Does anyone know how school ratings work?

buttercup1958 · March 2015

I think you should visit the schools and not rely on rating systems so much. For instance, my high school was/is ranked very well. However, I hated it. I only had three great teachers the whole time I was there. Also it lacked diversity, 80% of the students were white. I didn't really get exposed to different world views/experiences until college. Plus the school focus heavily on sports and put a lot of funding into it. Nevermind the drama department that was winning regional, state, and international connferences. We received zero funding and administration never paid attention to bullying. So I definitely think you should check the schools out yourself.

AddieCake · March 2015

The thing about the rating systems is that it is not necessarily a reflection on the teachers or the education at the school.

For example, in TX, when a Hispanic child takes the state test, it counts twice against the school if he or she fails and twice for the school if he or she passes. If a student is absent the day if the test, it counts as a failed test in the rating system. If a student does not graduate in 4 years, he or she is counted as a dropout (even if he hasn't dropped out) and the school gets dinged.

allispain · March 2015

Ratings systems like that can be helpful to give you an overall sense of certain aspects of a school, but they don't into account everything that might be important to you.

I would make a list of your top concerns regarding what you want to get out of a school (teacher:student ratio, do HS students have the option to take free classes at a local college after a certain point in their education, what arts programs are available to students, etc.). Whatever is most important to you. Then make an appointment to meet with the principal or whomever else to sit down and ask those questions. My mom did that when we moved to the area where I grew up (my sister and I had just reached schooling age). Her most important question was asking what that person considered to be that school's/district's biggest challenge they were currently facing. Any place that said they had no problems and everything was sunshine and rainbows, she immediately crossed off the list because, seriously? Everyone has issues. She wanted somewhere that would be honest about theirs - the district we ended up in had a lot of positive qualities to it (it's rated an A on that ratings system), but at the time the elementary school was overcrowded at all of the 5th grade classes took place in mods out back of the school. They were honest about that being a not-ideal situation, and explained their plans to fix it in upcoming years.

bethsmiles · March 2015

FiancB said:

jenna8984 said:
This is also a total sidenote that's not really related but there's a private high school in my area that charges.......$32,000 per year. FOR HIGH SCHOOL. I just cannot get over that- that is more than my state university costs. I was actually friends in college with a boy who went there and all I could think was what a waste to spend $120k on high school and end up in the same college as me from the D rated public school!
DH interviewed at a school like this... sad thing is, teachers make about the same as the tuition. I'm suspicious of the idea that these schools are any better than public- especially since my own private school k-8 education was less than stellar and really only was successful at making me suicidal (kidding... sort of...okay not really)

Ditto. I went to public school after elementary and I didn't feel like I was so far ahead of all the other kids. My parents pushed me to do AP and honors classes and my parents were involved enough to know which teachers weren't so great at their jobs and made sure I wasn't put in their classes. I got a good education. SO went to a private school and honestly what I hear about it doesn't impress me at all.

Does anyone know how school ratings work?

Re: Does anyone know how school ratings work?

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