After 20-plus years, School Search is bigger than ever. Here's why.

Welcome to School Search, an ongoing project started more than 20 years ago to inform Times readers about the many educational choices before them.

It's interesting to go through the archives. In 1997, School Search profiled about 60 public and private schools in Pinellas County. Today's landscape is much bigger.

The Pinellas school district alone will offer nearly 80 choice programs in the upcoming application cycle, from magnets to fundamental schools to career academies. Dozens of private schools add to the mix, along with charter schools, which have proliferated in Florida over the last two decades.

Also growing are the state-created scholarship programs that pay tuition, allowing public school students to make the leap to a private school at little or no cost. Florida families have more choices than ever, which is why we expanded School Search last year to also include Hernando, Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

While it seems like the current school year just started, it's already time for many families to look ahead to 2019-20. Whether your child will be entering kindergarten or making the jump to middle or high school — or you're simply looking to make a change — School Search aims to be a helpful starting point.

In the next few days and weeks, our four Tampa Bay area school districts will be holding information events that allow families to learn more about choice programs.

After that, it's time to attend open houses or "Discovery Nights" to actually see schools and meet their staffs. Then it's time to apply.
And if your child gains the desired seat, you must formally accept that invitation.

In addition to touring schools, we encourage students to shadow the programs that interest them when possible. Talking with other parents with kids in those programs also is strongly recommended, as is checking the available data.

The Florida Department of Education website (fldoe.org) is a good place to begin. Start your research under the tab labeled "accountability."

As always, we wish you luck on your search. Let us know how we can help.

Contact Thomas C. Tobin at tobin@tampabay.com. Follow @ThomasCTobin.