different from state to state so I know if we move elsewhere there is a high likelihood it won't be the same!).
How many children are there in one class? Do you have such things as a classroom assistant or just one teacher in the class?
How does the school year run? For example, over here we started at the beginning of September, we will have a week's holiday on Monday and then two weeks at Christmas. So our school year runs with generally 7 weeks of classes and then some sort of a break, with the year ending at the end of July.
What month is the break off for starting a new year. My son's birthday is in November, which makes him one of the oldest as the year runs from september to august for the birthdays, is this the same (in Scotland it runs from January to december- which would make my son one of the youngest). Sorry if this is not a clear question, I don't know how else to word it.
Is music taught in schools? If so, from what age?
And language? Again, from what age?
Many thanks

Claudine


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

synthia said:


> A 'bit' cold is, of course, sarcastic. Temperatures can go way negative, in Farhenheit. It's been milder the last few years, but a hard winter is, well, hard. A couple feet of snow that won't be gone totally for months, -5F (about -20C) plus wind.


That does sound cold, although what a joy to have a White Christmas one year!


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## MovingUSA (Oct 15, 2008)

RachaelK said:


> Boston has some great public school systems in its suburbs. My cousin and her fiance have been researching the housing market and she's hooked on the idea of living in Arlington - mostly due to their EXTENSIVE research into the school systems. It's a gorgeous little community just north of Boston. A lot of the suburbs around Boston are great. Plus it's fairly easy access to Logan Airport with the new highway/tunnel system.
> 
> It can get a 'bit' cold in the winter but having all 4 seasons is well worth it. I'm in Ireland now and I miss them like crazy!! Snowy winters, warm and flowery springs, hot and sunny summers, and gorgeous autumns with the most colorful foliage you'll ever see.  I'm a bit biased but it's definitely a spot worth looking into if you don't mind the cold.


I am okay with the cold but I just don't know for how long! When you hot and sunny, is it also very humid in the summer? I know from a friend that Washington D.C. can be unbearably humid in the summer, is it like that in Boston?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

MovingUSA said:


> Thanks for your reply,
> I do have a few more questions, if you don't mind. You say that you have elementary school children so I am wondering about a few things (and one thing I get is that things are different from state to state so I know if we move elsewhere there is a high likelihood it won't be the same!).
> How many children are there in one class? Do you have such things as a classroom assistant or just one teacher in the class?
> How does the school year run? For example, over here we started at the beginning of September, we will have a week's holiday on Monday and then two weeks at Christmas. So our school year runs with generally 7 weeks of classes and then some sort of a break, with the year ending at the end of July.
> ...


There are a few things that are almost similar from state to state - like some of what you've asked about. The school years starts in late August or early September most places. The kids get the public holidays in the fall, and then normally 1 or 1.5 weeks at Christmas. After that, there are one or two further week-long holidays - usually one late February and another in April ("spring break" or "Easter break" even if it falls nowhere near Easter). Some school districts just have a single week long holiday in March. Then it's pretty much straight through until early June.

An early November birthday will make your son either the youngest or the oldest. Cut-off for first grade is normally the end of September or October, usually with an "assessment" done for those kids whose birthdays fall just before or just after the deadline.

Music and language (I assume you mean foreign language) depends on the school district. And with cut backs in funding, music, language and art classes are normally the first to be cut.

How many children in a class is a toughie. It varies greatly from school to school, even within the same district. Usually, though, classes over 25 or so are considered "crowded" and there is some effort made to re-assign children, though it depends on funding again. Teacher's aides or assistants are far from universal, and sometimes they use parent volunteers for special events or projects.

But I grew up in the Boston area and will confirm that there are some excellent school districts around there.
Cheers,
Bev


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Boston is absolutely nothing like Washington, DC's climate and the winters are relatively mild, compared to further north, because the temperatures are moderated by the sea. If you enjoy sailing, you may keep a boat in many coastal villages or ski in the mountains of Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont; all within easy driving range. Now, I'm drooling at the thought of lobster and other cold water seafood!


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## cpturfpro1 (Oct 8, 2008)

MovingUSA said:


> Thanks for your reply,
> I do have a few more questions, if you don't mind. You say that you have elementary school children so I am wondering about a few things (and one thing I get is that things are different from state to state so I know if we move elsewhere there is a high likelihood it won't be the same!).
> How many children are there in one class? Do you have such things as a classroom assistant or just one teacher in the class?
> How does the school year run? For example, over here we started at the beginning of September, we will have a week's holiday on Monday and then two weeks at Christmas. So our school year runs with generally 7 weeks of classes and then some sort of a break, with the year ending at the end of July.
> ...


Bev, has answered the question on terms of the school year. As for class size it depends on what the district is like. ( size of community and tax base)

Our district has 2 elementary schools, the one my sons are in have 18 children in 
1st grade, broken into 2 differnt classes, and 22 in 5th grade. I think the other school is about the same. Music and Art are mandatory in our district starting in Kindergarten. As for language, i think it starts in 7th grade and our district offers Spanish and French. I know the school my niece goes to offers German also. I hope i answered all your questions. As for when your child would start, my son in 1st grade is 6 now but will turn 7 in December, i hope this helps. Fist you need to pick a region to relocate to , then start looking at school districts. While Boston and Phillidelphia are great cities, they are also high on the cost of living scale in my opinion.

Craig


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Generally speaking, the higher the cost of living, the better the school system. However, we're still way down in quality, compared to much of the world and it is showing.


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## cpturfpro1 (Oct 8, 2008)

RVGRINGO said:


> Generally speaking, the higher the cost of living, the better the school system. However, we're still way down in quality, compared to much of the world and it is showing.


I agree to an extent,but there are more affordable cities than Philly and Boston.


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