ISS recommends the following points to internationally-relocating families when considering a school selection:

• Student enrollment profile:  international schools typically enroll students from many countries and backgrounds—multinational businesses, diplomatic corps, NGOs, etc.  Though a large percentage of students may not be native-English speakers, the educational program is structured to accommodate these students, and such a cosmopolitan element contributes to the dynamic educational environment.
  

• Teacher/student ratio: ­ should not exceed 1/20, but in many cases, the ratio is even more favorable.  Class size is more important than combining classes of two grades, which can be viewed as an enhancement rather than a detriment.
  

• Current textbooks:  textbooks should have a copyright date of five years or less; science and technology books should have been published within the last three years.
  

• Overseas-hired faculty:  for a school with an American-type curriculum, the majority of teachers should be North American-trained.  Assume that some percentage of the teachers will be local hires who are either foreign nationals living temporarily in the country or host nationals.  The school should always have a balance of overseas and locally-hired teachers.
  

• Pedagogical philosophy:   assume that the dominant pedagogical philosophy in a school will be that which is possessed by the majority of teachers.
  

• Computers in classrooms and/or computer lab(s):  ­educational technology is a key component in excellent international schools and should be accessible to all grade levels.
  

• A well supplied library and media center:  ­ the library in an international school is a critically-important resource when it is the only English-medium library in that city or site.  A school of 50 students or less should have a library of at least 3,000 volumes within three years of its founding.
  

• A vibrant extracurricular program: ­ in some international settings, the school will serve as the center of expat family life with scheduled activities for both children and adults.  Even when schools are in developed metropolitan areas, expect that the life and energy of the school extend well beyond the school day.
  

• Word-of-mouth recommendations:  ­talk to families who live at the site, but do your own research for you will know best what kind of educational program fits your child—an international school, a host country school, or home schooling.
  

• Overall,  international families should expect that the international schooling experience will offer an excellent standard of education and an opportunity for children to become enriched by their exposure to a broad spectrum of languages, cultures, and customs.
  

See also:
ISS School Management & Consulting