Maritza Jaimes is no stranger to the school search process. When her oldest daughter, who is now 21 years old, was in elementary school she began experiencing bullying. Maritza noticed a change in her personality almost immediately. Her excitement for learning had disappeared, and she seemed to be unhappy even outside of school.
After finding a public charter school that worked for her daughter, Maritza began to notice the same changes in her son. She began searching for new schools right away, and Families Empowered was there to help.
“I hope that at the right school they will be able to find stability and graduate without needing to switch schools constantly,” Maritza said. “Paying attention to the mood that they’re in when they get home can show you how they’re doing in schools. I want my kids to be happy, because when they are happy, I see them excel in school. That’s the main factor for my family when I am choosing a school.”
Maritza applied to several Austin-area public charter schools including NYOS, Ciros International, and Chaparral Star Academy. For her son, she chose Chaparral Star Academy – a choice she could not have made without learning about different school ratings and rankings.
“Parents should have the information they need,” she said. “We need to know our options.”