Higley Unified School District - popular perceptions vs. statistics (Phoenix: homes, neighborhood)

[Pink Jazz]

It seems that when talking many people about the Higley Unified School District, many seem to be quick to bash it. However, the statistics show that they are one of the highest-performing school districts in the state, being rated an "A" by the Arizona Department of Education in performance.

In comparison, Gilbert Public Schools seems to be well-loved by the public, yet it scored lower than HUSD the past year, being rated a "B" by the Arizona Department of Education in performance.

With Higley, the popular perceptions seems to contradict with the statistics. Why is this? What makes the Higley School District inferior to Gilbert Public Schools if Higley currently outpeforms Gilbert?

[Ponderosa]

The new school rating system appears to have a couple quirks. One thing that I have heard is that it gives a lot of weight to whether a school is improving. Top schools don't improve much. They are already performing at a high level. It's the law of diminishing returns. Maybe that explains it. As far as I am concerned, this school rating/testing business has gotten completely out of hand. Both of those districts are good and kids CAN receive a decent preparation there. Splitting hairs over an A or a B or whatever is plain silly.

The bottom line in Phoenix (and everywhere) is if the school is in an affluent area, it is a good school. If it is in a poor area it is a lousy school. Unfair, yes, but it's true nonetheless. The most reliable indicator of school quality is how many students are on free and reduced lunch.

[Pink Jazz]

FYI, according to AIMS 2011 results, Higley scored 6th in the state. This is higher than the Gilbert and Chandler districts.

I was wondering, why is there such a bias against the Higley district by the public, if their performance shows otherwise? And I am not saying this because I live in the Higley district. Our neighborhood (Fulton Homes Freeman Farms) has an agreement with the Chandler Unified School District for students to legally attend their schools as an alternative to Higley schools (assuming parents provide their own transporation). The new addition of Freeman Farms south of Ocotillo will be officially within the boundaries of the Chandler Unified School District, with students legally able to attend Higley schools.