Thinking of relocating to Phoenix and need advice on excellent/good schools (Chandler: real estate, house)

[bonesey]

Thanks so much for your advice on schools. Is anyone familiar with the Chandler Ocotillo area (I am sorry if I got the spelling wrong) or Carino estates? What you do you think of those areas?

Thanks.

[GilbertMom]

Check out the Higley Unified School District in Gilbert. You will be pleasantly surprised. It is being developed as a world class school district. Higley High School is excellent and the new Williams Field school has a great principal and beautiful facilities including an Olympic size pool, golf team, volleyball... etc.

[GilbertMom]

Here is the link to the Higley Unified School District Web site (http://www.husd.org/Mainnews.aspx - broken link).

It is the only fully-accredited K-12 district in the entire State of Arizona! Very professionally managed -- much better than most of the public schools in Gilbert.

Chandler has an excellent superintendent, as well and Chandler High has an international baccalaurete program.

[KarinKarinKarin]

Highly recommend Scottsdale Unified. I am from the East Coast, from one of those so-called "top" school districts. I prefer Scottsdale.

Also Washington and Madison school districts in PHX are supposed to be good, as is Peoria.

[jonna30]

I would also recommend looking at the AZ Dept. of Ed. website for the junior & senior high's school report card. It will show test scores, population, activities etc. Of note for myself is always the amount of times that the police had to be called to the campus during any given year. Take that number and divide it by the standard 180 days. For our local high school this number works out to 1 out of every 3 days. TOO MUCH FOR ME! Our high school would be considered "great", yet clearly there are some "issues". Also remember that most of these schools have resource officers on campus. So, presumably, they are handling "small" things on campus.

[nebulous1]

The Arizona Department of Education should take a look at the states that have the highest SAT scores and college placements.
Maybe they would learn more than to tell everyone how fun their school is.

There is one solid way to get rid of the drugs, guns, etc. No tolerance. Yessir...you get caught doing that...you go find another school that will let you in. An education is a privilege.

[GilbertMom]

Originally Posted by nebulous1

The Arizona Department of Education should take a look at the states that have the highest SAT scores and college placements.
Maybe they would learn more than to tell everyone how fun their school is.

There is one solid way to get rid of the drugs, guns, etc. No tolerance. Yessir...you get caught doing that...you go find another school that will let you in. An education is a privilege.

Professional educators say that standardized test ONLY tell you what socio-economic group you belong to-- not how smart or determined you are.

[GilbertMom]

Originally Posted by nebulous1

The Arizona Department of Education should take a look at the states that have the highest SAT scores and college placements.
Maybe they would learn more than to tell everyone how fun their school is.

how about just telling us that about ARIZONA schools? Which ones graduate the most college-bound students? How many boys go to college from that school vs. how many girls go to college. Unfortunately, in Arizona, you have to still ask those questions.

[bonesey]

Originally Posted by GilbertMom

Here is the link to the Higley Unified School District Web site (http://www.husd.org/Mainnews.aspx - broken link).

It is the only fully-accredited K-12 district in the entire State of Arizona! Very professionally managed -- much better than most of the public schools in Gilbert.

Chandler has an excellent superintendent, as well and Chandler High has an international baccalaurete program.

Thanks for the detailed information

Thanks to everyone who have shared their knowledge with me. I appreciate it

[smalbany]

Check the state ranking web sites, they rank schools by test scores, teacher to student ratio, free lunch etc. Remember that no matter where your child goes to school you'll have to supplement at home, if education is a priority at home your kid can get a good education even in the worst schools and a kid can get a crappy ed in "great" school if its not. Have a good friend who is brilliant, went to harvard and majored in beer and hacky sack, could ahve gone to a jr college applied himself and got a better ed.Best of luck I am in the same boat relocatign to Phoenix from upstate NY with 3 little ones.Hope it works out for you.