As an active real estate professional in the St. Louis region, I am reminded every day that the importance of quality educational choices is a top priority not only for families seeking to buy or sell residential properties, but also for commercial interests seeking to locate in the area.  The presence of high quality schools not only fosters strong residential communities but reaches beyond the home and into the business community enabling businesses, educators and families to become partners in the success of our region.

Providing opportunities for school choice provides opportunity to all educational providers to sharpen their focus and seek to provide opportunities for children to attend schools that most directly meet the individual needs and learning styles of a diverse population. Living in a specific area does not mean that every child from that area learns the same way or has the same needs and no school can be all things to all children. School choice enables our children to access the educational paradigm that best suits them.

I can liken this to a business’s search for office or retail space. Every business has vastly different needs – an accountant doesn’t need the same space as a hair salon. Each in their search for a location is presented with choice. Each assesses the variables of the locations they visit and thereby determines what best fits their requirements.

As a realtor, one of my jobs is to assist buyers/sellers in educating themselves about an area they are considering moving to. I try to provide resources for my clients to gather the information they need and connect with the professionals that best meet their specific situation. At present, there is no easy way to navigate resource on the educational choices in the City of St. Louis. CEAM provides an easy to follow one pager to school options available to parents considering a move to St Louis City to inform themselves and seek answers to their specific questions about schools in the area. It also allows real estate agents to better inform themselves and be better advocates for their clients – whether buyers or sellers.