Relocating-Tacoma area

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Arlington and Lake Stevens have very good schools and are easily commutable to Everett. Other areas north and east of Everett have poor (Marysville) to average (Stanwood, Granite Falls) schools and/or tougher commutes (Monroe).

Stanwood-Camano is building a brand new high school and they pass their levies when many neighboring districts don't. The area is on the upswing and isn't bad to start with. Stanwood is a small town and not part of the Metro sprawl, so the schools are smaller and have a strong community. The urban growth boundary puts most of the development to the north so it's still got a free-standing town feel and hasn't merged with Arlington/Marysville into the giant Seattle-Everett metro blob.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by mayfair

Stanwood-Camano is building a brand new high school and they pass their levies when many neighboring districts don't. The area is on the upswing and isn't bad to start with. Stanwood is a small town and not part of the Metro sprawl, so the schools are smaller and have a strong community. The urban growth boundary puts most of the development to the north so it's still got a free-standing town feel and hasn't merged with Arlington/Marysville into the giant Seattle-Everett metro blob.

Average is not bad. Great Schools' rankings here are 100%-based on test scores, which are heavily correlated with family income. Rankings can also change significantly, as different cohorts move into, through, and out of particular schools. Stanwood High School is now ranked at eight stars, for instance, which was not the case a month ago (before graduation).

A low Great Schools ranking (one to three stars?) can be a red flag, but an average ranking (four to six stars) should be reason for further investigation (using Niche, for instance).

[mschrief]

I commuted from Tacoma to my job n Seattle (SODO) for 12 years.

3 hours daily. Time lost.

So happy to be out of there....