Relocating for a new job is only one aspect taken into consideration when home buying. For those with children, searching for a new home includes quality school districts, exemplary scores and lifelong childhood friends.

Luckily, the Dallas and Fort Worth areas proudly boast all of these and is home to a variety of public and private schools that meet and often exceed state and national education requirements and parental expectations. From preschool to graduate school, Dallas and Fort Worth offer a plethora of possibilities for the educational mind. Elementary, middle and high school students obtain renowned teachers and facilities as student education is key in the DFW Metroplex. Senior high students gain the luxury of magnet schools focusing on specific student interests such as science, medicine or the arts. In fact, The Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts near downtown Dallas boasts Erykah Badu and Norah Jones as cherished alumni.

Montessori academies promote individual learning while providing quality teaching and educational benefits including specialized study and low pupil/teacher ratios. In addition, certain Montessori systems offer part- and full-time and extended-day programs along with foreign language study, camera monitored classrooms and the security of parental access codes into all facilities.

For those seeking a two-year degree, local community colleges offer varying classes and degree plans specialized for every interest. Conveniently located, the area’s community colleges are close to home or work in most cases. Community colleges also offer continuing education courses spanning the gamut of personal interests from ballroom dance to creative writing. Expand your mind at a local college near you!

Four-year universities prevail as some of the nation’s top institutions are located in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas. Southern Methodist University, better known as SMU, is located just north of downtown Dallas on Central Expressway. North on I-35 in Denton, the University of North Texas boasts an unsurpassed music program along with critical study and a respected degree plan. Texas Woman’s University, located in Denton as well, is another leading local university. Texas Christian University, the University of Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas are leaders throughout the state as well. Within the following pages, you will find pertinent informational including contact numbers, associations and schools that can make your educational dreams a reality for you or your children.

Child care is provided by numerous groups and organizations including major employers, local churches, independent school districts, accredited or associated child care providers and independent child care providers. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has more than 10,000 accredited programs nationwide. Texas leads all states with 396 accredited centers, and Dallas leads all cities with 64 accredited centers (nationally, another 8,378 centers are in the accreditation process, with 905 of those in Texas).

Leading the way for quality child care is one of the nation’s oldest and most comprehensive child care organizations. Founded in 1901, ChildCareGroup, a recognized innovator in the field of early childhood education, developed Relationship-Centered Child Care (RC(3))® in the mid-1970s to focus attention on relationship building for the emotional well-being of very young children. Its mission is to promote, deliver and expand the best child care services available outside the home. ChildCareGroup offers families, employers, providers and the community a variety of services through the following programs: Center Operations, Child Care Management Services, Food and Nutrition, and Resource and Referral.