schools, Schools, SCHOOLS! (Charlotte, Weddington, Marvin: wedding, top schools, property taxes)

[The cow says moo.]

I have been researching schools for weeks! I even hate the WORD school! ARGH!!

So I googled the top schools in the US. Top 100 list. No NC schools on the list. (Mostly NY, MA and CA).

Then I googled the worst schools in the US - worst 100 list. No NC schools either. (Mostly IL and SC with a smattering of others)

So what - middle of the road....

ahh the search continues...

[IBrakeforTailgaters]

Originally Posted by The cow says moo.

I have been researching schools for weeks! I even hate the WORD school! ARGH!!

So I googled the top schools in the US. Top 100 list. No NC schools on the list. (Mostly NY, MA and CA).

Then I googled the worst schools in the US - worst 100 list. No NC schools either. (Mostly IL and SC with a smattering of others)

So what - middle of the road....

ahh the search continues...

I wouldn't go exclusively off those "Top Schools" lists when looking for a school. Try a search here on schools and you should be able to get some honest advice on schools. Charlotte-Mecklenburg has its share of very high performing schools and very low performing schools. There are also very strong schools in neighboring counties. There are many school-aged parents in this forum (myself not included, but I've worked in the field) who can help you out! Good luck!

[CouponJack]

eye gragewated frome Neww Gerseee elementeree skools and I terned owt fine!

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by IBrakeforTailgaters

I wouldn't go exclusively off those "Top Schools" lists when looking for a school. Try a search here on schools and you should be able to get some honest advice on schools. Charlotte-Mecklenburg has its share of very high performing schools and very low performing schools. There are also very strong schools in neighboring counties. There are many school-aged parents in this forum (myself not included, but I've worked in the field) who can help you out! Good luck!

Exactly.

For instance, Myers Park High School always make those top lists, but I wouldn't personally send a child there unless they were in the IB program.

[NCbyChoice]

If I were moving to the area and schools were a major consideration, I would really consider western Union County. Marvin Ridge, Weddington and Cuthbertson clusters are great schools, while Sun Valley, Porter Ridge, Piedmont and Parkwood are pretty good (above average). Union County Public Schools ranked the highest of all the large state wide districts again this year.

CMS does have some great schools, but with all the changes happening in that district...who knows what tomorrow holds.

As for the lists, throw them away. Those things are so skewed, they are worthless.

[jayhawks91]

Originally Posted by NCbyChoice

CMS does have some great schools, but with all the changes happening in that district...who knows what tomorrow holds.

I think that is true in most school districts across the nation these days...not just CMS.

[NCbyChoice]

Originally Posted by jayhawks91

I think that is true in most school districts across the nation these days...not just CMS.

Very true...but some districts have weathered the storm much more efficiently than others. I still think the future looks much more stable just across the county line.

[hero_hont]

Originally Posted by The cow says moo.

I have been researching schools for weeks! I even hate the WORD school! ARGH!!

So I googled the top schools in the US. Top 100 list. No NC schools on the list. (Mostly NY, MA and CA).

Then I googled the worst schools in the US - worst 100 list. No NC schools either. (Mostly IL and SC with a smattering of others)

So what - middle of the road....

ahh the search continues...

Hehe! >w<
My friend loves cows!
That cow looks like it loves it's life
The grass looks awesome.

[msm_teacher]

Originally Posted by The cow says moo.

I have been researching schools for weeks! I even hate the WORD school! ARGH!!

So I googled the top schools in the US. Top 100 list. No NC schools on the list. (Mostly NY, MA and CA).

Then I googled the worst schools in the US - worst 100 list. No NC schools either. (Mostly IL and SC with a smattering of others)

So what - middle of the road....

ahh the search continues...

Some other things to consider (just to really make it difficult)

- Research the background of the principal, who is one of the biggest factors in the quality of the school.
- Look deeper at the ABC's. The composite score does not tell the whole story. How did the subgroups who most closely match your child perform?
- Look at the school as a whole. Do they offer special classes that are important to you? Are these hard to get into? Are there lots of non-academic opportunites if you want your child involved in those types of things?

Picking schools is one of the things we hate the most when we move. And, it is the main reason we plan to stay here until the last one graduates from high school so we don't have to do it again!

[2GirlsR2good]

One thing to consider--my sister lives in NJ, in an area where the schools are excellent. She used to give me a hard time for sending my kids to private school, but we realized recently that the difference between her property taxes and mine is greater than the tuition I'm paying. When we compare notes, it sounds like the experience/qualifications of the teachers, the class size and the available resources at the public school in NJ is similar to our private school here.