Comment Parents, the Key to Schools (Score 1) 333
And, they make a great salad, but I wouldn't want my sister to marry one.
Get serious?
In my own experience, and in the scientific literature, the number one factor in performance of schools as measured by performance of children on standardized tests -- is parents. When we lived in Boulder, where the average educational level of both parents was above a Master's Degree, the public schools were outstanding.
Here, in New Hampshire even in a comparable community (if there were one), that would be mitigated by (a) low property taxes, and (b) an ethos of sending children to private schools (religious or otherwise), if affordable.
Why do better educated parents lead to better schools?:
- More reading to children during the pre-school period. Children that are read to value text, and reading more, and are better readers and thinkers, later on.
- Parents who have pursued higher education, value education more, and tend to:
- Prepare their children for school, better, and teach their children that school is valuable, ergo they have better attitudes
- These parent involve themselves in the school, guaranteeing that no matter how good or bad the school may be, their children get differentially better teachers and treatment.
- Make efforts to ensure that taxes are passed and levied that support the schools.
- Ensure that good and bad teachers are recognized as such
- Are able to afford books, toys, and computers that reinforce all of the above.
- And, there is probably a genetic component that pales into insignificance against all of the above
