If you have a family with young children, one of the key factors in deciding on where you’re going to move is likely to be the school zone. If you’re an LGBTQ family, you may even be more concerned than other parents due to the fact that you do have to take into account how your children will be accepted. Changing schools is never easy, but it’s even worse if your kids get picked on for having same-sex parents. Before you make a final decision on where you’re moving, you will want to learn everything you can about the school or schools your children will be attending.
Go Online and Look at the School’s Profile
Most states, counties, or school districts have websites where you can look up the school’s performance review or school report card. These documents will discuss information such as the property valuation per student, the student suspension ratio, the total enrollment, the percentage of students scoring proficient or above in each subject and each grade, and other information. Reading over these profiles and other information you can find online will give you a general idea of how the school ranks compared to others in the school district and the state.
You can always do a search on the school and name LGBTQ students or related search terms. In many cases, schools that have had a major bullying issue have found themselves the subject of local news stories.
Visit the School
Once you find yourself seriously considering a specific home or neighborhood, you can call the school and ask to visit. You can speak to the principal or school superintendent about your concerns and ask about any problems the children from LGBTQ may have had. This is a good time to ask any questions you might have and to discuss any specific special needs your children may have.
Talk to the Neighbors
Once you’ve found the house for you, you can always approach some of your potential neighbors and ask about the school system. There’s a good chance you’ll find at least one family who has school-age children. This will not only give you an idea about the school, but it will also allow you to judge how your neighbors may react to you and your family.
If you find that the school is going to be a good fit for your children, there’s just one thing left to do: call your gay or lesbian real estate agent and make an offer on the house of your dreams!