Supporting Teens with Their Educational Choice

WRITTEN BY JIM BISHOP

In my administrative role at Bozeman Field School, I speak often with families who are deciding what educational experience is best for their high school student. The process can be overwhelming. Today, more than at any time in recent memory, there are abundant options for teenagers. In addition to the excellent public high schools in the Bozeman area, there is also a charter high school, several private parochial schools and an independent school (Bozeman Field School). The homeschooling community has an array of small-group opportunities and online options open to them. Families may consider boarding schools or therapeutic programs, depending on the needs of their student.

To make matters more complex, teenagers today face a unique set of challenges. The social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on young people. Anxiety and depression have risen sharply, and many students have struggled academically. While remote and hybrid classrooms have worked well for some students, others have found the experience alienating. The proliferation of online schooling options has been attractive in some ways because of the flexibility they provide, but this trend has come at the cost of the social and emotional learning that is necessary for students’ growth and maturation.

Understandably, many Montana parents are finding today’s educational landscape daunting. Having spoken with families of widely differing backgrounds, and having seen the way the education world has been shifting over the past couple of years, I want to offer some guidance for families. I’ve organized my thinking around five questions: 1. How are decisions around education made in your family?

Clarifying your family’s decision-making process will allow for a more spacious exploration of the educational options that are out there, and will help to manage expectations and minimize disappointment.

Will the parents in your family ultimately be the decision makers? Will your teen have complete discretion to decide where—and whether—he or she wants to attend school? Or will it be more of a collaboration?

2. What accommodations does your student need?

Some students may be most successful at a school with a student disabilities coordinator, where a 504 plan or IEP (individual educational plan) can be executed and implemented by trained staff. Public schools tend to have the most resources for such situations. Other students, including those with diagnosed learning disabilities, may do well in a small group or independent school setting where their needed accommodations (front-row seating, small class sizes, lots of one-onone attention) are embedded in the school culture. Some students function well with minimal oversight, while others benefit from systems of accountability and close relationships with their teachers.

3. How can we move past “surviving” and get to “thriving”?

This is an important consideration as we transition out of the pandemic and toward some approximation of normalcy. Most teens have been functionally—and at times literally—hunkered down for the past year

and a half. Depending on their situation, they may have spent weeks apart from their friends, attended classes in whatever they wore to bed, skipped classes because they were physically and emotionally exhausted and spent way too many hours staring at screens. At this juncture, what do they need? Do they need exercise? More opportunities to socialize with their friends? More time outside, away from their phones and laptops? What educational approach will serve them best now?

4. How do schools set up students for success after high school?

One development resulting from the pandemic has been in the arena of college admissions. Because students were unable to take the ACT or SAT due to canceled testing dates, a number of colleges waived their standardized testing requirements for admission. Some observers think this trend could be permanent. Colleges are now reviewing applications with more attention given to admissions essays and unique life experience (work, volunteering, internships, travel, etc.). After high school, many students are taking gap years or considering other options beyond college. 5. How will your family afford the option we’ve chosen?

Public schools, of course, are taxpayer funded, and are therefore the obvious choice for many families. Homeschooling can be done on a budget, depending on how travel, textbooks, materials and supplemental activities factor into your family’s plans.

While the sticker price of an independent school can be disconcerting, I have found that families applying for financial aid are pleasantly surprised by how affordable tuition can be.

While the educational landscape is as complex and intimidating as it has ever been, these are exciting and innovative times. Today’s teens, more so than any previous generation, view themselves as architects of their own educational experience, and are demanding more of their schools, teachers and parents. Personally, I feel very fortunate to be in a position to help meet that challenge. I encourage parents to embrace the opportunity.

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