Upper St. Clair vs. North Allegheny School Dist. (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: middle-class, house)

[r777]

We have young kids and debating which will be the better choice, if we are looking to purchase a 4br/2.5batch house for about 300K.

The recent article from biz journal place USC at the top. I feel its important to look behind these rankings to get a balanced view and would value the groups opinion.
Three of top school districts in state hail from Allegheny County - Pittsburgh Business Times:

Some criteria we consider are:
a) All-round balanced education. Availability of extra-curricular activities.
b) Level of competition among student in schools. Healthy mix of books/fun.
c) Level of drugs/bullying/violence. What policies are in place.
d) Value-for-money proposition based on property tax rates.

Thanks in advance.

[guylocke]

I'm not sure about all the statistics or what have you, but I think anyone who would try to convince me that Upper St. Clair is a better school district than North Allegheny would have a major uphill battle.

Upper St. Clair is a very fine district, from what I know, but North Allegheny is surely superior.

[jhprentiss]

Hey--

I just moved to Pittsburgh and we moved into the southwest area of Mt Lebanon, just a few blocks from Upper St Clair. I really don't know anything about North Allegheny (for the record). I know that the schools are great in USC, and certainly very well funded. The one thing that I've noticed since moving here is that the people I've met in that area are incredibly snooty. You should see the drop off line at USC high school, it's like a luxury car lot.

And I know snooty, I've recently lived in Los Angeles and Boston!

You should also look up the recent thread about USC high school students' behavior at football games. Shocking.

You should also bear in mind that $300K is pretty high for Pittsburgh. We just got a nice house (4BR, 2.5 BA, nice yard, brand new kitchen, house passed inspection with flying colors, needed NOTHING done.) in Mt Lebanon, which is also known for its' school system for $230K.

So, sorry I don't know much about the north side, we only looked there for one day, but that's my impression of USC.

[guylocke]

So, sorry I don't know much about the north side, we only looked there for one day, but that's my impression of USC.

You're absolutely right. They have beautiful schools, too, btw, but they have a really bad reputation of being snooty. I'm not sure what is with about USC, but they do. It is a very nice area and they aren't short on wealth, believe me, but it's not the most elite area of Pittsburgh. LOL. So I don't know why they think they're so special. *shrug*

[wordzgirl]

I graduated from USC 25 years ago, and I have to agree: Incredibly snooty, elititst attitudes. Also, lots of drugs. THere's a ton of excess money so lots of extra for recreational stuff. At least the North Hills has a little bit more diversity; i.e., some different neighborhoods in the mix.

Avoid USC like the plague.

[wordzgirl]

Oh, yeah, lots of bullying too, in the form of incredible snobbery and exclusion based on what you wear/don't wear/drive/don't drive/live, etc.

Yuck.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by wordzgirl

Oh, yeah, lots of bullying too, in the form of incredible snobbery and exclusion based on what you wear/don't wear/drive/don't drive/live, etc.

Yuck.

It sounds like the HS my kids attended, and every other high school I'm familiar with in an affluent area. It would be nice if the school administrations at these schools could/would do something about the snobbery and bullying. Perhaps it's inevitable. We don't have anyone from N. Allegheny weighing in yet to say if it's different there.

Thinking back on my own high school experience at Beaver Falls High School, that sort of stuff went on there, too. As if anyone had anything to be snobby about! But high school is a time of incredible conformity.

[guylocke]

We don't have anyone from N. Allegheny weighing in yet to say if it's different there.

I doubt it is. But we're talking about two separated things now, quality of education, and kids being kids. Burrell High was the same way, and it's your normal, middle-class family, school district.

There will always be bullying and what have you. I don't like it, either. Make sure you are still talking about quality, though.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by boylocke

There will always be bullying and what have you. I don't like it, either. Make sure you are still talking about quality, though.

I hear you. I can't speak to the Pittsburgh area schools. In my experience with schools, however, I would say any differences in quality between two schools of this nature are probably small.

I thought you went to a Catholic high school? And I, as a graduate of BFHS (batch full of horse **** to some people), did OK. I got into Pitt, and out the front door.

[guylocke]

I thought you went to a Catholic high school

I did!! But I grew up in Burrell and was intimately involved in their school district. I figured I couldn't count my own school because it was hard to judge people when you're all in a uniform!! That's why uniforms exist. It's not to look nice, or to give the students a sense of pride or conformity. It's to give all the students a gray background. You have to actually learn something about your classmates before you can instantly judge them!!

At least, that's what my principal told me when I asked her about it.