Securing a child’s academic success begins with choosing the right schools. But how can parents decide where to enroll their kids? Because children develop and learn at different rates, the ideal answer to that question varies based on each student’s needs. Those needs have become even more specialized in the past year and a half as families grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the learning loss that has come as a result.

Based on how schools have handled coronavirus, some parents may decide to move their children to different schools in the future. Unfortunately, most parents can’t afford to place their children in exclusive, private or preparatory schools that give their students greater individual attention. For the majority of U.S. families, public education is the only option. But the quality of public school systems varies widely from state to state and is often a question of funding. Public elementary and secondary education money usually flows from three sources: the federal, state and local governments. According to the U.S. Department of Education, states contribute nearly as much as local governments, while the federal government supplies the smallest share. Some researchers have found that more resources — or taxes paid by residents — typically result in better school-system performance.

Adam McCann, Financial Writer

“The State with the Best Education Wins!”