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Ellsey10
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/15 614 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
Does anyone know of a website or somewhere I can find current reviews of a school district? I'm currently living in a school district that when I was growing up wasn't the best, but now people are saying it's changed a lot for the better. I'm trying to figure out if we're going to stay in our house or move but prior to doing so, I would like to research the district more. TIA 
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Posted 1/23/20 12:53 PM  |
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NYCGirl80
I love my kiddies!
Member since 5/11 10413 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
There's GreatSchools, but you should take everything there with a grain of salt. Many people who are happy don't write in and what is good for one person is not what someone else cares for.
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| Posted 1/23/20 2:29 PM |
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LuckyStar
LIF Adult
Member since 7/14 7272 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
We are struggling with this now in deciding where to move. I think the only way to REALLY know is to speak with other parents in the district. The ratings, IMO, don’t tell much. I’ve been perusing FB mom groups, the district websites, individual school FB pages. It’s hard.
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| Posted 1/23/20 2:49 PM |
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jamnmore
LIF Adult
Member since 6/16 989 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
Districts change. Admin can change at any time. I would not base a home buying decision on a school district.
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| Posted 1/23/20 2:57 PM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7789 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
I think your best bet is to go on the local Moms page and attend a school board meeting. My SD is rated pretty good, not tops, but like an 8 on Great Schools. Let me tell you, what I see on the moms page makes my skin crawl. Also, the lack of concern and respect by the school board is appalling. I also didn't know the lack of programs and extracurriculars until I moved here. I would not know any of that without living here and being a part of the SD now. And the saying "it's what you make of it" is code for "it sucks."
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| Posted 1/23/20 3:08 PM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19453 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: School Districts
So we lived in one town with highly rated schools, and then all of the administration retired at once, including the principal, and the school went to heck. It dropped from 11 to 70. It has come back to the mid teens, in state rankings but it took 7 years to get back. The same time my kids would have gone there. So we moved after 1st grade. Every district has issues. Every one of them. Look at US news rankings, great schools rankings. See what clubs are offered at every level. My kids Elementary schools have after school clubs. See how many kids are in a class. The most number of kids in one class in elementary is 22 for my district and that class is co-taught.
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| Posted 1/23/20 3:45 PM |
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Ellsey10
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/15 614 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
You all made really good points. I've heard my current district offers quite a bit whereas the other ones I was looking into doesn't offer as much. I'll take a look into everything. Thank you
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| Posted 1/23/20 3:58 PM |
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Lucky09
2017!
Member since 1/06 7535 total posts
Name:
DW
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School Districts
In addition to all of the above, I like to look at published test scores. I can’t remember the website (it might be on the NYS board of ed website) where they publish what % of kids are testing at grade level, above grade level, below grade level etc. Also the % of kids going on to college from HS was important to me. If I find the website I will go back and link it.
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| Posted 1/23/20 4:02 PM |
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Mrs213
????????
Member since 2/09 18986 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
Check out niche.com
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| Posted 1/23/20 6:52 PM |
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nycbuslady
LIF Adult
Member since 9/15 1063 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by Lucky09
In addition to all of the above, I like to look at published test scores. I can’t remember the website (it might be on the NYS board of ed website) where they publish what % of kids are testing at grade level, above grade level, below grade level etc. Also the % of kids going on to college from HS was important to me. If I find the website I will go back and link it.
Newsday publishes those lists every year. If you google it, you should be able to find it.
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| Posted 1/24/20 8:29 AM |
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nycbuslady
LIF Adult
Member since 9/15 1063 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by jamnmore
Districts change. Admin can change at any time. I would not base a home buying decision on a school district.
Yes, they change, but it's the biggest part of your property taxes, so the school district has to be part of the decision.
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| Posted 1/24/20 8:32 AM |
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jamnmore
LIF Adult
Member since 6/16 989 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by nycbuslady
Posted by jamnmore
Districts change. Admin can change at any time. I would not base a home buying decision on a school district.
Yes, they change, but it's the biggest part of your property taxes, so the school district has to be part of the decision.
The cost of taxes needs to be considered yes. But I would not consider the districts staffing or admin as a sole contributor to a buying decision, since these things can change at a moments notice and you can end up in a much different landscape than you originally thought you were getting.
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| Posted 1/24/20 10:23 AM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7789 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by Mrs213
Check out niche.com
I never saw this before but it's interesting. Although I'm not sure I agree with all of their grades. It says Nightlife is a B. Um....Unless I am missing something at the local dive bar, I guess they are referring to those out at Stop and Shop at night? LOL
It also says my son's elementary school is a B. I definitely do not agree with that. I am super critical of everything about my kids' educations and I can't say enough positive about his school. We just got a new principal who is already better than the last so I'm sure it's going to be much better.
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| Posted 1/24/20 10:28 AM |
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Adri
Joy!
Member since 5/05 3116 total posts
Name:
A
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Re: School Districts
Posted by NYCGirl80
There's GreatSchools, but you should take everything there with a grain of salt. Many people who are happy don't write in and what is good for one person is not what someone else cares for.
I agree 100% I have checked this website, also niche.com, for only public schools insideschools.org, and in all, you always get mixed subjective reviews
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| Posted 1/24/20 6:29 PM |
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Mrs213
????????
Member since 2/09 18986 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by FirstMate
Posted by Mrs213
Check out niche.com
I never saw this before but it's interesting. Although I'm not sure I agree with all of their grades. It says Nightlife is a B. Um....Unless I am missing something at the local dive bar, I guess they are referring to those out at Stop and Shop at night? LOL
It also says my son's elementary school is a B. I definitely do not agree with that. I am super critical of everything about my kids' educations and I can't say enough positive about his school. We just got a new principal who is already better than the last so I'm sure it's going to be much better.
It has every districts ranking in the state. I never looked at nightlife on there lol. This is what Newsday refers to when they publish the rankings each year
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| Posted 1/25/20 11:14 AM |
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KarenK122
The Journey is the Destination
Member since 5/05 4430 total posts
Name:
Karen
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School Districts
Anything you read online is going to skewed. The criteria does not take everything into account especially for elementary schools. You are better off looking at the high schools. See what the graduation rate is, check out what electives, sports, extra curricular activities are offered. Get on the Town Facebook pages and those women will tell it like it is lol.
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| Posted 1/25/20 2:58 PM |
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KateBennetReel
LIF Adolescent
Member since 10/15 555 total posts
Name:
Keep
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Re: School Districts
I have found visiting the school's websites to be helpful in getting to know what the culture is, mission, activities are like. I also heard you can request a tour. I haven't tried that yet.
I have also been known to subscribe to their PTA newsletters online.
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| Posted 1/25/20 4:15 PM |
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Ellsey10
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/15 614 total posts
Name:
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School Districts
Thank you everyone. I appreciate all the input
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| Posted 1/28/20 9:41 AM |
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LIRascal
drama. daily.
Member since 3/11 7287 total posts
Name:
Michelle
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School Districts
That only data I think is relevant are the number of graduating seniors who go on to 4 year colleges, and whether or not they offer a vocational program Or participate in and outside vocational program. It seems to be the most valid criteria over how many AP students there are or IB students there are. One of that neighboring school districts has forced all of their children Into advanced programs at the high school to make their district seem better. It is a Hot mess. I think it is fair to use this criteria because it is not subjective. There is no community input when using these numbers and it is a goal for most of us that our children are educated in a higher education setting. There are some districts would do not subscribe to a vocational program and sometimes students who are not cut out for college are locked out of these opportunities as well.
Just my own personal nerdy note, I feel that school districts that offer Mandarin Chinese, Hebrew and other world languages are somewhat more progressive and advanced. This is my opinion only.
Message edited 1/28/2020 11:44:31 AM.
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| Posted 1/28/20 11:43 AM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
Name:
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Re: School Districts
Posted by jamnmore
Posted by nycbuslady
Posted by jamnmore
Districts change. Admin can change at any time. I would not base a home buying decision on a school district.
Yes, they change, but it's the biggest part of your property taxes, so the school district has to be part of the decision.
The cost of taxes needs to be considered yes. But I would not consider the districts staffing or admin as a sole contributor to a buying decision, since these things can change at a moments notice and you can end up in a much different landscape than you originally thought you were getting.
I'm going to disagree with you there. Even if the admin and school board changes, I have never seen the core values of a district change "at a moments notice." Good school districts do not just become terrible overnight, and vice versa. Of course anything can happen over time, positive or negative but change is usually not swift and drastic when it comes to these things.
And it's not "the cost of taxes" but rather the value that the school district adds to or detracts from the home. I would say for us the two things that we were most concerned about were commute to the city and quality of the school district.
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| Posted 1/28/20 12:28 PM |
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