How does the PA school system rank? (Penn: sales, homes)

[mjk1093]

Originally Posted by mreenrose

I am horrified that teachers have been relegated to do nothing more than prep kids for the PSSA by taking and scoring practice test after practice test.

I don't have much of a problem with the PSSA. Frankly, it requires more creative thought than most of the "Scantron" tests I took in High School that were made up by teachers.

[Nobiku]

If you have at least one stay at home parent, grandparent or guardian, the Pennsylvania Charter Cyber School is a dream come true!

No threat of gangs, drugs, race riots, weapons, or teacher's social agendas being shoved into junior's sponge of a brain!

Home Schooling in real time - in a real classroom with a quality teacher and about 20 classmates - all interactive - all in real time. Get called on, raise your hand, pass notes - while the parent is looking over the shoulder, or just able to pop in once in awhile to ensure proper classroom behaviour.

Have to travel? Take junior with you and have a portable PC for the hotel's internet connection. Miss a class? Review it in the archive - as all classes are available for review.

My son is in his third year - in my opinion this is the way most schools will be run in the near future (as can be seen from the exponential growth of the cyber school). Of course, there are those families that use schools as babysitters - so there will always be some need for the brick and mortar classroom.

[mjk1093]

Originally Posted by Nobiku

If you have at least one stay at home parent, grandparent or guardian, the Pennsylvania Charter Cyber School is a dream come true!

Be warned many of these charter schools have been shut down by the state because of a complete lack of standards and controls.

Originally Posted by Nobiku

No threat of gangs, drugs, race riots, weapons, or teacher's social agendas being shoved into junior's sponge of a brain!

Hmmm... social agendas? Like what? Tolerance, learning the value of co-operation and social interaction, respect for others' differences, you know, American values? What our country was built on?

Throughout my twelve years of public education and two years of teaching I've never met a teacher who had a "social agenda" that went beyond the basics that everyone who's not a radical (on either end of the spectrum) can agree upon.

Originally Posted by Nobiku

Of course, there are those families that use schools as babysitters - so there will always be some need for the brick and mortar classroom.

Yeah, and those parents (the vast majority) that can't afford to have someone stay at home all day. Pretty elitist attitude.

[Nobiku]

Yes, warn of a cyber school that you nothing about! It actually happens to be a public school - complete with all the state requirements - and the students do very well.

Social agendas - yes they exist - you even stated so yourself. Tolerance? Oh yeah, for some, but not for all - look at the attack in your post! It has to be politically correct tolerance.

Do you really think it is elitist to make sacrifices so that your children can have one stay at home parent? Or does your feel good tolerant lifestyle cause you to be so materialistic you can't afford to let your child be with a parent during the day?

Yes, bad teachers hate cyber schools - the parents are contantly watching the classroom - if the teacher is incompetent - they can't get away with it!

[mjk1093]

Originally Posted by Nobiku

Yes, warn of a cyber school that you nothing about! It actually happens to be a public school - complete with all the state requirements - and the students do very well.

I didn't warn about yours specifically - just about cyber schools in general. If you want your kid in one, check it out first. There's been a lot of disruption for parents who've had their kids enrolled only to see the school shut down.

Originally Posted by Nobiku

Social agendas - yes they exist - you even stated so yourself. Tolerance? Oh yeah, for some, but not for all - look at the attack in your post! It has to be politically correct tolerance.

Interesting how you define tolerance as agreeing with everything you say. Looking at the other post you made about "black gangs taking over" it looks like you have a pretty clear social agenda of your own, don't you?

And if you're one of those people who believe teaching an established scientific fact like Evolution is a "social agenda" then I'm not interested in wasting my time arguing with you!

Originally Posted by Nobiku

Do you really think it is elitist to make sacrifices so that your children can have one stay at home parent? Or does your feel good tolerant lifestyle cause you to be so materialistic you can't afford to let your child be with a parent during the day?

I'd like to see you tell all the poor and working-class parents in my district that they're being "materialistic" because mom has to work. The reaction you'd get would be, well... interesting.

Originally Posted by Nobiku

es, bad teachers hate cyber schools - the parents are contantly watching the classroom - if the teacher is incompetent - they can't get away with it!

I don't hate cyber schools. If they are well-run they can be a good option for some students. However a lot of them are fly-by-night operations or are used by parents trying to shield their children from any opinions that oppose their own narrow beliefs.

[mreenrose]

I am a public school teacher. It is humorous when I read opinions about "bad teachers" and "social agendas" and "families that use schools as babysitters". This type of blatant hostility comes from somewhere deep inside a person who either got picked on as a kid or maybe wasn't called on when he had his hand raised in class. In other words, it's a personal issue. From the real classroom I can tell you that every teacher I work with wants the kids to learn and have good experiences in school. Period. That's it. We are regular people who are community members with mortgages, kids, and plenty of responsibility.

[PALynn]

We have friends who move back and forth from PA to FL for work. Each time they come back from FL one of their kids loses a year when tested for placement. That's just one fammily, obviously.
There's a big difference between inner city schools and suburban schools. The whole of southeast PA is rather good. East Penn and Parkland are wonderful as well as the suburban Philly schools.
All states have something like of PSSAs thanks to No Child Left Behind, but in a district with a lot of bright kids it won't be so much of a time waster.
If your kids are very bright there are tons of bright motivated students to set the bar high. If your kids need help I'd look more closely at which schools are better with which problems. (ie. some schools are known to be excellent w/ autism, others not so much)

[mjk1093]

Originally Posted by mreenrose

I am a public school teacher. It is humorous when I read opinions about "bad teachers" and "social agendas" and "families that use schools as babysitters". This type of blatant hostility comes from somewhere deep inside a person who either got picked on as a kid or maybe wasn't called on when he had his hand raised in class.

Perhaps, but more likely it was cribbed from the talking points of a certain political movement we're all too familiar with here in PA. I won't name names because the admin's already threated to delete my posts (while openly racist stuff is left on unchallenged.)

Originally Posted by mreenrose

From the real classroom I can tell you that every teacher I work with wants the kids to learn and have good experiences in school. Period. That's it. We are regular people who are community members with mortgages, kids, and plenty of responsibility.

Yes, that's the truth, but don't forget how many see us: A bunch of crypto-commies preaching condoms, abortion, and the ultimate evil, Evolution. I'm careful who I tell my profession to, lest I get an earful just like Nobiku's post.

[PaoliPete]

Our family moved to Paoli six years ago. We checked out the state dept of education database on school districts, which is very informative.

The main line school districts (lower merion, radnor, tredyffrin/easttown) rival private schools and frequently exceed them. Philadelphia magazine current issue has a review of schools in the area.

We chose to live in the Tredyffrin/Easttown district. Housing costs are relatively high but the T/E school system is better than the private schools i attended in my youth.

good luck

[Froggie]

There is so much info out there about schools, but then when you want to compare Philadelphia private school tuitions, it is nearly impossible without calling the school, any advice?