Are Florida schools THAT bad?

[two-foxes]

We had a guy who has a pretty good job in the Orlando area (Sanford) fly out here to Colorado to interview at my agency. A Florida native, he said he is very very ready to leave Florida due to the hurricanes, the humidity and mainly for the horrible school system. I figured it would be a bit unprofessional for me to grill him on exactly how bad the schools are (I usually tell DH we should move before our monkeys get into school....), but I read here all the time of folks wanting to get IN to Florida, and here is this guy begging to get out....are the schools really that bad?

I have a cousin who owns a rental home in Celebration who wanted to move back to that house after she had her baby because the schools in that area were supposed to be great....it was a few years ago though and they are still living in Cleveland, so maybe they have gone down hill recently?

 

[catycatcat4]

Yes, they are absolutely awful.
The people in charge are idiots
Most of the teachers can't teach.
Most of the teachers don't give a crap.
Did i mention the people in charge of the schools are idiots?

 

[WaltD4Me]

We had a guy who has a pretty good job in the Orlando area (Sanford) fly out here to Colorado to interview at my agency. A Florida native, he said he is very very ready to leave Florida due to the hurricanes, the humidity and mainly for the horrible school system. I figured it would be a bit unprofessional for me to grill him on exactly how bad the schools are (I usually tell DH we should move before our monkeys get into school....), but I read here all the time of folks wanting to get IN to Florida, and here is this guy begging to get out....are the schools really that bad?

I have a cousin who owns a rental home in Celebration who wanted to move back to that house after she had her baby because the schools in that area were supposed to be great....it was a few years ago though and they are still living in Cleveland, so maybe they have gone down hill recently?

Well, I don't know, but I think it's a sure thing that Celebration schools are WAY better Cleveland schools.

I would imagine Florida it much like anywhere, there are good school districts, not so good districts and bad districts. Seems like I actually hear more positive things about schools in Florida than negative though.

 

[vicki_c]

I'd say yes. We sent our son to Catholic school while we lived in Florida.

Just like any state, it's going to be somewhat dependent on WHERE in the state you are. I lived in a county known to have some of the best Florida schools but I still couldn't even begin to compare them to the NYS schools we had come from.

So we shelled out for Catholic school tuition. My kids now go to public school in Maryland which I think is easily equal to the Catholic school in Florida, probably better (I know a few other families that moved from FL to MD at the same time -- our kids went to the same school in both locations - and that seems to be the general consensus).

 

[DisneyKevin]

Yes, they are absolutely awful.
The people in charge are idiots
Most of the teachers can't teach.
Most of the teachers don't give a crap.
Did i mention the people in charge of the schools are idiots?

Please keep in mind that CatyCatCat4 is a high school student.

Also...the grass is always greener.

People who have lived in Florida for a long time yearn to live where it _____ (fill in the blank....snows, change of seasons, no hurricanes etc)

People who live where it snows long to live where_______(fill in the blank...is always warm, is always sunny, never snows etc)

People who live someplace land locked want to live near the beach.

People who live near the beach want to live near the mountains.

Now...before you write and tell me that you live near the ______ and love it and wouldnt live anywhere else where there wasnt ______, I get that.

Just saying that it always seem to look better someplace else.

I lived in the cold, snowy Northeast.

I now live in FL.....and the grass is definitely greener .....almost all year long.

 

[ADP]

Please keep in mind that CatyCatCat4 is a high school student.

Also...the grass is always greener.

People who have lived in Florida for a long time yearn to live where it _____ (fill in the blank....snows, change of seasons, no hurricanes etc)

People who live where it snows long to live where_______(fill in the blank...is always warm, is always sunny, nevere snos etc)

People who live someplace land locked want to live near the beach.

People who live near the beach want to live near the mountains.

Now...before you write and tell me that you live near the ______ and love it and wouldnt live anywhere else where there wasnt ______, I get that.

Just saying that it always seem to look better someplace else.

I lived in the cold, snowy Northeast.

I now live in FL.....and the grass is definitely greener .....almost all year long.

All good points Kevin.
In other words....Perception is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[dpuck1998]

We had a guy who has a pretty good job in the Orlando area (Sanford) fly out here to Colorado to interview at my agency. A Florida native, he said he is very very ready to leave Florida due to the hurricanes, the humidity and mainly for the horrible school system. I figured it would be a bit unprofessional for me to grill him on exactly how bad the schools are (I usually tell DH we should move before our monkeys get into school....), but I read here all the time of folks wanting to get IN to Florida, and here is this guy begging to get out....are the schools really that bad?

I have a cousin who owns a rental home in Celebration who wanted to move back to that house after she had her baby because the schools in that area were supposed to be great....it was a few years ago though and they are still living in Cleveland, so maybe they have gone down hill recently?

Little additional insight. I work for a school in Michigan. People in that go here, work here, etc complain about how bad it is...etc etc. While outside the area our school had a gleaming reputation. Find the best school district in the country and you will find hundreds of people to complain about that same district. You get out of your childrens eduction what you put into it. If you expect to drop your kids off at the door and pick them up at 3 all "learn'ed" up, they the school will fail you miserably. If you get involved and get to know the people and become and active part of your child's eduction then you will have a great experience. I always tell my kids, You won't like all your teachers, some will be good and others bad. Guess what, the same goes for your employers.

 

[livndisney]

Ooh the stories I could tell. LOST children, disabilities issues, lack of quality teachers and materials........school administration that is a joke.

 

[ADP]

Little additional insight. I work for a school in Michigan. People in that go here, work here, etc complain about how bad it is...etc etc. While outside the area our school had a gleaming reputation. Find the best school district in the country and you will find hundreds of people to complain about that same district. You get out of your childrens eduction what you put into it. If you expect to drop your kids off at the door and pick them up at 3 all "learn'ed" up, they the school will fail you miserably. If you get involved and get to know the people and become and active part of your child's eduction then you will have a great experience. I always tell my kids, You won't like all your teachers, some will be good and others bad. Guess what, the same goes for your employers.

Great advice...As a parent we spend 2 additional hours per night working with our daughter on her homework and studies making sure she understands the concepts. You just can't expect kids to learn everything in a typical 6 to 7 hour school day anymore. And don't forget, there's more than just their studies...They have to learn life's lessons along the way.

 

[PeterPan09]

Little additional insight. I work for a school in Michigan. People in that go here, work here, etc complain about how bad it is...etc etc. While outside the area our school had a gleaming reputation. Find the best school district in the country and you will find hundreds of people to complain about that same district. You get out of your childrens eduction what you put into it. If you expect to drop your kids off at the door and pick them up at 3 all "learn'ed" up, they the school will fail you miserably. If you get involved and get to know the people and become and active part of your child's eduction then you will have a great experience. I always tell my kids, You won't like all your teachers, some will be good and others bad. Guess what, the same goes for your employers.

Very well said.

 

[vicki_c]

Little additional insight. I work for a school in Michigan. People in that go here, work here, etc complain about how bad it is...etc etc. While outside the area our school had a gleaming reputation. Find the best school district in the country and you will find hundreds of people to complain about that same district. You get out of your childrens eduction what you put into it. If you expect to drop your kids off at the door and pick them up at 3 all "learn'ed" up, they the school will fail you miserably. If you get involved and get to know the people and become and active part of your child's eduction then you will have a great experience. I always tell my kids, You won't like all your teachers, some will be good and others bad. Guess what, the same goes for your employers.

I don't disagree with what you said, but that's not really what I was referring to. In my experience, it wasn't about the kids and whether they were learning what was being taught in the school - they were. It was about WHAT the school in Florida was teaching vs. what our new school was teaching (I did send my son to FL public school for one year). It's more about the rigor of the subjects being taught and expectations the schools had for the kids. I found that to be much less in the FL public school, and even our FL Catholic school, than I do in our public school in our new location.

It was never a question of whether the kids were absorbing what was being taught in the school. And we were just as involved in Florida as we are here.

 

[dpuck1998]

I don't disagree with what you said, but that's not really what I was referring to. In my experience, it wasn't about the kids and whether they were learning what was being taught in the school - they were. It was about WHAT the school in Florida was teaching vs. what our new school was teaching (I did send my son to FL public school for one year). It's more about the rigor of the subjects being taught and expectations the schools had for the kids. I found that to be much less in the FL public school, and even our FL Catholic school, than I do in our public school in our new location.

It was never a question of whether the kids were absorbing what was being taught in the school. And we were just as involved in Florida as we are here.

I can see your point a little there. I went to school in Michigan and my sister in Florida. She was learning things her senior year I had done my freshman year. I think they could accelerate the curriculum a bit, but we both went to college and picked up from there.

I wasn't reference any one post, so I hope you didn't think I was saying anyone wasn't involved with their kids education.

My main point is, any school will have people that love it and hate it. Any child will be successful not because of what he learned in school, but what he learned at home. Too many parents expect the schools to do it all and that is too much to ask. Its unfortunate, but it seems the majority have taken that route and teachers are over tasked trying to work with the kids that have no home support and the kids that work hard and excel don't' get pushed in their education.

 

[Willow1213]

Schools were one of the main reasons my parents moved us from Orlando in 1996/1997. I know I was only in elementary school, but I noticed a huge difference in what I was learning. In 5th grade, I moved from Orange County school system in Orlando, to a top school in Cobb County, GA in March. I was so far behind I had to have months of private tutoring, after school help, and remedial classes even though I was in the "gifted" program in my old school. I finally caught up and was placed back in the honors level classes I was used to the next year. Now, I was young, but I will never forget how stressful it was to me (at 11!) to be so far behind.

 

[pudge the fish]

It depends on the area. Orlando area has some really good schools and good teachers and it has some really BAD administration & policies.


One word (or is it two??) F-Cat
The F-CAT is all important in Florida; it rules EVERYTHING to do with education.

My kids go/went to private schools. This way they learn more than what is taught for the F-Cat.
At least in private school if there is a teacher absent, they get a sub. Unlike my friends kids who go to a gym and the kids sit there all day, because there is no money to hire a sub.

 

[cj9200]

In Miami there are really good schools and really bad ones. Luckily, my daughter was accepted to a magnet program in elementary school. Since the first grade she has had a rigorous academic curriculum. She is now taking three advanced placement courses as a sophomore. I would put her education against anywhere in the country. Public or private. Unfortunately not all kids down here have that type of experience.

 

[daneenm]

Little additional insight. I work for a school in Michigan. People in that go here, work here, etc complain about how bad it is...etc etc. While outside the area our school had a gleaming reputation. Find the best school district in the country and you will find hundreds of people to complain about that same district. You get out of your childrens eduction what you put into it. If you expect to drop your kids off at the door and pick them up at 3 all "learn'ed" up, they the school will fail you miserably. If you get involved and get to know the people and become and active part of your child's eduction then you will have a great experience. I always tell my kids, You won't like all your teachers, some will be good and others bad. Guess what, the same goes for your employers.

Well said Don. These are exactly the discussions I have with other folks when I hear them complain about our district or local school and why I have never requested a teacher for my children. We have to learn to get along with everyone, not just those that we click with...no better time to learn it.

 

[catycatcat4]

Please keep in mind that CatyCatCat4 is a high school student.

yup witch means i know more about whats really going on once they lock us students up in the morning.

I will reply to this thread in more detail later. my head is killing me today.

 

[lugnut33]

Most school districts (including Orange County https://www.ocps.net/sb/Pages/default.aspx ) are run by school boards that are made up of community members just like you and me. The school board is a reflection of the community.

 

[dpuck1998]

yup witch means i know more about whats really going on once they lock us students up in the morning.

I will reply to this thread in more detail later. my head is killing me today.

I thought you were home schooled?

 

[LilGMom]

It really depends on the area and even in one county you can have such a wide range of schools and how they rate. Based on the Florida District rankings my county is rated fourth out of sixty-five for schools which isn't too bad. My DS's elementary school is in the top 10% of all of the FL elementary schools which also isn't too bad. Most of the schools in my county are ranked as either A or B schools. I'm sure there are areas where the schools are failing (just one county to my west has a few) but you'll get that in any state.