Philadlephia Magazine 50 best school districts 2008. (York, Chester: condo, how much, house)

[rainrock]

The Top 50 School Districts 2008
By Brian Sweeney

The Top 50 School Districts 2008 - Philly Mag

pdf with the top 50 ranked in order
http://www.phillymag.com/files/images/Full_ranking.pdf

In years past, we’ve focused our rankings on high schools, mainly because only the secondary level provided enough academic performance data to do the job. But now, testing mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act allows achievement tracking across all levels of instruction. We’ve used this flood of figures to identify school systems that stand out from their peers.

1.Tredyffrin-easttown
2.Lower Merion
3.Radnor
4.Unionville-Chadds Ford
5.Wallingford-Swarthmore
6.Upper Dublin
7.New Hope-Solebury
8.Great Valley
9.Methacton
10.Central Bucks

Sorry Moorestown Resident I didnt have time to dig down far enough to find any South Jersey school districts. I glanced and caught Cherry Hill pretty far down on the list. Tone did you a favor by shutting down the Median Income thread, not that I condone the closing of threads which happens too often around here.

[MoorestownResident]

That's OK, I was getting ready to show you more about how much more house you're getting in PA for the money. Moorestown competes with Moorestown Friends private school for kids K-12. There is not a finer dual school system in our region. And I guarantee you not one school in PA sends as many kids to MIT, Stanford et al. as the schools in Moorestown - which has ranked as high as Top 10 in NJ.

[MoorestownResident]

Feel free to read about Moorestown's colorful valedictorians in the NY times, published this summer.

The Joy of Graduating | The Frenzied Battle to Be Valedictorian Is Giving Some Administrators Pause - New York Times

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

That's OK, I was getting ready to show you more about how much more house you're getting in PA for the money. Moorestown competes with Moorestown Friends private school for kids K-12. There is not a finer dual school system in our region. And I guarantee you not one school in PA sends as many kids to MIT, Stanford et al. as the schools in Moorestown - which has ranked as high as Top 10 in NJ.

Ahh Yes The Moorsetown Friends School.The top ranked private school in South Jersey.Comes in Ranked at #19 in the Philadlephia areas best private schools.

As far as housing goes? We've been down this road before and it didnt end well for you or Moorestown. Thats definitely a battle you want to avoid. Your best ammo is relying on North + central Jerseys help. In all due respect to SJ.



http://philly4.phillymag.com/images/uploads/pdf/0906school_chrt.pdf (broken link)

[MoorestownResident]

Philly mag is a homer Rocker. Of course it's convenient for you to post it and why not, it focuses on PA. If you think schools in PA are on NJ's level, I got news for you - they're not. From AP classes to where the kids to go college. Granted there are some very good districts in PA, no question, but the funding isn't the same, the faculty is not the same, the AP classes aren't the same and the culture is not the same. Again Moorestown has ranked in the Top 10 in NJ including achieving blue ribbon designation.

My advice to you is to consider relocating to NJ. You're obviously far too interested in this stuff and it means a great deal to you. I've already proven all of my points beyond no doubt. You're comparing small weathly PA towns with NJ's elite which BTW includes affordable housing, retirement communities in the data. There are FOUR large retirement communities in Moorestown alone. A $2 million portfolio generating 4% yield = $80K of reported income. Not hard to understand. I showed you the much more robust job growth in the region, how much house you are getting for the money and taxes that have never been so disparate with NJ's out of control increases in recent years.

Lastly, PA is going to see a tremendous transfer of wealth out of state to relocated heirs. PA is an old state. The backward inheritance laws and unionization has created a very bad future for PA. My suggestion is consider moving out of Villanova and looking at Moorestown, Medford, Marlton or Haddonfield. Just be aware that your taxes are going up substantially, probably 50%+. But it will be a small price to pay for what's to come in PA.

[sbhubbell]

I am just dying laughing here. PA schools not comparing to Jersey schools? Hilarious! AP classes and culture isn't the same? You're JOKING. Kids not going to MIT, Stanford, etc? Too funny. Yeah Moorestown is a nice place but moving from Villanova to Medford? BWAHAHAHA!

[MoorestownResident]

OK, and you live in Katy, Texas? Did you once live in PA?

Absolutely true. You take a kid out of NJ public schools and put them in PA public schools and they'll be lacking for sure. How do I know this? Personal experience with friends and family members. PA has some elite districts but it is very isolated, the overall landscape is very weak. And forget Philly. They're still graduating seniors on a 7th grade reading level. That's a fact, not opinion. I am well connected with some highly regarded Philly educators.

[sbhubbell]

I just moved to Texas last month. How old are you again? Do you have your own kids in these schools or are you still a kid yourself? Philly can't be included in any discussion of schools for obvious reasons but there are tons of school districts in the greater Philly area that are as good a public education as you can get anywhere in the US, including NJ. It's not isolated. Delaware County, Chester County, Montco, Bucks...Unless you're talking about moving outside the Philly region to the rest of PA.

[kimrocktherealtor]

Thanks for this.. my fiance and I have been having an ongoing debate about NJ vs PA - he lives in Haddon Heights currently and we are considering relocating to Council Rock school district area. He thought Haddon Heights schools would be better, I kept saying no council rock is.. Now I have it in writing

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

And forget Philly. They're still graduating seniors on a 7th grade reading level. That's a fact, not opinion. I am well connected with some highly regarded Philly educators.

You don't need to be connected with anyone to see that,it's been floating around for years.