exemplary schools- how are they rated? (Austin, Rice: house prices, school rankings, prices)

[new in town]

When school rated exemplary in Austin ( such as Eanes, for example), is it compared to other schools in Texas or nationwide? Do exemplary schools in Austin measure up to excellent schools in Northeast (boston, greenwich, scarsdale in westchester ny, etc). Can somebody, who moved to Austin from the area with very good schools comment on this question?

[Trainwreck20]

Okay, I know this is not the only measurement, but it is the easiest for a quick and dirty comparison:

WHS has a school-record of 26 semifinalists in the 2008 National Merit Scholars program. An additional 30 students were recognized as Commended students.

In this year’s competitions, based on the 2005
PSAT qualifying test, 60 Greenwich High School students recently received recognition for their outstanding performance: eight
as National Merit Semifinalists, 48 as Commended Students

The WHS was 2007-2008, while the GHS was from 2005-2006, but I will assume that is not a huge change in school size. Anyway, I would say that they both produce a large amount of NMS and commended students. There is a NYTimes article that talks about how different states have different score requirements - TX requires a 214, CT requires a 218, so there would probably be a few additional finalists in GHS is the scores were the same.

Kinda on a side topic, if you really want to be a NMS finaliast, avoid DC (score required - 220) and go to Mississippi (score required - 200). CT was the 7th highest requirement, TX was the 11th.

[new in town]

thank you, Trainwreck for you answer. Where did you find that statistics? What other factors are used to compare High schools?

[Trainwreck20]

I just did a quick google on the two high schools. I could not find the NMS statistics for Scarsdale, though, at least not easily. I did find a good article on how to look at schools and what factors to consider, and it pretty much agreed with my thinking - affluent areas will have good stats, and poor areas will have low stats, but neither low or high stats tells who good the teachers are, or even how good the school system is.

Okay, found it again: AS THE SCHOOLS GO, SO GO HOUSE PRICES - New York Times

Anyway, it is talking about house valuations based on schools, but it is a good read.

[southdown]

Originally Posted by new in town

thank you, Trainwreck for you answer. Where did you find that statistics? What other factors are used to compare High schools?

GreatSchools.net shows stats on results, and very helpful comments from parents too.

[Rae']

If I remember correctly, the rankings are based on the TAKS test. Certain scores yield certain rankings, also divided into subgroups, such as race and economic status. Since it is a TX specific test, you can't really compare that label to the same label in another state.

[texastea]

Originally Posted by Rae'

If I remember correctly, the rankings are based on the TAKS test. Certain scores yield certain rankings, also divided into subgroups, such as race and economic status. Since it is a TX specific test, you can't really compare that label to the same label in another state.

Right...plus high school rankings include graduation rates (# of drop outs).

Because of the subgroups (schools have to score a certain level in every subgroup) exemplary almost always equals a less diverse student population.

[lago veteran]

visit just4kids.org.........it compares schools to other schools with the same demographics.........in other words, eanes is a great district but how does it compare with other districts that are demographically the same.........fairly easy to rate exemplary on the texas taks when your kids come from professional families who value education.
do not use those texas taks scores for much of anything. the tests are easy, easier than other states that do similar testing......and texastea is right about the sub-populations keeping some districts from earning exemplary status....after all, public education shouldn't have to education all the public, just the easy ones!.....my district uses it's itty bitty subpopulation to explain away it's poor showing too. but guess what, the texas public schools have known that those populations exist, they have been given a great deal of time/leeway to get those kids up to speed, this year the sub-population's scores really counted, and the education community tries to sell it as not their fault.
eanes has long been a great district. others are now their equal and maybe even better. Lisd as a whole, for one. certain individual schools in rrisd and austin isd as well.