On preponderance of evidence for school selection

[DecentDad]

Soc,

I previously wrote about school selection for starting kindergarten, and you gave me general terms of what I needed to show.

Mom wants private Catholic school.  I want public elementary school in mom's neighborhood (or secondly, public elementary in my neighborhood, which is also very good, but not as good as the other).

I've spent considerable time reviewing both her choice and my choice (including school tours, talking with administrators, etc).  Because her choice is private, there's not much objective evidence available about it.  It's clean, the teachers are nice, it seems like an okay place to go to school.

However, it doesn't seem to compare to the public elementary school in biomom's neighborhood.  On the public school, I can lay out the following:

A) It's top-ranked in LAUSD (among 700 schools), and one of top in the state, per API score.  Nearly 90% of its students are above average in the measured three Rs.

B) It's a demonstration site as a School for Advanced Studies, with involvement from members of the nearby UC campus.  Other principals come to this school to observe it.

C) It has separate classes for gifted students, beginning in grade 3.  "GATE" (Gifted and Talented Education) program typically doesn't offer entire classes, but this school is able to develop a large percentage of kids to meet GATE entrance requirements.  Half of its fourth grade is in GATE classes.

D) Duh, it's free.

E) It is integrated with STAR after-school program, which recently was recognized by US Dept of Education as being a model child-care program.  STAR is on-site at elementary schools as an extension of the day, with programs that include art, athletics, music, etc.  STAR costs only $365/month for 5 days after school through 6pm.

F) It's only 5 neighborhood blocks away from biomom's residence (i.e., child can walk to school with mom).  It's only 1 mile from my work.  (By comparison, the private school mom wants is 5 miles away).

G) Teachers have been there on average 12 years and are required to do continuining education for themselves every year per the principal's policy.

H) At least two (verified) of daughter's preschool classmates will be going to kindergarten here, including one with whom she has playdates.  Both attended her b-day party.


I know the argument about kindergarten is often about which one closest to which parent... but here I'm saying that I WANT the one in biomom's neighborhood, and SHE wants one 5 miles away (i.e., up to 20 minutes on surface streets in LA traffic).


1.  Are all of the above relevant to provide to the court for making a decision?

2.  Are hand-outs (e.g., provided by the school to prospective parents) adequate evidence to demonstrate the above?

Thanks,
DD

[socrateaser]

>>
>1.  Are all of the above relevant to provide to the court for
>making a decision?

I would concentrate on the objective rating provided by your sources, as well as the credibility of those sources, and the fact that the school is physically closer, and of course, free of charge.

Then leave it to the other parent to show how the private school is better, on all of these issues. If she simply states that she wants the child in private school "because," then you win.

>2.  Are hand-outs (e.g., provided by the school to prospective
>parents) adequate evidence to demonstrate the above?

I would prefer documents provided directly from the analysis source, but the handouts could be useful. I'd have to see them.

[DecentDad]

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