Gilbert vs. Chandler? (Phoenix, Mesa, Peoria: 2013, house, neighborhood)

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

THAT ^^^. From my way of looking at it, the two communities are quite different. I see Chandler as being more sophisticated and its proximity to the university in Tempe is attractive.

Along with being more diverse and sophisticated, another upside is there aren't any bad areas in Chandler to speak of.

But other areas close to ASU like west Mesa and northern Tempe have some spots to stay away from.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by asufan

I should also mention, CTA teaches above grade level, and my son is in that (finishing Kindergarten). There is homework every night and a decent amount of it. The classic curriculum also has homework every night but it's a smaller amount. This gets a little difficult because I keep my son active in sports and it's tough balancing getting all the homework done every night and also find time for the practices. Something to keep in mind, we like that he is pushed academically though.

Granted the CTAs are a good program, keep in mind that many of CUSD has high performing elementary and middle schools. My son and daughter are both at Tarwater and are being instructed "above grade level" as well. And then there is the CATS program if your child tests into it.

16 Southeast Valley schools win A+ awards

[asufan]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Granted the CTAs are a good program, keep in mind that many of CUSD has high performing elementary and middle schools. My son and daughter are both at Tarwater and are being instructed "above grade level" as well. And then there is the CATS program if your child tests into it.

16 Southeast Valley schools win A+ awards

Yep, I think Ryan Elementary has that as well.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Granted the CTAs are a good program, keep in mind that many of CUSD has high performing elementary and middle schools. My son and daughter are both at Tarwater and are being instructed "above grade level" as well. And then there is the CATS program if your child tests into it.

16 Southeast Valley schools win A+ awards

I think the A+ award system is the best indicator of school quality we have here. The state grading system is too heavily weighted on AIMS scoring and, with the recent changes, on continuous improvement of AIMS tests to the exclusion of other factors. A+ takes a much broader approach to evaluating a school.

[RalphCC]

Umm, I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. We moved from an urban city and our 2 children are easily a year ahead in an A+ school in Chandler School District. It's that attitude that is part of the issue here in AZ. The state is ranked at the bottom of the entire United States. I'm sorry to say, there are many of these schools that should not be considered A+. I understand that no school district or school is perfect, but telling people that their students are achieving at a higher level then they are compared to almost all other states in our country is a sad misrepresentation. I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but it's been a tough dose or reality for us. Yes, we have looked at the charter schools, private schools, gifted & accelerated programs and will definitely be doing something different next Fall. For those that move to particular areas because of these ratings, it's very disappointing.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by RalphCC

Umm, I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. We moved from an urban city and our 2 children are easily a year ahead in an A+ school in Chandler School District. It's that attitude that is part of the issue here in AZ. The state is ranked at the bottom of the entire United States. I'm sorry to say, there are many of these schools that should not be considered A+. I understand that no school district or school is perfect, but telling people that their students are achieving at a higher level then they are compared to almost all other states in our country is a sad misrepresentation. I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but it's been a tough dose or reality for us. Yes, we have looked at the charter schools, private schools, gifted & accelerated programs and will definitely be doing something different next Fall. For those that move to particular areas because of these ratings, it's very disappointing.

Funny...since we have a number of high schools ranked in the top 1000 in the country...glad your kids are excelling.

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by RalphCC

Umm, I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. We moved from an urban city and our 2 children are easily a year ahead in an A+ school in Chandler School District. It's that attitude that is part of the issue here in AZ. The state is ranked at the bottom of the entire United States. I'm sorry to say, there are many of these schools that should not be considered A+. I understand that no school district or school is perfect, but telling people that their students are achieving at a higher level then they are compared to almost all other states in our country is a sad misrepresentation. I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but it's been a tough dose or reality for us. Yes, we have looked at the charter schools, private schools, gifted & accelerated programs and will definitely be doing something different next Fall. For those that move to particular areas because of these ratings, it's very disappointing.

It is disappointing, but it's better then the "at-risk" schools in this area. I would make sure you check out the private or charter school extensively before jumping ship. Some of them are very scummy, only in it for the state funds.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by knicksin8

After an extensive national job search, I have accepted a job offer in Gilbert. My family will be moving to the area this summer. We are considering homes in either Gilbert or Chandler. Is there any notable differences between these 2 towns? How do the 2 towns differ in terms of real estate prices, safety and diversity? We will start our kids off in private schools, but perhaps switch to public later on. Any major difference between the quality of the public schools in either town? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Gilbert is a Mormon town. It's an extension of Salt Lake City in the Valley. Only 15-20 percent of the city is Mormon but they hold prominent seats on the city council and school board. Therefore, many of their policies tend to be conservative. Many of the schools also seem to have a disproportionate number of students from the Mormon faith. It's also a reason many administrators and teachers have left the Gilbert Public School system because of rumored influence and pressure from the conservative Gilbert school board in determining policy. There have been a few articles in the Arizona Republic about this.

But many people gravitate toward Gilbert for this reason. It's extremely clean, safe and new. There is not a lot of diversity and yes, many people prefer Gilbert for this reason. I'm not saying this is right but that's America. I'm Hispanic and prefer Chandler for it's diversity and more liberal views; maybe that's not right either so fair enough.

In terms of amenities, the two cities are so close to one another that you can reap the benefits of both communities. I think some of the neighborhoods and communities in Gilbert are beautiful and stunning. But for me, the politics and the concern of my children being ostracized for not being Mormon/Evangelical Christian would not sit well with me. On the flip side, if I'm someone from a conservative background, I would choose Gilbert over Chandler.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by RalphCC

Umm, I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. We moved from an urban city and our 2 children are easily a year ahead in an A+ school in Chandler School District. It's that attitude that is part of the issue here in AZ. The state is ranked at the bottom of the entire United States. I'm sorry to say, there are many of these schools that should not be considered A+. I understand that no school district or school is perfect, but telling people that their students are achieving at a higher level then they are compared to almost all other states in our country is a sad misrepresentation. I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but it's been a tough dose or reality for us. Yes, we have looked at the charter schools, private schools, gifted & accelerated programs and will definitely be doing something different next Fall. For those that move to particular areas because of these ratings, it's very disappointing.

I tend to agree with you. When it comes to schools, it comes down to culture. Many East Coast schools tend to be prep schools. They gear their students to excelling on national standardized tests so that they can gain admission into the most competitive universities in the country.

In Arizona, this culture does not exist. You don't see the type of ultra competitive families preparing their children and demanding a lot from their schools. It's the culture. It is very laid back here and even the best students from schools like Basis are content with getting a scholarship to a public university like ASU and U of A. Whereas on the East Coast, free rides to public schools are a given and the kids are not satisfied with just getting those scholarships; they are trying to get into the Ivy League schools. Even in places like Florida, you will see families and schools aim for this goal. That "cutlure" is not present in Arizona. That being said, that culture is growing here. I think in 15 years, we will have that but not now

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Gilbert is a Mormon town. It's an extension of Salt Lake City in the Valley. Only 15-20 percent of the city is Mormon but they hold prominent seats on the city council and school board. Therefore, many of their policies tend to be conservative. Many of the schools also seem to have a disproportionate number of students from the Mormon faith. It's also a reason many administrators and teachers have left the Gilbert Public School system because of rumored influence and pressure from the conservative Gilbert school board in determining policy. There have been a few articles in the Arizona Republic about this.

But many people gravitate toward Gilbert for this reason. It's extremely clean, safe and new. There is not a lot of diversity and yes, many people prefer Gilbert for this reason. I'm not saying this is right but that's America. I'm Hispanic and prefer Chandler for it's diversity and more liberal views; maybe that's not right either so fair enough.

In terms of amenities, the two cities are so close to one another that you can reap the benefits of both communities. I think some of the neighborhoods and communities in Gilbert are beautiful and stunning. But for me, the politics and the concern of my children being ostracized for not being Mormon/Evangelical Christian would not sit well with me. On the flip side, if I'm someone from a conservative background, I would choose Gilbert over Chandler.

Note that Gilbert Public Schools is separate from the town's municipal government. Also, Chandler is still fairly conservative as a whole; only the western part (the Kyrene area) tends to be somewhat liberal.