Talk to me about elementary schools. I'm going insane trying to choose school zone!

We have 2 kids who have not yet started school, and the oldest won't for 2 years. However, I'm already thinking about schools because we are planning to move this Spring, and school zone will be a factor.The schools known by word-of-mouth to be the "best" around here are in areas where we cannot afford to live.So, I'm trying to learn about different elm. schools in my mid-size city (where we can afford to buy a house). And I have found some sites that rank them, but it mostly seems to be based on test scores. I'm not sure how I feel about standardized tests/ scores.So, parents of reddit with school age children, what did you look for in an elementary school? What do you think are important factors? What should I look for/ ask when I tour a school?Thank you. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2fFIf8a