Chamblee high school- Atlanta area (Dunwoody: zoned, work, houses)

[srl123]

Can anyone tell me about Chamblee High School- the "non-Magnet" aspect? I have a daughter who needs some special assistance (reading processing and has an IEP because of this). The magnet program sounds great but she couldn't be in that type of curriculum. It is still a public school for those zoned for that area but can't find any good info. Thanks to anyone with info!!

[lastminutemom]

There is a huge difference in the quality of the school and the students in the magnet program and outside of it. Several years ago, the SAT scores of the magnet students were broken out. The non-magnet students had average SAT scores lower than many other Dekalb high schools.

Chamblee High School is comprised mostly of students who don't live in Chamblee. Last school year, nearly 60 percent of students lived outside the Chamblee attendance zone, less than a third of those were enrolled in the magnet program, mots of the rest were students from other DeKalb high schools that didn't make AYP.

Do you already live in Chamblee or looking to move? I believe that Dunwoody has a better special ed department.

[srl123]

Thank you lastminutemom! How did so many students outside of the Chamblee attendance zone go there? I thought that could only happen if they were in the magnet program- meaning attending a school outside their school zone. What is AYP? I'm looking in Chamblee because I've found a couple of houses I really like and thought the school situation was good, but it seems that has been geared toward the Magnet program. My daughter will be entering 11th grade and has a normal/average IQ but has that problem with reading!! I've exhauted Lakeside and can't find a house I'm really happy with so I began searching outside that district. I wanted to stay inside the perimeter secondary to our work (Shepherd and Emory). Thanks again- you are very helpful!!

[lastminutemom]

Chamblee is an underutlized high school in terms of enrollment from within its attendance zone. I won't write a book on why-- but it does have two private high schools that are basically in or adjoining its' attendance zone. In DeKalb, if a school has empty spaces they will pretty much be filled because there has been so much growth in S. Dekalb and the schools down there are so crowded.

AYP-- Annual yearly progress-- as required by NCLB, a certain percentage of a school's students must score above a certain level on state wide testing. If this level is not met, the school doesn't make AYP and students are allowed to transfer. Chamblee has been hit with large numbers of these transfers in the past and is scheduled to receive another 100 or more transfers next year.

Like most public high schools these days, the brighter the student the better the experience. At Chamblee, the top non-magnet students end up in most of the classes with the magnet students. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like this will work for your child.

I don't have any idea of what type of house your are looking for and exactly what areas in Chamblee you are looking at, but parts of Dunwoody are fairly close to I-285 and probably are a similar commute.

Any chance you could swing for two years of private school?

[lastminutemom]

I just thought of another concern for you --the Georgia High School Graduation Exams. I don't know if you have state mandated testing to be able to earn a diploma where you are, but we do here.

Georgia Department of Education - Testing

Private schools do not require this testing to graduate. Something else to think about.