Another question about moving to area. (Cape Coral, Fort Myers: 2013, low crime, job market)

[nhkev]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I didn't have a kid that needed special attention. I found the schools lacking compared to Mass., so I moved away. Up here in Knoxville, my daughter was just accepted to the IB program. She's pre-law.

Here's what I've found over the past ten years; things have shifted. Not all New England schools are the same, anymore. It used to be that bad schools up there were the equivalent of a lot of good schools in parts of Florida.

But things are changing.

My oldest daughter graduated from a high school in Mass. that used to be one of the best in the area. It still is, but it's not great compared to the best high schools in the country. She's now going for her masters or doctorate in psychology and has top-notch grades (she works her butt off) but her high school education was just okay.

This is all leading up to saying that if you continue to stay where you are Kev, that high school in Mass. where your kids will go is just okay, on par with my other daughter's high school up in Mass. Surprise, surprise, the high school my youngest is entering here in Knoxville is far better than both Mass. schools. This is not to say that all Mass. schools are mediocre. Some are far worse, many are far, far better.

But here's the kicker. A lot of Lee County, Florida schools are better than the schools your kids might attend in Mass. Yep, I said it.

First of all, Cape Coral High has the IB program, but it's also an excellent school. North Fort Myers is very good, and Mariner High, too. Of course Fort Myers High is one of the best in the country, right now. I believe it also has IB, was one of the first in the country.

By the way, the high school your kids might attend isn't a lot better than the high school in Lehigh Acres.

You might want to take this info back to the missus. You could be fishing all the time!

Lee County School District | Florida | Best High Schools | US News

Of course, you'll have to deal with School Choice, or whatever they call it now, and therein lies the rub.

I did a search on the internet of the state with the best schools, Massachusetts still scores at the top in every single recent study I can find so I'm not sure where you are getting that they are not what they used to be.

https://homes.yahoo.com/news/where-t...021737613.html

surprisingly in this second link florida was ranked #7
States With the Best (and Worst) Schools - 24/7 Wall St.

I think this may be based off the first study from the yahoo link
Which States Have the Best Public Schools?

[hiknapster]

Sorry, I've been sick.

Anyway, lumping in all the schools in one state and then ranking the states is a fool's errand.

Take Tennessee, for instance. There are an incredible amount of rural schools that are horrible, not to mention some inner city schools, but the sheer number of bad schools across the state makes it look bad. However, there are hidden gems. Opposite can be said for Massachusetts. There are lots of great schools across the state, however, it doesn't mean every darn school is great or even good. And so it goes. Florida seems to have some very good to great schools interspersed with some mediocre to horrible ones as well.

So I present to you the numbers.

Your district.

Tantasqua | Massachusetts | Best High Schools | US News

And once again, Lee County.

Lee County School District | Florida | Best High Schools | US News

Your district used to be fabulous, I grew up one town over. That used to be a great high school, too. Not anymore. The main industry was sent overseas and the town is now a dump. The best schools in Lee County run circles around those schools in Mass.

But school assignment is not a guarantee that your child will end up in those schools.

[nhkev]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Sorry, I've been sick.

Anyway, lumping in all the schools in one state and then ranking the states is a fool's errand.

Take Tennessee, for instance. There are an incredible amount of rural schools that are horrible, not to mention some inner city schools, but the sheer number of bad schools across the state makes it look bad. However, there are hidden gems. Opposite can be said for Massachusetts. There are lots of great schools across the state, however, it doesn't mean every darn school is great or even good. And so it goes. Florida seems to have some very good to great schools interspersed with some mediocre to horrible ones as well.

So I present to you the numbers.

Your district.

Tantasqua | Massachusetts | Best High Schools | US News

And once again, Lee County.

Lee County School District | Florida | Best High Schools | US News

Your district used to be fabulous, I grew up one town over. That used to be a great high school, too. Not anymore. The main industry was sent overseas and the town is now a dump. The best schools in Lee County run circles around those schools in Mass.

But school assignment is not a guarantee that your child will end up in those schools.

From your link Tantasqua 88% proficient in Math 92% proficient in English - both higher than Massachusetts avg which again Massachusetts has some of the best schools in the country. look at your link for lee county schools and show me one that is even close to those levels of proficiency.

My son now takes the Mcast So I can see how he rates against other students his age in Massachusetts he scored in the highest percentage in the state. In fact on one section he had a perfect score on the other he only had one wrong answer. his schools score were average with the rest of the state. So again if you are average in the best state for schools. it is a lot different that being average in a state that is not known for good schools. Good God some of those Lee county schools are in the 20 percent range for math and English.

and if you click on the school it will give you more of a breakdown of the school, Tantasqua student to teacher ratio 11-1 below the state avg. then look at the charts of proficiency vs the state avg. Don't know when you were last in the area but I bet you wouldn't even recognize the school. because it is a regional school you do have some disconnect between the kids from Sturbridge, Brimfield, Brookfield vs the kids from Holland and Wales.

If you break down the AP IB sections they gave a lot of weight of how many "took" the test. if you look at the breakdown for those that took the AP test in Tantasqua 79% passed see how that matches up with the lee county schools. taking a test and failing should not give you points.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

That's an understatement . Wait till u get a load of the crime. What a pit it has become. Dead bodies , murders, stabbings, robberies and shootings literally every day. Has ft. Myers even gone a week yet this year without one? It's in the news everyday with some major crime.
Two dead bodies found yesterday. Avoid ft. Myers.. Go with Estero. It's a bit more if a drive but worth it . You can check out the news press and other SWFL news sources to read all up on ft. Myers /Lehigh.

I don't have kids in school, so I cant comment on schools.....but I have lived in Ft Myers for almost 2 years now...and "crime" is never on my mind! My community is safe and beautiful and filled with kind and generous and friendly people......more so than my previous communities in Maine or California. I love it here. Don't believe all the scary posts warning of mayhem and riot and home invasion......Ft Myers is a lovely community. Personally I would hate to be way out in Estero.....my home is convenient and my neighborhood is safe.

[swimmy40]

We moved here 2 years ago from Ohio we live outside of Fort Myers. Never had any problems. I have friends that live in Cape Coral and have children in schools and haven't heard of any problems. I don't have any kids in schools.
My daughter lives in a small town called Alva and its a very nice little town about 20 minutes from downtown Fort Myers. Alva is north highway 80 it is a small town with their own schools.

[marley0306]

Please be aware that where you can do countless hours of research on the public schools, buy or rent a home within a few blocks of the school you desire and still not have your child attend that school. It was formerly called "school choice" but is now more fittingly called "school assignment". If you are moving closer to the beginning of the school year or during the school year, your chances of getting into one of the better schools are slim.

[Akdstylist25]

Can you tell me more about "school choice"?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Akdstylist25

Can you tell me more about "school choice"?

Welcome - Student Assignment

[Keri52202]

Rethink the Cape before you move there. Yes, it's not as "busy" but the Cape has way to many rules. It's like living in a HOA. We just got a "fire bill" where apparently we have to pay the fire depts. salary and this is ON TOP of our city taxes. It was about $150 this year and next year they say it will go up. They also told us we had to pay it within 30 days or they would put a lien on our home. You can find rural, busy, and everything in between in Fort Myers.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Keri52202

Rethink the Cape before you move there. Yes, it's not as "busy" but the Cape has way to many rules. It's like living in a HOA. We just got a "fire bill" where apparently we have to pay the fire depts. salary and this is ON TOP of our city taxes. It was about $150 this year and next year they say it will go up. They also told us we had to pay it within 30 days or they would put a lien on our home. You can find rural, busy, and everything in between in Fort Myers.

I keep hearing residents of CC describe it as over regulated and if anything...underserved. I don't know why people re-locating assume it is a better choice over Ft Myers. I live in Ft Myers and really like it. I have no desire to live in CC......not to put down anyone elses home town or neighborhood....it just didn't appeal to me....and in the two years I have lived down here....I haven't heard or seen anything to change my mind.