Schools are in a bit of a pickle. They want you to view them as progressive and modern institutions that foster the overall wellbeing of your child, but they also want you to know that your child is going to graduate with hard skills and an excellent education. “Traditional Academics” (think tests, homework, direct instruction, worksheets) and “Progressive Education” (think social-emotional learning, hands-on experiences, projects, and hypothesis exploring) are often presented as mutually exclusive approaches, but the truth is that the vast majority of New York City schools really are a “both and” situation. As more and more schools advertise the more “progressive” elements of their educational experience (see the first part of this blog post series on educational philosophy), parents are left to wonder about the more traditional side of academics and learning. So, how do you know what really is meant by “academic excellence” and what can you expect from concrete classroom learning?  

Understanding a school’s promotional statements may require certain mental gymnastics, but there are truths to uncover behind the words. Welcome to post #2 of our series of blog posts dedicated to unpacking the tangible implications of the abstract mission statement to help you understand what you can actually expect of your child’s educational experience. 

Mission Statement Tenet #2: Academic Excellence

In most cases, schools include this EXACT phrase (which definitely starts to lose its meaning when you read it often enough). “Academic Excellence” as a concept is subjective, but most often is trying to capture the more “traditional” aspects of schooling - core curriculum classes, content learning, and basically the idea that your child will be working hard. Since almost every school will explicitly state its high academic standards and excellence, to get a true feel for a school’s academic values read beyond the words for these things…

Ubiquitous Presence

This is the easiest way to tell if a school has a particular focus on traditional academics.  If a school uses iterations of words and phrases that indicate “academic excellence”/ “rigor,” repeatedly (in their mission statement, values, about, etc), or if  they have an entire tab on their website boasting of curriculum and providing examples, it likely indicates a true presence of rigorous academics. These schools likely have a relatively higher focus on traditional academics (direct instruction, test-taking, homework, etc.) as compared to other schools. 

Statistics, Statistics, Statistics

Schools that post accolades, such as where graduates go to higher education, statistics on any school acceptance rates, test scores, awards, degrees of their faculty, this may indicate a particular focus on academic success.

Required Testing

Almost all independent schools require standardized testing to apply to grades 3 and up. However, if a school requires a test for admissions into Kindergarten, that school is likely seeking students who will thrive in traditional academic settings. Even if you are applying to a school for upper-grades, check admissions requirements for lower grades. There may be some clues, such as extra testing or other required application materials, that indicate particular academic values.

The FAQs

Schools’ FAQs pages are often overlooked, but they are key in the art of “reading beyond” a school’s promotional materials. In the FAQs section there is often explicit information about the “academic rigor,” sample class schedules, questions about students with specific learning challenges, etc.

College Prep

Some schools mention preparedness for college on their websites, while others explicitly identify as a “college preparatory school” (either in their name or in their mission statement). Schools that fall into either of those categories, especially when preparation for college is mentioned in multiple places, are typically more traditional in their academic approach (again, think tests, essays, direct instruction, etc). These schools will also likely have strong college counselors and overall support for the college admissions process. 

The Academic Fluff: 

“The Fluff” are those generic template terms and words that can be applied to virtually any educational institution, regardless of its unique strengths or challenges. Any one of the below buzzwords may be used, but tell you little about the academics of the school:

• Rigor

• High standards

• Academically Challenged

• Research-based curriculum

• Intensive

Off the Walls and into the Halls

Some school statements will elicit a gut reaction eye-roll, others may resonate, and even inspire you. Above all else look for evidence of how schools are, to use a favorite cliche, taking their missions “off the walls and into the halls.” In other words, uncover how and what students learn by decoding which aspects of the educational experience are emphasized.

And remember, BetterEd is here to help take some of the pressure off. We can “read beyond the words” alongside you to come up with a school list that fits just right. You know your child. We know education. Sign up for a free 15 minute consultation below or contact us for more information.