Learning from Kindergarten to College
As the largest school district in the region and the fourth-largest in Texas, Northside ISD has an enrollment of 88,201, representing 104 schools. The student-teacher ratio is 15.8 to 1 and the computer-student ratio is 1 to 4. With an overall district rating of Recognized, Northside ISD is South Texas’ largest school system, averaging 4,000 new students enrollees each year.

As Military City USA, San Antonio has three districts located on military installations and include Ft. Sam Houston with an enrollment of 1,443; Lackland ISD with 963 students and Randolph Field ISD with 1,206. All three are subject to the rules and regulations of the State of Texas and the federal government and they are the only three military school districts in Texas.

Once a school has been selected, visit its website or call the main office to request a list of important documents to bring when you enroll your child in school. Most schools will require:
  • Child’s birth certificate or other document suitable as proof, such as a passport, hospital birth record, church baptismal record, adoption record, driver’s license, military identification card or other legal document.
  • Child’s records from the school the he or she has most recently attended if the child has previously been enrolled in a school.
  • Child’s proof of required immunizations. Learn more by visiting the Texas Department of State Health Services website at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/school/default.shtm#news.

— Checklist in Selecting a School
While touring schools in your area, have your checklist handy to make remarks and pose questions.
  • Location – is the school close to home? Or will it be necessary to drive or take the bus?
  • How does the school look? Is it clean and well maintained? Do you see litter or graffiti around buildings?
  • Is the local PTA active and involved? Ask for the website or contact person’s phone number.
  • Is the school academically successful? What percentage of the students in college-bound programs is admitted to competitive colleges?
  • Are the textbooks and equipment up to date and printed within the last three years? Are there computers available?
  • Ask about homework – how rigorous is it?
  • Is counseling available for students of elementary and secondary schools? Can parents also meet with a counselor?

Magnet schools
Magnet schools are part of the public school educational system and generally offer a particular focus such as science, technology or the arts. Students from elementary, middle and high school can attend a magnet school throughout a district. To learn about magnet schools, check with a local school district office to identify their particular magnet school program. The area supports more than 30 magnet schools that offers classes on manufacturing, engineering, computer science, desktop publishing, web design and film production, to name a few.

San Antonio ISD (SAISD) offers a wide variety of choices in education, particularly through its specialized schools and magnet programs. These encompass 14 different magnet programs at 13 campuses, covering both middle and high school. SAISD offers a selection of programs to allow students to develop their talents or pursue special interests and career goals such as science, technology, the arts, language immersion, law/legal professions, medicine and much more. These special learning programs are available to students across Bexar County, those living within and outside the SAISD District.

Charter Schools
Charter schools are publicly funded schools that are subject to fewer state regulations than traditional public and magnet schools. Charter schools were developed to improve student learning, increase the choice of learning opportunities within the public school system; create professional opportunities that will attract new teachers to the public school system; establish a new form of accountability for public schools; and encourage different and innovative learning methods.

Private Schools
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that private school students scored higher on standardized tests, had more demanding graduation requirements and sent more graduates to college than public schools. The report said that students who had completed at least the eighth grade in a private school were twice as likely as other students to graduate from college as a young adult.

NCES statistics also showed that students in private schools are much more likely than others to take advanced-level high school courses. Students thrive when allowed to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Joint reports by the NCES and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and a private study by the Horatio Alger Association have found that private school students are significantly more likely than others to feel safe and be safe in their schools.

   
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