Jefferson County vs. Oldham County Schools (Louisville, St. Matthews: homes, neighborhood, buyer)

[ThePoint502]

I've noticed a common theme on this board is that people tend to recommend living in Oldham County rather than Jefferson County because of schools. Of course, Louisville private schools are great, but I do not feel that the gap is as great as many make it out to between the public schools.

With parents involved in education and their kid's life, public schools should absolutely not prevent them from having success in their life. I know many successful people who came through JCPS, and I simply don't think it's as bad as portrayed.

As a disclaimer, I did attend private schools, but I've known screw-ups from the county to the east and geniuses in public schools.

Just saying.

[notthatgirl]

It really depends on how you decide to respond to the situation you're in. JCPS isn't a death sentence. If parents are involved and ensure that learning doesn't end when their child walks out of the classroom, I highly doubt that their children will suffer and end up living in a cardboard box down by the river just because they attended JCPS.

I went to public schools in a rural part of the state not known for educational excellence. But I did well in school and went on to get my Masters degree. My parents played a huge part in this; they were at least as, if not more, influential on my educational experience as the actual school system was.

[tomocox]

One must remember that most people who need to know about schools on this forum are moving to the area. There are some very good points, programs, and even schools in Jefferson County; unfortunately, newcomers to the area, unless they are coming with extreme political pull (ie.. a new top exec of a politically connected corporation), will not have opportunities to put their children in a "homes" school if their "homes" school is one of the top schools.

Although my own daughter needed the support and methods of the traditional middle school about 1/2 mile from our home, she was excluded from the best education JCPS could give her because she was the 15th white female on the waiting list when school started the year we moved to Louisville. That situation has repeated itself over and over for other parents/children since as evidenced by this forum.

[ThePoint502]

JCPS is far more diverse in student population than Oldham County, and in that regard it can be a better education.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by ThePoint502

JCPS is far more diverse in student population than Oldham County, and in that regard it can be a better education.

Ya, obviously haven't visited OC. The difference is that OC doesn't force diversity, it just comes naturally.

[Queen Louis]

As a disclaimer, my husband and I both graduated from Oldham County schools, we live in Oldham County currently, but we do not send our children to public schools.

I think both Oldham and Jefferson have their positives and negatives. Oldham County does not have any specialized programs like the JCPS Magnet program, but it does have consistently good schools throughout the district. Some schools in Jefferson County are phenomenal, but others are really struggling. And I think with the recent redistricting issues, some people are hesitant to invest money into a home with no assurance of being able to send their child to a neighborhood school.

I really think both counties would benefit from some new ideas, such as charter schools. Not only would it be great to explore these progressive ideas in education, but had it been done years ago, we would be receiving a TON of federal Race to the Top money right now!

[ThePoint502]

Originally Posted by Queen Louis

As a disclaimer, my husband and I both graduated from Oldham County schools, we live in Oldham County currently, but we do not send our children to public schools.

I think both Oldham and Jefferson have their positives and negatives. Oldham County does not have any specialized programs like the JCPS Magnet program, but it does have consistently good schools throughout the district. Some schools in Jefferson County are phenomenal, but others are really struggling. And I think with the recent redistricting issues, some people are hesitant to invest money into a home with no assurance of being able to send their child to a neighborhood school.

I really think both counties would benefit from some new ideas, such as charter schools. Not only would it be great to explore these progressive ideas in education, but had it been done years ago, we would be receiving a TON of federal Race to the Top money right now!

I agree.

[tomocox]

Queen Louis... It's hard to be humble when we live in OC. Unfortunately, the public has been spun once again about "Charter Schools" and JCPS quality. First, charter schools are nothing more than America doing what it has become best at, avoiding personal responsibility. Effectively, a charter school is just something for Congress to throw more money at. Rather than being responsible enough to improve community schools, JCPS decided to use "Magnet Schools" to let the better students living in poor resides schools to get relief. Magnet schools, including "traditional" are nothing more than a political avoidance of the effects of the desegregation plan Judge Gordon imposed on Jefferson County back in 1975.

Every school in Oldham County is effectively a "charter school." While all three OC high schools rank # 22, 7, & 5 on a ranking of 220 Kentucky public high schools, that same list ranks JCPS high schools # 220, 219, 218, 217, 215, 210, 201, 197, 194, 188, 187, 158, 147, 139, 61, 42, 15, 10, 3, 2, & 1. (SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools) The point is not that Oldham County schools are better than JCPS, the point is that the Oldham County schools are "balanced" while it is obvious that JCPS practices "unbalancing" schools.

So, readers, you wonder why I advise people moving to the Louisville area to consider Oldham County if schools are important? What would you do if you were a Realtor? Do you want me to tell someone, "I recommend you buy this lovely home which is in the Ballard "resides" district (the highest rated geographically assigned school), but next year, the district might be changed to the adjacent Waggener (# 187) "resides" district, or do you suggest that I advise a buyer to purchase a higher priced, and therefore higher taxed, home in St. Matthews rather than Hikes Point (Waggener is located in St. Matthews & Seneca near Hikes Point) so they must hope for reassignment in a traditional, magnet, or tuition based private/parochial school? (By the way, both my wife and my daughter are Waggener grads, Wife-1970 when Waggener was rated a top school in the state and daughter in 1998 just after school was designated Traditional).

So, how's that school assignment plan working out, if you are a Jefferson County resident who can't get your child into Brown, duPont Manual, Male, Ballard, or Eastern?

[ThePoint502]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Queen Louis... It's hard to be humble when we live in OC. Unfortunately, the public has been spun once again about "Charter Schools" and JCPS quality. First, charter schools are nothing more than America doing what it has become best at, avoiding personal responsibility. Effectively, a charter school is just something for Congress to throw more money at. Rather than being responsible enough to improve community schools, JCPS decided to use "Magnet Schools" to let the better students living in poor resides schools to get relief. Magnet schools, including "traditional" are nothing more than a political avoidance of the effects of the desegregation plan Judge Gordon imposed on Jefferson County back in 1975.

Every school in Oldham County is effectively a "charter school." While all three OC high schools rank # 22, 7, & 5 on a ranking of 220 Kentucky public high schools, that same list ranks JCPS high schools # 220, 219, 218, 217, 215, 210, 201, 197, 194, 188, 187, 158, 147, 139, 61, 42, 15, 10, 3, 2, & 1. (SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools) The point is not that Oldham County schools are better than JCPS, the point is that the Oldham County schools are "balanced" while it is obvious that JCPS practices "unbalancing" schools.

So, readers, you wonder why I advise people moving to the Louisville area to consider Oldham County if schools are important? What would you do if you were a Realtor? Do you want me to tell someone, "I recommend you buy this lovely home which is in the Ballard "resides" district (the highest rated geographically assigned school), but next year, the district might be changed to the adjacent Waggener (# 187) "resides" district, or do you suggest that I advise a buyer to purchase a higher priced, and therefore higher taxed, home in St. Matthews rather than Hikes Point (Waggener is located in St. Matthews & Seneca near Hikes Point) so they must hope for reassignment in a traditional, magnet, or tuition based private/parochial school? (By the way, both my wife and my daughter are Waggener grads, Wife-1970 when Waggener was rated a top school in the state and daughter in 1998 just after school was designated Traditional).

So, how's that school assignment plan working out, if you are a Jefferson County resident who can't get your child into Brown, duPont Manual, Male, Ballard, or Eastern?

But then the truth is that most kids go to their neighborhood schools and a small segment are forced into bussing. If your kid gets good grades, the parents are involved in education, then it's not a problem.

I went to St. X, which is probably better than any Oldham County school, and I'd definitely send my kids to JCPS over Oldham County schools. Going to school with upper-middle class white people doesn't mean it's a better education. Bad students will still be bad students.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by ThePoint502

But then the truth is that most kids go to their neighborhood schools and a small segment are forced into bussing. If your kid gets good grades, the parents are involved in education, then it's not a problem.

I went to St. X, which is probably better than any Oldham County school, and I'd definitely send my kids to JCPS over Oldham County schools. Going to school with upper-middle class white people doesn't mean it's a better education. Bad students will still be bad students.

Yes, ST.X, Trinity, Assumption, Sacred Heart, Presentation, Mercy, Holy Cross and DeSales are excellent schools; however, most hard working people can't afford the tuition. There are many Catholic families who will sacrifice to get the parochial education for religious reasons and many non-Catholic families who can afford, but won't for those same religious reasons.

I have said many times, if I live in Oldham County, my kids will go public, but if I live in Jefferson County, my kids will go private/parochial for the very reasons you discussed.

I can't speak to the actual number of kids that go to their "resides" school or are otherwise affected but since you are reporting, would you care to share what you obviously must know?

I agree with your statement about parents being involved in their child's education. There is no doubt that such involvement pays; however, based upon my x-wife's experience, in a class of 25 children, what if only one or two parents are involved and 20 or so could care less? I've seen that ratio and unless a majority of parents are involved the children of those one or two caring parents are still losers. Whenever there is busing, those unfavorable ratios don't just exist, they scream.

Unfortunately, you are mistaken about going to school with upper-middle class kids. Why? Because most upper-middle class parents have used their education to obtain that upper-middle class; therefore, they "get it" and their children are normally, but not always, better students. For those children who aren't in OC, the school of choice (not the student's or parent's) is Buckner High School.