Multiple Choice

Making back to school easier for parents

WORDS AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER

YOU CAN GO THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR CHARTER ROUTE. They can learn in style of Maria Montessori, from a religious approach, or from teachers who switch languages mid-day—or mid-class. There’s even a whole school based on Russian mathematics. When it comes to your child’s education, the options are aplenty—and that’s a good thing.

But with choices comes decisions, and the school you send your child to is one of the bigger ones you make as a parent. School shapes so much of who we are—our friends, our outlook, our childhood memories—not to mention our education. And all children learn differently; some kids might thrive at the neighborhood public school, while others might fit in better in a private or charter school setting. It’s no wonder this decision can feel so high stakes.

DFWChild’s Guide to Education is meant to help you navigate these choices, and the first step is knowing all your options. Consider this your cheat sheet.

If you’re considering a private school, flip to page 23 where you’ll find an exhaustive list of the offerings in Dallas-Fort Worth along with some key information such as the grades they serve and their total enrollment. Public school a better fit for your family? There are options there too—find your local ISD on page 39, and check out the directory of area public charter schools on page 41.

Don’t worry, Mom and Dad, you’ll ace this.