San Salvador, El Salvador Report of what it's like to live there - 10/10/26
Personal Experiences from San Salvador, El Salvador
School Name:
Escuela Americana
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
PK4, 2025-26.
3. What years did you live here?
2025-2026.
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Embassy.
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
We chose this school as it had many other embassy families attending and did a nice job presenting the school when we interviewed virtually.
Admissions & Welcome:
1. Are the admissions and placement procedures clearly stated to prospective families, either on the school website or through other means of communication?
This was fairly straightforward.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
I think the school administration is trying, but most families don’t feel as warmly welcomed by other attending families. There is a long legacy of Salvadoran families that have attended and they run the school. They won’t go out of their way to include ‘outsiders’.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Communication was great. I loved the weekly updates.
2. Aside from school fees, are there required expenses such as uniforms, laptops/tablets, musical instruments, or field trips that parents are expected to cover? What are the approximate costs?
Minimal.
Academics & Resources:
1. What personal or academic counseling resources are available at this school? Is there a dedicated college counselor at the school? Is he/she familiar with universities worldwide?
The school had several counselors on staff that are pushing into classrooms as well as providing individual support.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Yes, fairly large.
3. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
No swimming pool, ample sport facilities.
4. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
1:20.
5. Are students generally challenged appropriately by the curriculum? Please describe any particular strengths or weaknesses in this area. Do you have any thoughts how the curriculum is applied and implemented at this school?
I think the school is on its way to providing evidence-based instruction to students. Our child wasn’t challenged enough— I think if your child is performing at or above grade level in the US, they will not have an adequate challenge here.
6. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
Music, dance, visual arts.
7. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes, but Spanish is the only language used by the kids, especially in the early grades. None of the kids in my son's class knew more than a few words in English.
8. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
None.
9. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
I feel like in our experience, unless you’re a family with a legacy, they’re unwilling to provide even basic accommodations.
10. What services are available for students with physical disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Not sure.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. What is the climate for children with special needs? Is there a general attitude of inclusion for children with special needs?
Not inclusive at all. The school might say they’ll work with you, but they have very limited knowledge about supporting students in transition to another country/language exposure. They will also ‘outsource’ even minor academic/behavioral needs and ask you to find outside support.
2. What is the climate for LGBT+ kids at this school? Are there resources they can draw upon? Does there appear to be any exclusionary behavior?
Very exclusionary- if you are an LGBT+ family, you will be denied admission.
3. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Being the very small minority of students at the school as expats, it’s very hard to integrate for families and kids.
4. Are there are any problems with exclusionary behavior, cliques, or bullying at this school? Please describe any problems your children may have experienced in this area.
Yes, we experienced some of this but it’s even more prevalent in the upper grades. The administration is trying to make this better, but it’s hard.
Overall Impressions:
1. What letter grade (ranging from A, excellent, to F, fail) would you assign to this school based on your overall experience? Would you choose it again?
C-
We chose not to continue after the year, but I do think the school has some positives. I think the teacher we had was outstanding but the administration was poor. I also would not trust the school to keep any level of confidentiality about your child.
Also, the day for PK4 is extremely long- bus pickup before 7 AM and home at about 3:45 PM. This is developmentally inappropriate for this age. I wish there was a partial day option.
2. Please describe some of your child's/children's highlights and challenges during their time at this school.
Highlights- teacher, communication, facilities.
Challenges- extremely tough transition, support for students learning Spanish, archaic practices in supporting students exhibiting behaviors.
3. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!
I wish I had explored some of the ‘less popular’ and smaller school options before choosing.
