Really need to know about schools charter /private or public (San Antonio: house, private schools)

[nikip]

Hi,

Wanted to know did anyone have any good recommedations for a private school or charter school or any school at all. We are purchaseing a house of of 1604 and 90 I believe we will be on the northside I know that our kids will attend nisd schools one of them is suppose to be Mary Michaels and the other Rayburn. I seen a add on tv for the school of excellence which is Burch Elem and Hawkins High they are charter schools does anyone know anything about them. They seem to be put together very well with programs for the childern such as football and cheerleading and music. This is not usually a part of charter schools that I have seen. I really want to know I want the best education for my children but also don't want overcrowded school or teachers that are stressed from so many problems with bullying and other issues. So if anyone know about the school of excellence that is Burch or Hawkins or Kelly please let me know or any other good schools that have careing teachers and decent child ratios.

Niki

[millie61]

Originally Posted by nikip

Hi,

Wanted to know did anyone have any good recommedations for a private school or charter school or any school at all. We are purchaseing a house of of 1604 and 90 I believe we will be on the northside I know that our kids will attend nisd schools one of them is suppose to be Mary Michaels and the other Rayburn. I seen a add on tv for the school of excellence which is Burch Elem and Hawkins High they are charter schools does anyone know anything about them. They seem to be put together very well with programs for the childern such as football and cheerleading and music. This is not usually a part of charter schools that I have seen. I really want to know I want the best education for my children but also don't want overcrowded school or teachers that are stressed from so many problems with bullying and other issues. So if anyone know about the school of excellence that is Burch or Hawkins or Kelly please let me know or any other good schools that have careing teachers and decent child ratios.

Niki

Didn't you research the schools before you brought a house ???look on the NISD website

Isn't the School of Excellence the one that was in the paper last year because they paddle children? I'd avoid those people like the plague. Also, I seem to remember another article about their abysmal test scores. They don't exactly inspire confidence.

[buffy888]

I don't know anything about those schools specifically...

Here is a link to the part of the Region 20 website that deals with charter schools in our area: FAQs
The link is for commonly asked questions about charter schools, but you can also poke around in that area and find a list of all of the charter schools in Region 20.

Here is a link for the Schools of Excellence: School of Excellence in Education

One place to check test scores and other info about schools is www.greatschools.net. There are other websites out there to help you research schools. School is starting very soon - are you looking to enroll before the beginning of the school year or to switch during the middle of the year?

[nikip]

If possible at the beginning of the year

[nikip]

Yes but of course San Antonio is a large city and everyone have different opinions and different experiences. Some of the websites don't tell you alot.

[slaleman]

The School of Excellence in Education, as a district, was rated academically unacceptable by the state. You can check all of the accountability ratings for every school in the state (including charter schools, but not private schools) here: 2007 Accountability: List by County

[nikip]

My children would attend Burch and Kelly if they went they were rated acceptable. I was told by a teacher that teaches in nisd that to be careful with ratings because they include all childeren in the school lncluding special ed, and students with language barriers for example if 6 to 10 kids fell the test it could make a school not meet a acceptable rating. Thanks for the website. I will look at it and all others schools. We have been with the military so moving again is always a challenge.

[slaleman]

Originally Posted by nikip

My children would attend Burch and Kelly if they went they were rated acceptable. I was told by a teacher that teaches in nisd that to be careful with ratings because they include all childeren in the school lncluding special ed, and students with language barriers for example if 6 to 10 kids fell the test it could make a school not meet a acceptable rating. Thanks for the website. I will look at it and all others schools. We have been with the military so moving again is always a challenge.

You are correct about the ratings..they don't always tell the whole story about a school, and in fact, are unfair because some kids count in more than one sub population (or as us the the "biz" call it, subpop). For example, if you have a hispanic kid who is economically disadvantaged, and they fail a test, it actually counts against the school three times - once because they failed, which goes against the overall passing percentage of the school, secondly it counts against the hispanic subpop, and third, it counts against your economically disadvantaged subpop. Of course, bu the same token, if that kids passes the test, it counts positively for the school in all three areas.

Here's my take on the whole test scores thing. If a school is rated unacceptable, it usually means they have a high economically disadvantaged and/or minority population. There are high minority schools that do very well, but throw economically disadvantaged into the mix and you're talking about parents who may be working two or three jobs to make ends meet and aren't all that involved in their kids' education. I'm certainly not saying that applies to everyone, but in a lot of cases, that's what happens. All of that being said, it doesn't make that a bad school with bad teachers or bad kids, it just means that they have a lot of kids who are struggling. Smart kids (and even average kids) with parents who are involved in their education are going to do well no matter where they go to school.