OT: Question about schools

[nikkers]

Our family is going to be relocating to another state sometime this year. We are having a hard time deciding what area to buy a house. Mainly due to a lot of confusion about how to pick a good school. We are very confused about how to know if a school is good or not? What things should we be looking for? What questions should we be asking? Why would some schools be accreditated and some are not? Are the standarized tests federal tests or issued by each state? We live in an area now where a lot of money is put into our school system. We are very lucky to have a great school system.
My DS will be starting kindergarten this fall. So I really appreciate any information!

 

[shelemm]

Don't forget to check out what kind of programs a county has within the school district. Sometimes you don't have to attend the neighborhood school if there is a magnet program you can opt into.

I noticed that Realtor.com has started to put in school ratings into the home information. Always go to that county's website to confirm school boundaries. Look up the school's website. Obviously there is a plenty of homework to do. Better school district = more expensive home, so if you see a bargain it's a good idea to confirm the actual school boundaries.

 

[mom2travel]

Good points by PP

When we moved to NC we used ncreportcard.com or something like that. I imagine many states have similar info published. The schools our children are attending send us this info every year as well once the grading is done. Here, there were some statewide changes in the standardized tests that affected some of the scoring so keep stuff like that in mind when reviewing school district info.

Some things we did when deciding where to live (a.k.a. which schools we wanted our children to attend - not just which district, but which schools within our district)...
We researched online the info I noted above. From these school "report cards" we looked at: the average class sizes for each grade; the total student body population; standardized test results; attendance percentages; technology available in the schools; safety info; number & percentage of accredited teachers; gifted (or exceptional depending on your needs) education; honors/AP courses available; percentage of students going to college. In NC, the info that is included on the report cards for an individual school compare many of these things to the district and the state averages as well.

Once we narrowed down to which district, we drove to the schools to see what they looked like. What kind of neighborhood are they in? How old are the buildings? We also looked at the district websites. You also should keep in mind whether districts go year-round or under a traditional calendar (and whether all schools in a district are the same - I know someone whose district had elementary year-round but HS was traditional, and had kids on different schedules).

For us, we had a general vicinity of where to look due to DH's job. It did not take very long to narrow down to where we'd like to move.
Don't let it overwhelm you. Once you start comparing you'll find a good fit.

p.s. if you are using a realtor to find a house, they can give you feedback as well. Driving around different neighborhoods near schools you could also ask parents you see. Or visit the schools.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Public schools are tested on the state level, not national.
It is true that often schools that have more $$ are considered "better" because there is the funding to be spend on technology (etc) and school programs (sports, tutoring, arts, sciences). This is not necessarily always the case though.
And please remember that there are good and bad teachers in rich and poor schools...this doesn't have anything to do with the funding.
If you have the opportunity to visit the schools before committing to an area do. Talk to the teachers at all grade levels (or at least a variety of levels) and other parents to see how they like the school, programs, and neighborhoods.
Also look at the history of the schools. Have they always been high achieving (regardless of funding) or were they performing poorly and have been revamped (new administration/teachers)? Look at the high school statistics too...how many go on to further education, drop out rate, etc.

 

[stacy6552]

We almost relocated a few years back. I found looking at the standardized test scores the be a great place to start. When I looked at the high schools, I found the HS's in the area that had been first recommended had only 40% of students passing the math tests, when i found the lone school in the district that had 95% passing I house hunted there. It was on the county line, so I looked at the next county over and found all their schools performed much better, so I looked there too. I found coincidentally that the test scores also followed the money (the number of children receiving free lunch is another indicator).
Once we had narrowed down the area, we asked around in town. One hostess in a resturaunt told us that a HS we asked about was, "oooo kinda rough." We also found out that the original school district we'd been looking at was on the verge of imploding (which we later found out it did).
SAT scores can also help you compair your school district to the new one.

Where are you moving to? Maybe I've already done the leg work.

 

[scootch]

Any chance you could rent for 6 months before deciding where to actually live? I know it is a hassle, but easier than ending up in a bad school district and figuring it out after it is too late.

 

[luvwdwfla2]

I am struggling with similiar situation. We are not moving but debating Catholic school or public. My son did K in Catholic partly b/c it was full day. Now we need to decide. I find it very hard to compare and peoples opinions seeem to vary. Even looking at test scores I don't think always gives a true picture. We liked the Catholic school but with the economy not sure it is good move. I want to be able to pay for HS and up if need be. The hours of our town school make me need B4 and after school care. So the money starts equalling out. Stangely the principal of the public school would not let me visit while school is in seesion. I got to go during break.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I am struggling with similiar situation. We are not moving but debating Catholic school or public. My son did K in Catholic partly b/c it was full day. Now we need to decide. I find it very hard to compare and peoples opinions seeem to vary. Even looking at test scores I don't think always gives a true picture. We liked the Catholic school but with the economy not sure it is good move. I want to be able to pay for HS and up if need be. The hours of our town school make me need B4 and after school care. So the money starts equalling out. Stangely the principal of the public school would not let me visit while school is in seesion. I got to go during break.

Call the district and find out if this is policy or just a principal rule. of course, you won't be able to just raom the school when it is in session, but someone (like a guidance counselor or secretary) should be able to give you a tour during school hours. It is important to see the make up of the school (if students seem happy and involved) and how the children are interacting and reacting to the environment.

We are moving. Fortunately we don't have to decide on school districts cause the children will be able to attend a Christian school.

 

[nikkers]

Don't forget to check out what kind of programs a county has within the school district. Sometimes you don't have to attend the neighborhood school if there is a magnet program you can opt into.

I noticed that Realtor.com has started to put in school ratings into the home information. Always go to that county's website to confirm school boundaries. Look up the school's website. Obviously there is a plenty of homework to do. Better school district = more expensive home, so if you see a bargain it's a good idea to confirm the actual school boundaries.

Thank you to everyone for some great information! Checking into program offerings is a great tip. What is a magnet program?

Good points by PP

When we moved to NC we used ncreportcard.com or something like that. I imagine many states have similar info published. The schools our children are attending send us this info every year as well once the grading is done. Here, there were some statewide changes in the standardized tests that affected some of the scoring so keep stuff like that in mind when reviewing school district info.

Some things we did when deciding where to live (a.k.a. which schools we wanted our children to attend - not just which district, but which schools within our district)...
We researched online the info I noted above. From these school "report cards" we looked at: the average class sizes for each grade; the total student body population; standardized test results; attendance percentages; technology available in the schools; safety info; number & percentage of accredited teachers; gifted (or exceptional depending on your needs) education; honors/AP courses available; percentage of students going to college. In NC, the info that is included on the report cards for an individual school compare many of these things to the district and the state averages as well.

Once we narrowed down to which district, we drove to the schools to see what they looked like. What kind of neighborhood are they in? How old are the buildings? We also looked at the district websites. You also should keep in mind whether districts go year-round or under a traditional calendar (and whether all schools in a district are the same - I know someone whose district had elementary year-round but HS was traditional, and had kids on different schedules).

For us, we had a general vicinity of where to look due to DH's job. It did not take very long to narrow down to where we'd like to move.
Don't let it overwhelm you. Once you start comparing you'll find a good fit.

p.s. if you are using a realtor to find a house, they can give you feedback as well. Driving around different neighborhoods near schools you could also ask parents you see. Or visit the schools.

You have provided some great tips. Both DH and I feel very overwhelmed. I found the report card info. That has been very helpful. One thing that I have found is the HS may be great, but the elementary schools are not and vice versa. We are planning a trip in April and hoping to get some additional info from a realtor.

Public schools are tested on the state level, not national.
It is true that often schools that have more $$ are considered "better" because there is the funding to be spend on technology (etc) and school programs (sports, tutoring, arts, sciences). This is not necessarily always the case though.
And please remember that there are good and bad teachers in rich and poor schools...this doesn't have anything to do with the funding.
If you have the opportunity to visit the schools before committing to an area do. Talk to the teachers at all grade levels (or at least a variety of levels) and other parents to see how they like the school, programs, and neighborhoods.
Also look at the history of the schools. Have they always been high achieving (regardless of funding) or were they performing poorly and have been revamped (new administration/teachers)? Look at the high school statistics too...how many go on to further education, drop out rate, etc.

Great tip on looking at the school's history. We want to find a school where a high percentage are excelling and the same for the HS. We definately want our children to go on to further education.

We almost relocated a few years back. I found looking at the standardized test scores the be a great place to start. When I looked at the high schools, I found the HS's in the area that had been first recommended had only 40% of students passing the math tests, when i found the lone school in the district that had 95% passing I house hunted there. It was on the county line, so I looked at the next county over and found all their schools performed much better, so I looked there too. I found coincidentally that the test scores also followed the money (the number of children receiving free lunch is another indicator).
Once we had narrowed down the area, we asked around in town. One hostess in a resturaunt told us that a HS we asked about was, "oooo kinda rough." We also found out that the original school district we'd been looking at was on the verge of imploding (which we later found out it did).
SAT scores can also help you compair your school district to the new one.

Where are you moving to? Maybe I've already done the leg work.

We are also finding the test scores seem to follow the money. That is a little frustrating. We live in a school district now with 7 elementary schools. Each school is excellent. All have very high percentages for exceeding.
My DH has a great job and loves it. We know he will never find another one. So, we have made the decision to move. We are relocating to Atlanta. We are open to where to buy a house. A lot also depends on distance and traffic, and definately the schools.

Any chance you could rent for 6 months before deciding where to actually live? I know it is a hassle, but easier than ending up in a bad school district and figuring it out after it is too late.

We've talked about it. But it is kind of a hassle.

I am struggling with similiar situation. We are not moving but debating Catholic school or public. My son did K in Catholic partly b/c it was full day. Now we need to decide. I find it very hard to compare and peoples opinions seeem to vary. Even looking at test scores I don't think always gives a true picture. We liked the Catholic school but with the economy not sure it is good move. I want to be able to pay for HS and up if need be. The hours of our town school make me need B4 and after school care. So the money starts equalling out. Stangely the principal of the public school would not let me visit while school is in seesion. I got to go during break.

Before we had a relocation date. We looked at both the public and private schools in our area. When I called and asked to have a tour of the public school, they had me speak to the guidance counselor. He set up a date and time, while school was in session for us to tour. I wanted to see the kids. Especially what was going on in the classroom.

 

[shelemm]

You asked: What is a Magnet Program?

Every home falls into a neighborhood public school boundary. Most every one who attends public school has to go to the designated neighborhood school without a choice. However, many counties have also developed magnet programs at certain schools, like a science magnet or arts magnet or Spanish immersion. Many other possibilities. So if you don't like the neighborhood school, you can choose to go to the magnet program at a different school. In some places you have to test into the magnet program, in other places their is a lottery or in other places anyone who wants to can attend the magnet program.

In our county, there is a science magnet, Spanish immersion, even an 'intensive' magnet for elementary schools. For middle school, there is also an arts magnet. At high school, they add an AP magnet and an IB (international baccalureate) magnet. This is a way for students to attend a school other than their neighborhood school if they feel they will get a better education at the magnet school.

 

[stacy6552]

I don't know much about Atlanta. If it were me, I would find the wealthy, high performing area (finding expensive homes is easier to do that school performance) and then look at the schools/affordable hoomes heading away from downtown Atlanta. It would work both where we live and where we were looking. So if the Beverly Hills of Atlanta is north of downtown, the keep headning north, or northwest.......

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Hey Nikkers, I think I'm becoming the go-to girl for people asking about relocating to atlanta with children.

I've lived in atlanta for 20 years, I have two elementary school age children, and I'm obsessed with finding the right school system for them.

I feel like I have finally found it and we're very happy with it. I don't particularly like to share too much info publicly, so feel free to PM me and I can answer any questions you'd like. I can tell you we are a highly educated family originally from the northeast, so our point of view with regards to education may or may not mesh well with yours.

A good place to start is www.gppf.org, it's a privately funded georgia think tank that rates individual schools and systems. Click on the "education report card" on the right side.

Where your DH works will have a large say in where you live. The traffic in Atlanta is like nothing you have ever experienced before, and I can say that having lived all over the world.

You are absolutely right on the money with noticing that a good high school can have a terrible middle or elementary, or vice versa. Finding what I call "hat trick schools", where the quality is there through all three school levels, is a challenge. They are out there, you just have to know how to sift through all the baloney and find it.

 

[nikkers]

Hey Nikkers, I think I'm becoming the go-to girl for people asking about relocating to atlanta with children.

I've lived in atlanta for 20 years, I have two elementary school age children, and I'm obsessed with finding the right school system for them.

I feel like I have finally found it and we're very happy with it. I don't particularly like to share too much info publicly, so feel free to PM me and I can answer any questions you'd like. I can tell you we are a highly educated family originally from the northeast, so our point of view with regards to education may or may not mesh well with yours.

A good place to start is www.gppf.org, it's a privately funded georgia think tank that rates individual schools and systems. Click on the "education report card" on the right side.

Where your DH works will have a large say in where you live. The traffic in Atlanta is like nothing you have ever experienced before, and I can say that having lived all over the world.

You are absolutely right on the money with noticing that a good high school can have a terrible middle or elementary, or vice versa. Finding what I call "hat trick schools", where the quality is there through all three school levels, is a challenge. They are out there, you just have to know how to sift through all the baloney and find it.

Thank you for your reply. I just sent you a PM.

 

[lastminutemom]

What is your price range for a home and where will your husband's job be?

As the other poster said, commute time is essential when living in ATL.

I do a lot of education policy work in GA and would be glad to help if you send me a PM.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Hey, I just found this very clear website about georgia schools-you can click on the county and then look at how the district performs at elementary, middle and high school levels, and you can also drill down deeper and look at individual schools.

The principal of our school just put it up on his blog and I was looking at it for our school (FABULOUS ), and I thought, hey, this could be good for my disboard friends

http://gaosa.org/FindASchool.aspx?PageReq=106&FromSection=report&StateId=ALL&SY=2008

 

[steelebug]

Shelemm your schools sound like our schools. Do you by chance live in Lexington,kY? Schools here can be very challenging.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

woops double post

 

[bonybroad]

schoolmatters.net
Compare up to 3 schools.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[nikkers]

Hey, I just found this very clear website about georgia schools-you can click on the county and then look at how the district performs at elementary, middle and high school levels, and you can also drill down deeper and look at individual schools.

The principal of our school just put it up on his blog and I was looking at it for our school (FABULOUS ), and I thought, hey, this could be good for my disboard friends

http://gaosa.org/FindASchool.aspx?PageReq=106&FromSection=report&StateId=ALL&SY=2008

That is a great website. I like how easy it is to get school and county info. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for everyone's replies. It is starting to feel not so overwhelming. DH has been in the Twin Cities area for over 20 years, and I have been in the area for over 15 years. We never dreamed we would be relocating. I really appreciate all of the information provided. We are planning a trip in April, and can't wait to visit some of the schools.

 

[minnie2]

That is a great website. I like how easy it is to get school and county info. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for everyone's replies. It is starting to feel not so overwhelming. DH has been in the Twin Cities area for over 20 years, and I have been in the area for over 15 years. We never dreamed we would be relocating. I really appreciate all of the information provided. We are planning a trip in April, and can't wait to visit some of the schools.

good luck with your search! I lived in Atlanta (well Grayson) for 10 yrs and LOVED it and regret so much leaving but can't wait to get back!