Relocating to the Twin Cities area from Los Angeles

[1stpontiac]

Originally Posted by golfgal

So, in the USNWR link posted earlier, they are judging the "quality" of a school on those 19 kids that are in the IB program and how many kids take at least one IB test--not pass, TAKE. That is why that survey is meaningless.

See, you keep saying that, but its just not true.

If you'd read the link that I posted earlier, AP and IP tests come in Step 3, which is only used after schools have passed the criteria of having their whole student body perform better than average (Step 1) and that their least-advantaged students are performing better than average (Step 1).

For the AP/IB score, 75% of the Step 3 score is based on the percentage of the entire graduating class who PASSES at least one AP/IB score. The remaining 25% of the Step 3 score is based on the percentage who take at least one test.

Best High Schools Methodology - US News and World Report

I don't really care about Highland Park school and I certainly don't have anything against Eagan, but it just doesn't help anyone when you keep repeated flat-out lies.



To the OP: I can't actually remember whether schools were a big deal to you or not, but if they are and no one has posted this yet, this is a great resource where you can do your own digging....

Data for Parents and Educators

[StanleyVegas]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

This is good. I think you've nailed it. Highland Park does rather remind me of areas like Burbank, etc. (and I don't recall if St. Anthony Park neighborhood in St. Paul was on the OP's St. Paul list, but that really reminds me of South Pasadena)

My wife was born in South Pasadena, and I think she's made the same comparison. Saint Anthony Park is an expensive area, at least to buy. I think rentals are mostly apartments, because of the UM St. Paul campus.

The mid-century feel of the Highland Park commercial strip really makes me think of Burbank.

[lynneph]

Ok let me add this to the pot. My daughter has ADHD Inattentive Type. She is in 8th grade and currently home schooled because of her inability to keep up with the normal class room. Home school has allowed her to do her school work at her own pace without distractions or pressures. She wants to complete 9th grade over the summer and start up in 10th grade in september. I know, big goals but she MAY be able to pull it off otherwise she will be going into 9th grade in september. In my opinion the larger schools will just "swallow her up" and the smaller schools she will get more one on one which is what she needs. And mentioned earlier, I woiuld love a school that gives her PE credit for figure skating like the Culver City Unified School District does out here. But only for middle, not high school.

[CyberAm]

I have lived in both cities and suburbs of Minnesota. My suggestion: Find a couple of good rinks that will be you would consider to be your "home rink". Then look at the schools. If you daughter has been homeschooled, then I suggest to look at schools not directly in city. Now, city schools are not bad, some are much better then other schools in the suburbs. When I moved from the city with my daughter I not only looked at how they rated, but if they were a decent school in other ways as well. I went north from the cities, but picked a suburb very close to the cities. That worked well. In your case, there are rinks in areas that have good schools as well. Saint Paul is kind of neat, they have Grand Ave and lots of places of opps that are both 'artsy" and nice for kids, but those area's may not be affordable.

Bloomington has two things going for you, but I am not a fan of the area myself. (My preference). Not really "artsy" friendly as some other area's. Those who have brought up St. Lous Park may have done so for the reason that if you are close enough to the lake area, and the rinks. The lakes area: Calhoun and lake of the Isles are nice b/c they are just on the other side of the "uptown" area of the city and very "art" friendly, w/o being too hipster. I wasn't a fan of the school system when I went to school in St. Louis Park, but that was quite a while ago, and much can change. Other areas are Blaine - close to a rink. Has a decent school system, but not exactly "artsy" - more like bloomington. Your best bet is to find a good school rating - and a rink then go from there and there are a lot of people that can help you stay away from not so wonderful neighborhoods.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by 1stpontiac

See, you keep saying that, but its just not true.

If you'd read the link that I posted earlier, AP and IP tests come in Step 3, which is only used after schools have passed the criteria of having their whole student body perform better than average (Step 1) and that their least-advantaged students are performing better than average (Step 1).

For the AP/IB score, 75% of the Step 3 score is based on the percentage of the entire graduating class who PASSES at least one AP/IB score. The remaining 25% of the Step 3 score is based on the percentage who take at least one test.

Best High Schools Methodology - US News and World Report

I don't really care about Highland Park school and I certainly don't have anything against Eagan, but it just doesn't help anyone when you keep repeated flat-out lies.



To the OP: I can't actually remember whether schools were a big deal to you or not, but if they are and no one has posted this yet, this is a great resource where you can do your own digging....

Data for Parents and Educators

They changed the methodology this past year, the previous link was for 2009----look at the methodology from 2009......also, as noted, several of the schools on that list have been dropped off the list because they reported data incorrectly.........

[Libby01]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I'm sure Eagan will be similar to our school but we have over 90% of the class go on to 4 year colleges, about 5% go on to community colleges and the other 5% split between going into the workforce or military. Average ACT is 24.2 or something like that but you also have to consider that 450+ kids/year are taking that, at least (about 80%) vs 50 or so kids at Highland. If you took our top 50 kids that average would be closer to 28 +/- one or so. We don't have IB but we typically have over half the class as AP Scholars or better, compared to their 60 or so kids. It's hard to say because they only show total exams taken. Our school will have probably close to 1800-2000 exams taken/grade/year vs their 291. So, in the USNWR link posted earlier, they are judging the "quality" of a school on those 19 kids that are in the IB program and how many kids take at least one IB test--not pass, TAKE. That is why that survey is meaningless.

Look at what the middle 50% of the kids are doing, at Highland, they are struggling to pass their classes at our school they are scoring high on the ACT and AP tests and going to 4 year colleges....

You better contact the Rosemount school to tell them they have the numbers wrong in their student profile. http://www.district196.org/rhs/generalinfo/profile.pdf
They say they have 57% going to 4 year colleges and 30% going to 2 year institutions = 87%. Better get on this quickly, because you wouldn't want any facts out there that might that might show similarities to a city school. You've worked too long and hard at denegrating the city schools to let that happen!

To the OP, sorry for the digression. I think it's going to be challenging to find a "small setting" high school. Most schools can't financially operate with under 25 or more kids per classroom. But you might want to look into some charter schools, as there are some good options out there (also some poor options). I know of several families at The Conservatory for Performing Artists in downtown St. Paul. Saint Paul Conservatory For Performing Artists
Perhaps they would consider giving credit for your daughter's skating- or perhaps she can take lessons in their dance studio that would benefit her skating. I can't vouch for the exact quality of the academics there, but can tell you of the families I know there, their kids have been very happy and have gotten into good colleges.