top rated elementary schools. (Reno: 2013, home, transfer)

[rodv66]

EWhat k-6 schools are the best in Washoe county?

[Indyking]

My friends who live in Reno do not have children and I have not fond a lot of information about specific schools here. So, at this point, I have to rely on test scores and parents reviews in sites like greatschools.com.

Here is a list of the public elementary schools with the best scores in Washoe county. Note that these are state scores, in other words, how the schools compare within the state of NV, not nationally.

Edit: The link above does not include charter schools but you can check their scores and parent reviews at greatschools.com too.

[mamacatnv]

Coral Academy of Science Charter School

[.highnlite]

Test scores are a pis poor measure of school quality, skills cannot be measured by a multiple choice test. If that were so, all your dentist would need to start drilling on you is to do well on a multiple choice test, would you approve?

School quality in Reno can be determined best by zip code. The higher the income level of the families in the school zone, the better the school.

Now, what does this tell you, well, it tells you that it is parents that create the good student, not the school. The school has your kid for 6 hours a day, you have the kid for 18.

Tis up to you folks, not the school.

Coral Academy was mentioned, is it the best because it has the best teachers? or the best students? Or, as is likely, the parent that selected the school is more involved in their child's education than another who did not select Coral?

The "best" school is like saying what is the best airplane? First you must define your criteria. An F16 makes a terrible airliner, but, it makes a great air combat craft.

[Indyking]

To the OP, regarding tests and exams, they are really the best single way to evaluate knowledge anywhere. The dentist analogy provided is faulty since it suggests that practicing skills and knowledge are evaluated by the same method, which is almost never the case. A dentist needs a lot of practice to master his skills, just like any other professional, but his background knowledge required to succeed in his skills are evaluated by tests, many of which are multiple choice during their professional education. Higher income areas tend to have better schools because of many integrated factors, which probably include better education at home but also higher investments in the schools from higher property taxes and lower access to drugs and violence. If you look for higher income areas to live, you will invariably end up taking your kids to schools with the highest scores too most of the time.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by Indyking

To the OP, regarding tests and exams, they are really the best single way to evaluate knowledge anywhere.

Nonsense, let me illustrate, note image 1, only the lowest forms of learning are testable by multiple choice tests;

Note image 2, only the lowest forms of learning are testable by multiple choice tests, as shown, knowledge and understanding, the higher, more important forms of learning, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation cannot be evaluated by multiple choice tests.

Certain people think multiple choice tests are a valid measure, notably limited to people who think that NCLB is not an unmitigated disaster, which for some odd reason tend to be American Politically Right Winger.

However, as I noted with the dentist analogy, very few skills are testable by multiple choice tests, and certainly the most important test of all, life, and living a successful life are not testable by multiple choice tests.

Regarding these tests, I suggest you read this essay:A warning to college profs from a high school teacher

An unfortunate corollary to NCLB and the testing is that bright curious inquisitive intelligent teachers are leaving the profession in droves. Leaving teaching to those who are happy to turning work book pages.

[rodv66]

Wow lot of discussion. I'm a teacher and might be taking a job with W.S.D. My wife is an RN and we could afford a better area than we can in NJ. I figured upper income equals better schools. I don't know the area and was curious about parent comments. Will be out to look around in the spring

[rodv66]

Guess a better question might be; what are some of the areas in county that are considered home to professional like nurses and teachers? Basically family centered burbs.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by rodv66

Wow lot of discussion. I'm a teacher and might be taking a job with W.S.D. My wife is an RN and we could afford a better area than we can in NJ. I figured upper income equals better schools. I don't know the area and was curious about parent comments. Will be out to look around in the spring

Poor guy, you will be happier picking up cans on the highway.... My wife quit the district 5 years ago, her friends still teaching tell her it was a smart decision, but, they are stuck until they can retire. The district has never been a great district, and has only gotten worse under NCLB.

Case in point. Daughter #1 was in 5th grade in one of the "top" elementary schools in Reno, when we transferred the kids to Truckee, she had to repeat 5th grade as she was so far behind the other kids. Smart kid, badly run district. Today she is a Junior at U of H in Geology.

As to where to live, Caughlin Ranch, or any of the new planned communities north of Spark or south of Reno, or west of McQueen.

If you have kids I recommend acreage, and horses and a garden, ground the kids on the earth.

[Indyking]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Case in point. Daughter #1 was in 5th grade in one of the "top" elementary schools in Reno, when we transferred the kids to Truckee, she had to repeat 5th grade as she was so far behind the other kids. Smart kid, badly run district.

So much for who believe it is the parents, not the school, that mainly contributes for academic success of a child.