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We moved down to Florida 4 years ago. I had found that my 3rd grader was at least 1 1/2 years ahead. Not only that, Florida did not have as many extras that my kids were getting in NJ. Real music programs (with 2 yearly performances), real art programs, not just a few lousy crayon and paper lessons, dance and yoga program, they were learning French in elementary (there are no language programs down here unitl middle school). Lunch in NJ was 1 hour (30 minutes to eat, 30 minute recess). Tampa, you have 20 minutes to eat, then back to class, 10 minute recess (twice a week, IF the teacher felt like it). The schools are SO focused on the standardized tests, that they are not teaching them what they really need to know. When we first moved down here, my kids had 6 more weeks of school left. My 3rd grader had already taken the NJASK and did very well. She had to take a modified FCAT and failed miserably. The school then tested her to see if she was on grade level, and did fabulous. Why? She missed the whole year of teaching for the FCAT. This is what the principal explain to me. We live in an upscale suburban area. The schools are better than most of the schools in Tampa. I worry that if we ever moved back, they would be so far behind and would struggle.
You can thank George Bush for these "standardized" tests....its all part of the "no child left behind" program......eventually George wanted and expected ALL children to be on their grade level......schools must achieve a certain standard to get government money. The insane part of all this is that ALL students have to compete as if they are on the same intelligence level no matter what the childs problem or intelligence level........teachers are expected to have children that have an lower IQ of 80 to produce the same test results as children with much higher IQs.....doesn't matter if theres problems at home....dads in jail or moms a crack addict......George expects the same production from everyone.....thats why theres Florida Fcat tests and similar tests in EVERY state. All school districts teach to the state test !!! Its absurd but until Obama can change this strategy its the way it is.
UKOK: I think the people who look foolish are those who argue that attending a public school in Florida makes you automatically less prepared for work, college and life in general and that you're less educated than someone in New Jersey. Call it anecdotal if you will, but I did live there and have many, many friends who attended public school in Florida and were just as smart and prepared for college as I was after going to school in New Jersey.
I'm not going to debate statistics, as I don't doubt yours are correct... But if you raise your family in a an upper-middle-class suburb in Florida, there is absolutely no reason that your children won't come out just as well as they would have in any New Jersey school. I don't understand what is so magical about New Jersey schools - perhaps there are simply more affluent communities in New Jersey that produce scholastically-successful children. Florida is a much larger state with many urban and back-woods areas that can skew statistics. But the bottom line is that for the average child growing up in a good suburban area, their educational experience should not be significantly different than their New Jersey counterparts.
And that would be where you are wrong. Even in "upper class" areas the schools are lousy and the children receive a far worse education than they would in an average area in NJ. The schools in FL cover a much larger geographic area so it's impossible for public school to only be "upper class". In NJ we have schools every 10 feet so it's easier to maintain the desired school population..........
And that would be where you are wrong. Even in "upper class" areas the schools are lousy and the children receive a far worse education than they would in an average area in NJ. The schools in FL cover a much larger geographic area so it's impossible for public school to only be "upper class". In NJ we have schools every 10 feet so it's easier to maintain the desired school population
Schools are districted by county rather than township/city in Florida. So you can live in one town; but go to school in another, as long as they are in the same county.
Giant, I would do it. I would do it myself if I had the resources at the moment, to be perfectly honest.
I have loads of family in the central Florida area - around the Orlando and Tampa areas, and some relatives in southern FL in Weston. Since I was young I've taken a few trips down to Florida a year, so I'm fairly familiar with the central area of the state.
The biggest complaint I've heard time and time again is the heat. Well, it gets pretty damn hot in Jersey too, regardless of the complaints. We don't have the strong humidity, but four seasons aren't all that alluring when it's 90 in the summer and too cold in the winter to step outside without your teeth hurting.
Schools are districted by county rather than township/city in Florida. So you can live in one town; but go to school in another, as long as they are in the same county.
Not any more. I assume you are talking about the school choice. Because of budget cuts, they are not allowing them nearly as much.
Our zoned school is an A rated, blue ribbon school. It has a great reputation, but lags far behind the NJ school my kids went to. There is no doubt that Florida schools are just not on the same level as NJ schools.
Im on vacation here in Fort Lauderdale and I don't see the people here any stupider or drivers slower than the ones in NJ. As far as NJ schools go, all of them are NOT like West Windsor,plainsboro, princeton. With schools like the ones in Newark, Trenton, Passaic, Jersey City, real Hoboken, Camden, are easily just as bad with more poor students coming out and doing nothing with their lives.
Nj is a broken system, sure the jobs are there now but 10-15 years from now they will all be gone as NJ is very business unfriendly. They WILL go to depressed areas like Cape Coral FL or Merced CA as taxes will be low and the upside will be huge. While in NJ they will be taxed to death, opportunity is DEAD or FLAT in NJ except for gentrification of cities like Newark. SUre you can stick around but you are going to make things worse for the next generation that will more than likely up and move as the poor are NOT mobile in NJ and will continue to SUCK at the state's free ride gravy train that is funded by businesses, doctors and lawyers. Enjoy what you have now in NJ, if you look at stats people are fleeing while you guys sit their thinking the high tax rate is acceptable to live there... businesses do not agree just they can't up and move over night but you WILL see a trend of them leaving in the next 10 years. Businesses unliike the government are somewhat held accountable for their bottom line and if all there money goes to taxes and high employee salaries to sustain living there then they WILL go broke with no bailout.
Thats how life is, Atlantic City was gorgeous in the 50s 60s, now its a **** hole with very little chance of recovery and people go to relive the good ol days otherwise AC has done very little to change with the times and improve itself. With no real plans on fixing the tax and spend gov't, greedy unions and corrupt politicians things will stay the same and only the few that things jobs will be here forever will stay while the smart ones will leave http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine...opertytax.html . If you cut off the life support of AID to the hoods what do you think will happen, more crime and guess where they will go? To the suburbs! I grew up going to the mall in quaker bridge nj and now its over run by hoodlums from trenton
Im on vacation here in Fort Lauderdale and I don't see the people here any stupider or drivers slower than the ones in NJ. As far as NJ schools go, all of them are NOT like West Windsor,plainsboro, princeton. With schools like the ones in Newark, Trenton, Passaic, Jersey City, real Hoboken, Camden, are easily just as bad with more poor students coming out and doing nothing with their lives.
No need to compare the very best schools in NJ.... look at schools we would consider pretty lousy here...say Elizabeth or Plainfield. Compare them to one of the the very best school districts in FL...for example Sarasota "A" rated schools and their test results and proficiency rates are very similar. Should give you an idea of the education level difference.
Giant what city is the Condo In? I lived in the Ft. Lauderdale area for 5 years and am moving back in a few months. I can possibly give you some insight on the City itself and whether the Condo is in a good area.
As far as the drivers, I would say Florida drivers (minus the old folks, but hey, I live in Ocean County so I'm used to it) are better in terms of lane discipline than NJ drivers. Traffic also seems to move much faster.
That wasn't my experience when I drove in Tampa traffic at rush hour. Every single time I put my signal on to signal a lane change, the driver in that lane would speed up to cut me off. Most of the time, a driver in Jersey will let you in.
Traffic moves faster because the speed limit is higher.
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