Are most NWI schools really that bad?

[svillechris]

I agree with everyone here as well. The AYP is a very flawed guage of the performance of a school system. My wife is a teacher and this is something that basically gets shrugged at, because those who really know how it's used understand that it isn't accurate at all.

Like Chuckity stated, there are better places to research information about your schools such as GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community and the most accurate in my opinion, the Department of Education website itself. Since this website is not very user-friendly, I'm posting the pages for most of the above average school corporations in the area, in no particular order. My reason for doing so is to allow people to see from the Department of Education itself that local schools as a whole are not failing, most are doing quite well above Indiana state averages:

-School Town of Munster: Corporation Snapshot, School Town of Munster #4740

-Lake Central School Corporation: Corporation Snapshot, Lake Central School Corp #4615

-Crown Point Community School Corp.: Corporation Snapshot, Crown Point Community Sch Corp #4660

-Duneland School Corporation: Corporation Snapshot, Duneland School Corporation #6470

-Valparaiso Community Schools: Corporation Snapshot, Valparaiso Community Schools #6560

-Union Township School Corp.: Corporation Snapshot, Union Township School Corp #6530

[janeyapple]

The majority of grade schools are performing much better than the high schools. A big reason my husband and I made the sacrifice to move here 9 years ago was for what we perceived to be at the time great schools. We have been satisfied with the grade school and middle school in our area. I am not happy at all with what I have seen and heard lately about lake central and my son will not be attending when he graduates from 8th grade in 2 years. It seems like school funding has totally dried up and there is pull back and unwillingness coming from our community to make the sacrifice of higher taxes for our kids' education. Hammond baptist high school seems like a much better option and we will probably end up making the financial sacrifice when the time comes.

We are starting to feel stuck in an area that does not seem as promising as it once seemed when we moved here. I know these aren't the best of economic times in our country but we have more vacant homes and retail store fronts than I care to count around my area. Our area can't keep a business because good paying local jobs are nowhere to be found. My husband who was laid off last year by his south suburban bank branch was forced to take a job at a western suburban branch and now has to commute over 2 hours to work each way in a bunch of traffic.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by janeyapple

It seems like school funding has totally dried up and there is pull back and unwillingness coming from our community to make the sacrifice of higher taxes for our kids' education.

I would contend that the community cares very much about education outcomes. It's a fallacy, however, to think that more money automatically equates to better outcomes, and therein lies the reason behind the resistance to higher taxes.

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by janeyapple

The majority of grade schools are performing much better than the high schools. A big reason my husband and I made the sacrifice to move here 9 years ago was for what we perceived to be at the time great schools. We have been satisfied with the grade school and middle school in our area. I am not happy at all with what I have seen and heard lately about lake central and my son will not be attending when he graduates from 8th grade in 2 years. It seems like school funding has totally dried up and there is pull back and unwillingness coming from our community to make the sacrifice of higher taxes for our kids' education. Hammond baptist high school seems like a much better option and we will probably end up making the financial sacrifice when the time comes.

We are starting to feel stuck in an area that does not seem as promising as it once seemed when we moved here. I know these aren't the best of economic times in our country but we have more vacant homes and retail store fronts than I care to count around my area. Our area can't keep a business because good paying local jobs are nowhere to be found. My husband who was laid off last year by his south suburban bank branch was forced to take a job at a western suburban branch and now has to commute over 2 hours to work each way in a bunch of traffic.

Lake Central is NOT a bad or declining school and nor has school funding totally "dried up". The push back back mainly had to do with all the "extras" that were tacked on ... the new bus barn, administration bldg, etc.

In fact, aren't they making improvements right now or soon with stimulus money? I seem to remember reading something about that ...

I don't know what to tell you about the retail environment in NWI - there were a few areas that did too much, too big and too quickly regarding business growth ... there was no way the Region could support a lot of these strip malls that popped up.

As for local employment, if I was your husband, I'd be fighting & networking my arse off to get into Centier - I'm sure he's tried, but everyone I've ever known who's worked for them has been overall, thrilled. As for other drivers of NWI employment, I don't know what to tell you. Gary's airport SHOULD be the 3rd airport ... but it's a political pi$$ing match. That would definitely stoke the employment fires - and there's no way in heck that it will happen.

[asdfqwerty]

Munster schools are still strong.......except for Wilbur Wright Middle School, which is on a downward trend.

[Northwest Indiana]

Originally Posted by asdfqwerty

Munster schools are still strong.......except for Wilbur Wright Middle School, which is on a downward trend.

It seems middle schools are on a downward trend (then swing upward, then back down)...it is typically the WORST span of educational years for the vast majority of students. Traditional middle schools (grades 6-8) typically are not as strong as elementary schools or high schools in terms of scores.

[a. palmer jr.]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

I would contend that the community cares very much about education outcomes. It's a fallacy, however, to think that more money automatically equates to better outcomes, and therein lies the reason behind the resistance to higher taxes.

Personal involvement is the key..parents are busy (or high on drugs) and don't want to mess with their child's education. What they're doing is more important (to them).