Learning Curve

Orlando area home shoppers have plenty of housing choices-from historic neighborhoods in the city to master-planned communities in the suburbs; from modest starter homes to magnificent mansions.

If choosing where to live weren't complicated enough, families with school-age children face yet another layer of decision-making.

Their new address will also determine which public school their children are eligible to attend. And since getting permission to transfer to a different school can be difficult, if not impossible, it makes sense to shop for schools while shopping for a home.

But where to begin?

"It's surprising how many people come in who have already done research on local school districts," says Dot Booth, a Realtor with the Winter Park Land Company. "For people who have children, it affects how they buy real estate."

One handy source for information about local schools is in your hands right now.

Booth says she often hands clients Orlando Homebuyer, bookmarked at the "Choices" section, where school grades and standardized test scores are listed in a handy, tabular format.

MAKING THE GRADE

In Florida, public schools as well as students are graded from A to F. A school's grade is based in part on how its students perform on a standardized test called the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

FCAT testing starts in the third grade and continues through the 10th grade, and regardless of their classroom performance students must pass the tests to progress. Not surprisingly, the program has been controversial.

Proponents say the FCAT provides a fair and balanced method of rating how much students are learning-and how effectively teachers are teaching. It brings accountability, they say, where previously there had been none.

Critics, however, claim the FCAT forces teachers to "teach to the test," producing students who become more proficient at taking tests than thinking critically.

Plus, they say, the FCAT penalizes schools with many economically disadvantaged students, a high student turnover rate or a significant number of students who speak English as a second language.

In any case, raw FCAT scores are only part of the calculation when school grades are determined. In addition, there's a measurement of how much low-performing students improve their scores from the previous year.

Schools that receive A's are obviously succeeding, but schools that receive lower marks aren't necessarily doing a poor job. Indeed, relying strictly on a letter grade to assess a school can give a misleading impression.

For example, lower-than-expected FCAT improvement from a relatively small group of underperforming students will result in a lower grade for an entire school, even if most other students do very well. For the grade to rise, there must be improvement from one year to the next in all the school's "groups."

For instance, schools with high student turnover rates, typically located in low-income areas, will probably always have challenges improving their FCAT scores. Even if such schools are doing an effective job teaching transient students, their work won't count if these students move to different schools the following year and are replaced by others with similar challenges.

Also, schools serving a significant number of students who speak English as their second language-not an uncommon situation in multicultural Florida-may receive grades that don't necessarily reflect how well students are learning.

And beginning in 2005, special education students, including those with emotional and physical challenges, were required to take the FCAT as well.

For these and other reasons, don't automatically dismiss the quality of instruction at a school that isn't notching A's. Find out the story behind the grade.

DOING YOUR HOMEWORK

Most people use the Internet to delve more deeply into topics of interest. And there's certainly considerable information about Florida's public schools on the Web.

You might first try www.fldoe.org, the Florida Department of Education's Web site. Local school districts also have their own sites, some of which are more user-friendly than others. But you'll also want to enlist some old-fashioned research techniques, such as visiting prospective schools and asking questions.

Call the school office and request to meet with the principal and tour the facilities. Have a list of questions ready and ask if you may telephone or e-mail with follow-up questions.

In addition to taking a formal tour, spend some time on campus just observing. Drive by at the designated drop-off and pick-up time. Take a look at the students coming and going and try to get a feel for the organization, safety and morale of the place.

Are parents and teachers smiling and saying good morning? Do older children help little ones struggling with their backpacks? Are there plenty of adults shepherding children inside from bus lanes and cars?

Also consider taking the family to a fund raiser or sporting event at the school you're evaluating. Football games, car washes, carnivals or bake sales offer an opportunity to see students in action and, at the very least, you'll be supporting involved young people.

Getting a transfer

What if the home you've fallen in love with is zoned for a school that you're less than impressed with? Getting permission to transfer a child out of his or her assigned school is a process that varies in complexity from county to county, and even from school to school.

The state does offer children the opportunity to transfer if their district school shows "consistent underperformance," meaning a failing grade for two out of the previous four years. These students may receive vouchers allowing them to switch to a different public school.

Until recently, the same vouchers could be applied toward private school tuition. But in January, the Florida Supreme Court struck down that provision as a violation of the state constitution.

Only 700 students statewide were actually using vouchers to attend private schools, but advocates of increased funding for public schools considered the ruling to be an important symbolic victory.

That contentious issue aside, following are summaries of how each local county handles student assignment and requests for transfer.

LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS
(352) 253-6500
www.lake.k12.fl.us

Lake County, with 36,000 students in 49 schools, has the smallest school system in Central Florida-although it's growing quickly, thanks to new bedroom communities sprouting in Clermont and other growth hot spots.

While most students attend neighborhood schools, Lake County allows transfers on a space-available basis. Transfers are usually approved for reasons such as before- and after-school childcare needs and participation in certain academic programs.

Lake County offers elementary school magnet programs in science, math, technology and art. High school students can opt for a Health Career Academy, which works in conjunction with South Lake Hospital. The district encompasses several charter schools as well.

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS
(407) 317-3200
www.ocps.k12.fl.us

Of the four public schools systems in Central Florida, Orange County's is by far the largest-bigger than the other three county school systems combined. In fact, with more than 170,000 students in 155 schools, Orange is the fifth-largest school district in the state.

Students in Orange County are assigned to schools based on their street addresses. But transfers are allowed under a variety of special circumstances, assuming space is available.

For example, students may apply for transfer to schools near their parents' workplaces or near their before- or after-school babysitters. Students with severe medical or psychological needs may apply to transfer to schools near their healthcare providers.

And students whose race is in the majority at their zoned schools may apply to transfer to the next closest schools in which they would join the minority race.

It's also possible to transfer to a magnet school. Orange County has been able to create an extensive magnet-school program at all grade levels, allowing students to concentrate in-depth in such subjects as science, math, engineering, law, foreign languages, performing arts and healthcare.

Magnet programs tend to be popular with parents and students, so only students living within a particular magnet-school zone are guaranteed admission. Others must apply and, at some schools, win a spot through a lottery or by audition.

Orange County also has a variety of general and specialized charter schools, and schools with programs for gifted and other special-needs children.

OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS
(407) 870-4600
www.osceola.k12.fl.us

Osceola County, with 49,463 students in 46 schools, is one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state-and one of the most multi-cultural.

This diversity, reflected in the large number of students who speak English as a second language, has undoubtedly impacted test scores. But the district points to steady improvement while boasting of innovative programs that combine academic instruction, arts programs and workforce training.

Osceola County has no magnet programs per se but offers "schools of choice," with specialized instruction for careers in teaching, hospitality and healthcare.

Students enrolled in such a school can graduate with not only a high school diploma, but also a certification or license in a career or technical field.

As you might expect from a school system surrounded by Central Florida's major theme parks, Osceola County also boasts a performing arts school that serves students from middle school through high school. Auditions are required for admission.

Most Osceola students looking to participate in a special program are able to transfer, with the exception of those wanting to go to a charter school, where waiting lists are standard.

POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS
(863) 534-0500
www.pcsb.k12.fl.us

Polk County, with 93,000 students in almost 160 schools, is the eighth-largest school district in Florida and among the 40 largest nationally. The majority of Polk County schools test at or above the state standard and more than half maintain an A or B school grade.

Schools in Polk County also rank nationally. Newsweek magazine rated Bartow High's International Baccalaureate School as No. 169 on its list of the nation's top 1,000 public high schools. Meanwhile the Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts made the magazine's list of best secondary art schools.

In Polk County, the application process to attend a magnet school or school of choice takes place twice yearly. Waiting lists may be established as needed.

Polk County offers a Hospital/Homebound program for students whose activities are restricted due to medical conditions. Students must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the program and must be enrolled in a public school beforehand.

SEMINOLE COUNTY SCHOOLS
(407) 320-0000
www.scps.k12.fl.us

With 66,000 students and 65 schools in an affluent, suburban county, the Seminole County School System consistently ranks among the best in Florida. Test scores are above average, facilities have generally kept pace with growth, and programs are innovative.

Most students are assigned to schools based on their street address. But Seminole County also offers numerous magnet schools and magnet programs within traditional schools.

Applications for admission to such programs are screened for prerequisites and then randomly selected. Those not selected are assigned to a waiting pool, where criteria such as racial and ethnic ratios and siblings in the program are considered when openings arise.

Elementary school students residing in the northwest and northeast sections of Seminole County are provided more choices through the creation of two "cluster zones," in which parents may pick from three or four nearby schools.

At the end of each application period, students are assigned to schools based on preference and on a random selection process designed to achieve racial balance. In other parts of the county, majority-to-minority race transfers are also permitted.

If you're interested in moving to Seminole County, you may need to do extra homework because the county is in the always-contentious process of rezoning some schools. So double check to make certain that the home you're interested in is zoned for the school you think it is.

VOLUSIA COUNTY SCHOOLS
(386) 734-7190
www.volusia.k12.fl.us

Volusia County, with 65,000 students in 82 schools, continues to rank among the top 10 of Florida's 67 school districts in terms of test scores and graduation rates. Part of this success can be attributed to the variety of special learning programs offered.

For example, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) combines the instructional components of teaching English as a second language with the curriculum requirements of English Language Arts courses. And Volusia County's Gifted Program offers a compacted and differentiated curriculum for students with exceptional educational needs.

Most students attend neighborhood schools, yet Volusia County's School Variance Program provides an opportunity for parents to apply for a school other than the ones to which their children are assigned. Variances may be approved for transportation or child care issues, curriculum availability or intent to move to a new home.

THE PRIVATE SCHOOL OPTION

Some parents may be seeking a cozier learning environment for their children, one with religious training not offered in secular or public schools. Others may prefer nontraditional academic programs and more stringent standards of behavior.

For those and many other reasons, more parents are choosing private schools for their children, sending local private schools into a definite boom cycle.

And Central Florida parents have a wide array of excellent private schools from which to choose.

There are college preparatory schools with curricula stringent enough to meet the entrance requirements of Ivy League universities. There are faith-based schools for those who want their children educated in a religious environment. There are schools that specialize in tailoring programs to meet each child's specific learning needs.

Whatever learning environment you think your child would thrive in, chances are there's a private school that can create it. But finding the right private school for your children requires some parental homework.

Although the Florida Department of Education requires non-public schools to respond to an annual survey, the state does not license, approve, accredit or regulate private schools. Nor are private school teachers required to be state certified. Therefore it is up to parents to investigate thoroughly a private school's curriculum, standards and credentials.

To be sure, most private schools work hard to receive accreditation from reputable organizations, hire and retain talented, qualified teachers, and make sure their students achieve academic success. After all, in order to stay in business, private schools must establish and maintain their academic reputations.

Since most colleges require applicants to have a diploma from an accredited high school, public or private, it's a good idea for parents to investigate whether the private school they're considering is accredited-and by whom.

If a regional accreditation is not specified, the school must be approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which is the accrediting body for all schools and universities in 11 southeastern states.

SACS, one of the most prestigious accreditations and one of only six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, evaluates academic programs, extracurricular activities, staff qualifications and financial stability, among other factors.

Including SACS, there are just 13 accrediting organizations officially recognized by the Florida Association of Academic and Nonpublic Schools (FAANS), the largest of which is the Florida Council of Independent Schools. The Council, which represents more than 73,000 students in 159 member schools, uses criteria similar to SACS and evaluates only secular private schools.

In addition to asking about accreditation, parents may also want to ask what qualifications the school expects of its instructors. Do all teachers hold four-year college degrees? Does the school provide continuing education programs for teachers?

To get a read on how well the school's students have been performing academically, you may ask the school for a senior-class profile, which should show what colleges have accepted students from the school and how many of the students go on to college.

Talk to friends and neighbors who have children in private schools about their school choices. Then visit the schools that seem to meet your requirements.

"There's no substitute for a personal visit," Says Katherine Ford, executive director of FAANS. "Look for strong leadership. Is the school generally clean? Evaluate the appearance and attitude of the students. Are they ready and willing to answer your questions?"

PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH A DIFFERENCE

While many children will spend kindergarten through high school in neighborhood schools, others choose to travel to schools that offer more specific educational opportunities. Some counties offer magnet schools or charter schools for those students.

Magnet Schools

Magnet programs were developed to educate children who already have a career path in mind. These schools offer specialized instruction for everything from musical theater to medical technology and serve elementary, middle and high school students.

Sometimes magnet programs are located within traditional district schools, but there are also magnet schools structured entirely around a specific area of study.

Lotteries are often used to choose children for these programs. Other times, children are chosen based on a demonstrated capacity for the study area through grades, test scores and teacher recommendations. For example, a portfolio review or audition may be part of the process for fine and performing arts programs, while some magnet schools require written essays as part of the application process.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are public schools organized as nonprofit corporations and operated by parents, teachers, administrators and others outside the public school bureaucracy. Funding comes from the state in allotted portions per student.

These schools have the freedom to draft their own rules regarding curriculum, discipline, personnel and teaching formats. Typically smaller than traditional schools, charter schools are largely free to innovate and therefore able to accommodate the needs of underserved groups of students. Since 1996, the number of Florida charter schools has grown from five to more than 200, with a total enrollment of more than 50,000 last year.

Charter schools select an individual mission or focus, but students are still required to pass statewide exams and fulfill state requirements.