Choosing a preschool is a complex decision that must take into consideration the characteristics of the child, family, and school. Preschool quality depends on many characteristics, but not all are easily measurable, and not all are of equal importance to each individual child or family.
When evaluating a preschool, it helps to consider the following:
Child characteristics
Parents need to look at their child's personality, learning style and any special needs. Does the child need the structure that a traditional school setting would provide, or does he or she prefer to explore and take more personal responsibility for learning?
Could the child benefit from some type of alternative schooling approach? Does the child respond differently to being in small and large group? If, for example, a child learns best in small cooperative work groups, then parents may want to consider finding a preschool that uses this instructional strategy. If a child has a special interest in music or the arts, then some preference might be given to a preschool that offers or excels in those areas in it/s regular curriculum.
Family characteristics
A family's choice of preschool will depend on the family's value, in addition to practical considerations such as transportation and fees. Choosing the neighborhood preschool regardless of other factors may be the best option for many families with close ties to their neighbors and neighborhood community, while choosing a religious school may be the best choice for others.
School characteristics
Parents should always request for a preschool's statement of philosophy or mission statement and ask about beliefs that guide the school's program and teaching approaches.
. Instructional approaches - Multi-age grouping, looping, and traditional classrooms offer different advantage, and parents will want to know how the school is organized for instruction. Parents will also want to inquire about average class size at the various grade levels. A preschool with a traditional structure that provides clear standards and expectations may be a good choice for some children, while a preschool that allows extra freedom and places more responsibility for learning on the child may work well for other children.. School facilities/personnel resources - Although modern, well-designed facilities do not guarantee higher student achievement, some basic features that parents can look for include a well-equipped library, a collection of age-appropriate books, a separate lunchroom and assembly areas or large classroom for meetings and presentations, and adequate physical education facilities. With regard to services, parents can check to see whether the preschool has a full-time educator. Parents can also ask about the background and qualifications of the others teacher and what specialties are represented (e.g. music lessons, art classes).
. School policies - Parents should find out about school policies related to scheduling (traditional vs. year-round) and programming day (e.g. block, flexible, or traditional scheduling and the hours of operation). Parents will want to examine the school discipline policy to see if the rules seem fair and consequences seem appropriate. Parents will also want to find out about homework and grading policies.
. School reputation - It is always good to ask friends, neighbors, other parents, and community leaders about the reputation of the preschool of interest. After listening to each person's opinion, parents can decide whether the positive or negative views would apply to their family and children. Parents may want to find out about special areas of concern, such as whether community diversity is reflected in the faculty, linguistic backgrounds are well integrated into the school culture and activities.
. School safety - Parents will want to know how they will be notified in case of an emergency; whether the preschool has an emergency plan (and they should ask to see it).
. Curriculum - Does the preschool have a strong focus on education? With the money you will be paying, parents should search for more than just a place to park their children. Ask to see the curriculum, visit classes, and ask how the preschool's report cards are marked.
. Family and community involvement issues - Finally, school that are working toward excellence should develop many ways to involve parents. Once a school has been chosen, it is important that parents maintain a real commitment to that school, including supporting the staff and contributing time and talents as they are able. Children who see their parents involved in this way have a greater likelihood of school success.
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