Metrowest School:Opinions and Suggestions? (Boston, Newton: school districts, move, budget)

[tigger1980]

How are the following school districts? Which would you choose if you had a child who would start school in 5 years?
Framingham
Ashland
Natick
Wayland
Newton
Northborough
Southborough
Marlborough
Westborough
Sudbury
Hopkinton
Holliston

[ogre]

I know little about the schools in any of the "borough" towns listed here. Of the remaining towns, by reputation Wayland, Newton, and Sudbury are generally regarded as having outstanding school systems. Hopkinton, Holliston, and Ashland have the general reputation of having fine school systems as well, maybe not triple-gold-star but really good. I have family in Natick, so I know some detail about their schools. My understanding is that the system is good on the whole. Looking at specific schools, the elementary schools are really good, the middle school is the weakest in the system, though of reasonable quality, and the high school is solid but not quite up to the standards of the elementary schools. I don't know so much detail about Framingham schools, but their general reputation is so-so. As I said earlier, I know nothing, not even general reputation, about the schools in the "borough" towns, but of the other towns listed above, Framingham schools have the weakest reputation.

[mysboro]

I can give a little insight into the boroughs. Northborough-Southborough is a combined school district. The towns maintain separate elementary schools, but have a regional high school (Algonquin). The district has a very good reputation.

Algonquin was recently rated the #2 public high school by Boston Magazine (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/best_h...art/index.html), although its methodology was somewhat controversial -- they based the ranking on cost-efficiency rather than simply test scores or other similar criteria.

Westborough also has a good reputation, although perhaps not as good as Northborough-Southborough. I don't know much about Marlborough, but I think it might be on par with Framingham? (I might be wrong on that.)

When MCAS scores were released this fall, I did a comparison of many of the towns you mentioned on my blog. but you can find my blog on the Contact Info tab of my profile. Once there, search for MCAS.

[smarty]

I'm sorry... but this is a relatively crazy question for the following reason...

There is no way to predict how good a system is in 5 years. It is about the budget and "will" of the students and community. You will also find principal and superintendents make a big difference. Also, most people move in 7 years... so what is the point of picking a school system when most things will change by the time you use it? Btw... there is great argument of what is a good school district.. what works for you may not work for me.