High schools in the whole Tri-cities area (Kennewick, Richland: credit, how much)

[carlymac]

I've looked at the ratings websites of the high schools in the area and I'm not terribly impressed. If we come we would stay for at least 5-6 years and we have two middle-schoolers now. The newest testing results from 10-11th grade that are posted are dismal. Is this just because of the ridiculous Common Core tests? Is there push back from the teachers about Common Core?

Can anyone tell me (without bias if possible):
1- which high schools would give my kids the best prep for college
2-best choral music programs
3-good track and soccer teams


Thanks!

[atchn]

Originally Posted by carlymac

I've looked at the ratings websites of the high schools in the area and I'm not terribly impressed. If we come we would stay for at least 5-6 years and we have two middle-schoolers now. The newest testing results from 10-11th grade that are posted are dismal. Is this just because of the ridiculous Common Core tests? Is there push back from the teachers about Common Core?

Can anyone tell me (without bias if possible):
1- which high schools would give my kids the best prep for college
2-best choral music programs
3-good track and soccer teams


Thanks!

I don't know what rating sites you look at, but in the one I look at all the high schools' ratings dropped a lot this year. I don't know why. Hanford High (in the Richland district) dropped is generally ranked "High" and it dropped down to "high medium". Richand High is generally ranked "high medium" and it dropped to "low medium". That being said, I am not sure how much stock I put in the rankings (I think they generally reflect the incoming quality of students and not the teaching effectiveness).

My honest opinion is that kids can get an equally strong college prep at all the seven major high schools. However, Richland has a high concentration of higher income scientists/engineers and their kids go to Hanford and Richland High. Of the two, Hanford has the reputation of being the strongest college prep.

A lot of time lower income schools will have very strong magnet programs. I know that Kennewick High has the highly recommended (by me anyway) IB program. The Pasco district may offer something similar.

I have zero clue about choral music.

A couple of my coworkers are soccer coaches, I can ask them about which high school has strongest soccer teams.

[heymikey]

Background: I grew up in Richland, went to both RHS and HHS, sent 3 kids through Richland Schools, and my son is a music teacher in the area…

I would rank the schools 1) Richland, 2) Kennewick, 3) Pasco. As atchn mentioned, Richland has the most scientists and engineers who are demanding of the school system (at open house, one daughter's math teacher, new to town, described himself as "totally intimidated" after meeting the first two classes' parents). At least a few years ago, Richland's dropout rate was only a small fraction of the other two cities.

Of the two Richland high schools, both are good, with RHS having better sports programs and probably the best choral program in the area. HHS is good in both instrumental and choral music, with stellar drama. No idea on track/soccer, tho; RHS was a track powerhouse years ago… Back in the day, HHS was always pretty much the "geek school" with sports programs to prove it, but I've never followed sports so I really know nothing.

My son says Kennewick doesn't support choral music very well and Pasco has had problems with staff turnover in music generally, but I'm sorry I can't give you any more details.

[Frihed89]

I lived in Kennewick and West Richland for 13 years. Our first child went through the Kennewick school system. It was outstanding. We had a Danish exchange student who went to Hanford High. I wasn't that impressed, nor was she, compared to the gymnasium schooling she received in Denmark. That was in the 80s, though.

[Tall Traveler]

Academically - Hanford HS, Richland HS, Southridge HS
Sports - Richland and Southridge

I would say these schools above can provide top tier students programs they require for both academics and sports.

[pnwguy2]

https://www.google.com/search?q=goog...2&rlfi=hd:;si:

[frankjl]

Guys im a former student at phs and what you think are great schools are not. Far from it. In pasco high there is a lot of weed smokers and pill poppers but its starting to get controlled i assume. Kennewick schools... nope the word is lost of the students take harder drugs mainly because they can afford it or its easier to obtain not sure what is being done bout such things. Chiawanna or however you spell the name is also more of a pot and pill place heard many students there acquired a sexual illness from multiple students having sexual relations with one another. Parents please dont try to defend the schools i as a recently graduated student would know its not pretty before defending your child just know the kids who seem like the most innocent are often the biggest users. Id say if you want a good school find a small school in a small town or a private school maybe a church like school

[mustang34]

I graduated from Pasco High in 2010 and I'll try to be as unbiased as I can.

Starting out with the OP's questions:

1) (When I was a student) Pasco High had a great AP program it was ranked very high nationally, (unfortunately I can't find the article to link to, sorry!) If you take the AP test at the end of the year and score well enough, it will (usually) grant you college credit in that subject. Most schools in the area offer AP programs, BUT each AP test normally comes with a fee ($92 per collegeboard website) and at Pasco each one was free for all AP students. (I took four my junior year) There is also Running Start available so that high schoolers can attend the community college and earn high school and college credit at the same time. But again that's available in other local schools too.

2) I was a band geek in school and could go on and on about that program. But I had several friends in the choir. If you made into the top group I know there were some really major trips they would go on for competition. I remember hearing about awards and prestige, but don't remember the specifics. And I honestly have no idea how it compares to other choral programs in the area. Music is an encouraged program in the district, with band, strings and choir programs all starting at the elementary level.

3) I know while I was there we had a good soccer team and I believe a good track team. But I don't pay attention to high school sports so I have no idea if that is still true. Chiawana, Pasco's other high school, does pretty well in sports I believe....

The reason locals rank Pasco schools poorly is because outside of the AP program, it's not so consistent. With a larger population of migrant and impoverished families, the Pasco School District faces challenges the other districts don't. Having non-English speaking students and others from homes with few resources to help them advance brings scores down.

As for the bit about drugs, unfortunately that is a problem in all the local schools as far as I know. Having friends who graduated from each high school in the three main cities it doesn't sound like the problem was any worse at Pasco.

Sure you could try to avoid it by going to a smaller school or even a private one, but they don't present some of the opportunities available at the larger schools.