CCISD schools and Friendswood Schools Downgrade Ratings (Houston, Galveston: house, to buy)

[Texashouse]

We have been considering to buy a home in CCISD or Friendswood (Galveston County portion for FISD) Schools. It seems , per great schools.org, a lot o the ratings have gone down since several months ago in CCISD and we have seen some of the schools rated as low as a 4/10. Even friendswood high school is a 7/10.

We were really convinced on building in Sedona in League City ( no MUD tax) with Bauuerschlag elementary still being rated a 10 but now thinking maybe friendswood ( but we question that with a 7 high school rating) . Also we would love to get a little newer house but we are strongly opposed to the MUD tax and I'm surprised so many people buy them without flinching.

Even if you venture into something like Tuscan lakes, you get the MUD, but Clear Creek High School is currently showing a 5/10 rating .

Friendswood seems appealing but Im just not sold on the MUD taxes of west ranch so then would have to spend quite a bit more in Sterling Creek or get something a little older in Eagle Lakes or those subdivisions.

Im surprised i haven't seen any talk about the CCISD and the terribly low ratings right now as everyone always pitches it as a good school district. Maybe not as good as Friendswood but when you look at the newer homes for a little less, you can blend all the factors to make a decision, comments , thoughts, am I missing something ? ?

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by Texashouse

Im surprised i haven't seen any talk about the CCISD and the terribly low ratings right now as everyone always pitches it as a good school district. Maybe not as good as Friendswood but when you look at the newer homes for a little less, you can blend all the factors to make a decision, comments , thoughts, am I missing something ? ?

CCISD is a good district, as is Friendswood. I don't subscribe to the Great Schools rankings as being the end all and be all. I prefer looking at the Children at Risk site. Or better still, cross referencing the two against each other. For example, my kids Elementary in CCISD is ranked 9/10 on Great Schools, and has a grade of "A" on Children at Risk. I consider it to be comparable to their previous school in Denver, which rates an 8/10.

I guess my point is I like to look at multiple sites and see if they mirror each other, and if they do, I give them credence.

I think the Clear Creek rating on Great Schools (which is a 6/10) is pulled down due to receiving a score of 2 on "student progress". However, when you look at Clear Lake HS (considered the best traditional HS in CCISD and one of the best in the Houston area), their overall score is 8/10, and they get a 4 on student progress, which is only marginally better. But, both schools score highly on college readiness, and isn't that what's important at the HS level?

[TXsurburbanmom]

I'm not from this area but my children's schools got a big downgrade. I looked into it and they are being severely downgraded because students are not improving over previous years. For example my son's HS has a 10 for academics, 10 for college readiness but a 2 for improvement. It's hard to improve when it is already an academically excellent school. I found an article on the changes they made because low rated schools felt they were unfair. Now if they show minor improvement it's playing a bigger part in the rating but in turn it's lowering scores for better schools. My son's dropped from 9 to 7. You need to look at all the numbers and reviews not just the overall score to get the real picture.

Sorry to jump in but I've noticed this question starting to come up a lot.

[Texashouse]

This is the stuff I am looking for but then i have to wonder because some schools still are ranked 10/10 or 9/10. I think regardless... it will start to have to be priced into the property values. When someone is looking at a 300 or 400k house and see a 4/10 or 5/10, they might be inclined to skip over them and go to next better rated schools district. We also typically search with Redfin and thats how we go off great schools since they are incorporated into the searching.

Keep the comments coming please!

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by Bobcat4

For example my son's HS has a 10 for academics, 10 for college readiness but a 2 for improvement. It's hard to improve when it is already an academically excellent school.

Yes, of the several schools I looked at, academics and college readiness are high, and the progress score is much, much lower. Are all 3 scores given equal weight and if so, is that an appropriate indicator?

[Texas Ag 93]

And I graduated many years ago from DeBakey, which is top notch and usually ranked in the top 50 or 60 nationally, and I'm not that smart, so I guess anyone can manage....

[TXsurburbanmom]

Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93

Yes, of the several schools I looked at, academics and college readiness are high, and the progress score is much, much lower. Are all 3 scores given equal weight and if so, is that an appropriate indicator?

I can't say for sure but if I average the 3 at my son's school it does come out to 7 so it very well may be. Hopefully they will revamp it again as it is not giving a true picture of academics in previously successful schools. I definitely do not think it is an appropriate indicator and my concern is that it is misleading to people unfamiliar with an area they are researching.

[nana053]

Great Schools rankings are only a selection.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/bes...ricts/s/texas/

Katy (#14) and Pearland (#16) and Friendswood (#20) and Tomball (#21) and Clearcreek (#24) are all among the best in Texas.

Use Niche
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/bes...ton-harris-tx/

CCISD gets an A+ and is #24 in Texas

https://www.niche.com/k12/d/clear-cr...l-district-tx/

PISD (Pearland) also gets and A+

https://www.niche.com/k12/d/pearland...l-district-tx/

Friendswood also gets an A+

https://www.niche.com/k12/d/friendsw...l-district-tx/

[texas7]

A lot of the non mud areas still have a 2.9 tax rate. West ranch is 3.14 I think. Is that small number a significant enough difference to really make much of a difference in taxes?

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Bobcat4

I'm not from this area but my children's schools got a big downgrade. I looked into it and they are being severely downgraded because students are not improving over previous years. For example my son's HS has a 10 for academics, 10 for college readiness but a 2 for improvement. It's hard to improve when it is already an academically excellent school. I found an article on the changes they made because low rated schools felt they were unfair. Now if they show minor improvement it's playing a bigger part in the rating but in turn it's lowering scores for better schools. My son's dropped from 9 to 7. You need to look at all the numbers and reviews not just the overall score to get the real picture.

Sorry to jump in but I've noticed this question starting to come up a lot.

I've noticed some scores that made zero sense recently. That makes sense (and GreatSchools new ratings don't).