School Search Process

Visit Kansas City Schools

Visiting a school gives you a chance to see the classrooms in action and to experience the school culture firsthand. You know your child best and a visit can help you determine whether a particular school will be a good fit. A visit also gives you a chance to consider if things you’ve heard from friends and neighbors hold true for you as well.

Three ways to arrange a visit

Contact the school directly

Visit our events calendar to learn about open house dates

Visiting in person is best. When that’s not possible, take a “virtual tour” here in our school profile section.

Things to look for on a school visit

There’s a lot going on at every school. These tools can help you focus on what you want to learn from your visit. You can even download them and take them with you.

Be sure to take notes so that you can remember details that stood out for you. Pay attention to how a school makes you feel and whether you can imagine your child learning and growing in the environment. Our School Visit Tracker is one way to organize your notes.

Things to Notice on a School Visit
School Visit Tour Guide
Questions to Ask on a School Tour

Questions to Ask on a School Tour

  1. What makes your school unique? How is it different from all the other schools available to me in Kansas City?
  2. What is your policy on parents visiting the classroom?
  3. What’s the average class size at your school?
  4. Is there an active parents’ group? If so, how are parents involved?
  5. What type of organized, family engagement activities do you offer?
  6. Do you offer special education and gifted/enrichment programs?
  7. Can you talk about the school’s performance on student assessment tests?
  8. How do you handle discipline and student conflicts?
  9. What is the principal’s background and how long has he/she been at the school?
  10. What percent of your teachers have teaching credentials? What is the training of those who do not?
  11. What are your academic goals for students in kindergarten (or perhaps in all grades)?
  12. What skills and knowledge are parents expected to reinforce at home?
  13. How do you accommodate a range of learning needs (specifically your child’s unique learning style)? This is best asked individually since it may not apply to everyone in a group tour.