Dear Jill,
My advice (for what it's worth) is that I wouldn't make a move for schools entirely--for me it wouldn't outweigh the other considerations, especially for elementary school (perhaps moreso around high school). Good teachers can be hard to find any place, but some of the "better" schools/districts are overcrowded (my sister lives in NC and they have large classes, allowing for little individualized attention). I live in a "middle of nowhere" poor community and have lucked out with great, loving teachers who are eager to address individual needs and small classroom sizes. I would never have moved here if schools were part of the decision process. I guess I figured I'd supplement whatever they couldn't provide, especially now that online learning is so accessible. The social (and maybe sports or extracurricular activities/clubs) considerations come more into play in high school, at which point maybe one can re-evaluate.
I have another sister who pays tons for private school for elementary school for her kids and I am so amazed that the money wouldn't be better spent either for the high school years or college fund, especially when there are good charter school options. Oh well--I like it that my kids have had to deal with kids from many different backgrounds while they're young in hopes that they will be more accepting as grownups (if they're sheltered so young and then faced with different people, wouldn't that be harder to deal with?)
Good luck in your difficult decision!
Cym
