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Old 11-17-2015, 12:03 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,324,925 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
Splitting hairs. What if my child consistently scores in the top 2% in the state at a school even though the average for the school is much lower? Would moving to a school with a few percentage points higher average score really make her score 1% higher? I don't think it would have any impact. At that point, you are better off choosing the school with the more challenging curriculum and a gifted program.

You will all have a very hard time convincing me that a 5%, or even 10% difference in over all test scores for a school will have any impact on MY actual children. I just don't buy it. At some point, once you remove the bad attitudes, behavioral problems and gang trouble, the differences just don't matter.
Not trying to split hairs, just trying to illustrate your previous point:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post

IF after adjusting for demographic mix you see that a certain sub-group is performing below or above what it should be, then you can tell me that one school is doing a better or worse job at preparing students for the test material.

If white, non-low income students (typically the highest performing sub-group) aren't scoring well at a particular school, that is a huge red flag for me.
There's no material difference between the scores of the two schools.
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Old 11-17-2015, 01:29 PM
 
11,973 posts, read 31,635,920 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
Not trying to split hairs, just trying to illustrate your previous point:



There's no material difference between the scores of the two schools.
Sorry, I'm being inconsistent. I guess I'm trying to say that the only readily available yardstick to compare schools across districts is to look at test scores for similar sub-groups. Yet there are tremendous limitations to this, and they may bear no impact on the performance of your own children.
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Old 11-17-2015, 08:18 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
Non-low income student 2014 ISAT scores:

86 - Franklin Middle School (Wheaton)
84 - Park Junior High School (La Grange)

The "headline" difference in test scores stem from the additional low-income students in Wheaton, which has already been discussed (e.g. refugee students). As you can see, there's no material impact on the non-low income students, and in fact, they perform better in this case than their peers in La Grange.
OK but you are highlighting the wrong subgroup. IMO a school's effectiveness is more accurately measured in its ability to reach the low income subgroup. Teachers have a greater impact on this subgroup than the non-low income subgroup, who typically have a much stronger support system at home compared to the low income subgroup. This is where Park separates from Franklin.

Park Junior High (La Grange Park) - 54
Franklin Middle (Wheaton) - 40
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Old 11-17-2015, 09:40 PM
 
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I have 2 kids also and our family could not live in a 1300 sq ft house no matter if it's in Wheaton or not. Especially since there are other options more affordable and closer to work, I would not move all the way to Wheaton or Glen Ellyn if I only had a $350k-$400k price range. If a miracle happened and I found a 2000 sq fr home in Wheaton/ Glen Ellyn for $350k-$400k, I would definitely move there if it made somewhat sense commute wise. You might find something in unincorporated Glen Ellyn but I highly doubt you'll find a house for a 4 person family anywhere else in Glen Ellyn or in Wheaton.
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Old 11-17-2015, 10:15 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4122 View Post
I have 2 kids also and our family could not live in a 1300 sq ft house no matter if it's in Wheaton or not. Especially since there are other options more affordable and closer to work, I would not move all the way to Wheaton or Glen Ellyn if I only had a $350k-$400k price range. If a miracle happened and I found a 2000 sq fr home in Wheaton/ Glen Ellyn for $350k-$400k, I would definitely move there if it made somewhat sense commute wise. You might find something in unincorporated Glen Ellyn but I highly doubt you'll find a house for a 4 person family anywhere else in Glen Ellyn or in Wheaton.
So, what would you then recommend? Are there options for a 2K sq ft house under 400K - with top schools - and a sub 45 minute commute into the city?
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Old 11-18-2015, 06:01 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4122 View Post
I have 2 kids also and our family could not live in a 1300 sq ft house no matter if it's in Wheaton or not. Especially since there are other options more affordable and closer to work, I would not move all the way to Wheaton or Glen Ellyn if I only had a $350k-$400k price range. If a miracle happened and I found a 2000 sq fr home in Wheaton/ Glen Ellyn for $350k-$400k, I would definitely move there if it made somewhat sense commute wise. You might find something in unincorporated Glen Ellyn but I highly doubt you'll find a house for a 4 person family anywhere else in Glen Ellyn or in Wheaton.
Wheaton is a middle distance suburb, 25 miles west of Chicago.

It's the same distance from Chicago as, say, Northbrook or Arlington Heights.

There's express Metra service to/from the city in as little as 34 minutes.

More people chose to commute via transit from Wheaton than from many desirable inner ring suburbs. And for good reason, too.

Many homes priced at $350-$400k in Wheaton are 4-bed, 2000+ square feet -- and relatively young and livable.

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 11-18-2015 at 07:14 AM..
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Old 11-18-2015, 07:00 AM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,324,925 times
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Here's a recent study by the Chaddick Institute of Metropolitan Development at DePaul University, ranking the top transit suburbs in Chicagoland based on 47 metrics including service and ridership:

Top 20 Transit Suburbs Of Metropolitan Chicago: An Index Approach
Out of 250 suburbs, Wheaton ranks 6th.

Here's a recent study by George Washington University's Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, ranking the top 11 walkable suburbs in Chicagoland based on several metrics including office and retail square footage, and walk score:

Foot Traffic Ahead: Ranking Walkable Urbanism in America's Largest Metros
Wheaton made the list.

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 11-18-2015 at 07:11 AM..
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Old 11-18-2015, 07:06 AM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,324,925 times
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Chicago Magazine and numerous other publications have called Wheaton one of the best places to live in Chicagoland:
Best Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs | Chicago Magazine | April 2014

Money Magazine ranked Wheaton among the best places to live in the nation in 2008 and 2012. The criteria changes yearly based on population.

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 11-18-2015 at 07:22 AM..
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Old 11-18-2015, 09:42 AM
 
748 posts, read 823,158 times
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I also realize that there will be no magic wand I can waive that conjures up a sub-400K house that is large, in good school districts, walkable to the train, renovated, and with a very short commute. I'm happy to make the relevant trade-offs, even if it's a smaller or older house.
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Old 11-18-2015, 09:57 AM
 
11,973 posts, read 31,635,920 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RJA29 View Post
I also realize that there will be no magic wand I can waive that conjures up a sub-400K house that is large, in good school districts, walkable to the train, renovated, and with a very short commute. I'm happy to make the relevant trade-offs, even if it's a smaller or older house.
We know many people doing this. They may buy a smaller house and save money for a later addition, or they simply trade up within the same community once they have improved their finances.
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