check out the Department of Education website for your state. They should have a list of every single school and you cacn search by area. Most schools have a website that you can look at as well.

Choosing the public local school over another school further away is a personal preference and others have said will depend on the schools in your area. We went to the local public school for primary but then went to a private school that was a 30 min drive away for high school. It wasnt so much about the transport. It was about the quality of the education we would get.

Just try and be as informed as possible about the different schools you are thinking of. Talk to other parents whose children attend the schools as well and the teachers.

Good luck with your decision