Kyrene school district -- A warning to anyone planning to move here (middle-class, buyer)

[Samsara19]

As a parent, I feel a need to warn others off of a bad experience.

The Kyrene school district is a very attractive district. As a matter of fact, my family and I moved here with the thought of utilizing the schools in this area. The reputation of the schools in this East Valley location is a good one, but it is not a reality.

In truth, the schools manipulate their test scores, stack the decks, and operate in such a way that not every child benefits. Don't be fooled by the A+'s and the Blue Ribbons. In real, day-to-day interactions, your children are very likely to be bullied both by teachers and students. If you complain, don't expect much help and count on retaliation.

This is especially true for children who have learning difficulties or simply don't rank as star performers. Or if you do not have the time (or tolerance for the level of nonsense generally associated with) to deal with parent volunteering/PTA activities.

There is a decided "hive mind" at the schools within this system. Any dissent, anything less than a gold star for their precious schools will NOT be tolerated. They actively delete criticism of their activities on social media and other sites to manage their image to the public and shut up anyone who disagrees with their behavior.

This is an FYI and buyer-beware to any parents looking into the district. A lot of effort has been put into making the district very shiny and attractive on GreatSchools or Zillow, but the reality is something completely different.

If you are moving here, I would recommend looking into other options, possibly one of the many charter or online schools. Avoid Kyrene, though. It's not what it pretends to be.

[observer53]

You make some very broad accusations based on your personal experience. I can only say that my experience with this district, (and what I have read about its schools other than the one I am most familiar with)and that of others I know, does not match yours. At all.

[Samsara19]

I'm just trying to let others know that this school system isn't everything it appears to be. Even on this forum others have mentioned having issues with children who have learning challenges. The fact of the matter is that the school system very carefully manages it's appearance. This tending to the external facade allows it to look pretty good. In reality, it is no better than most AZ schools (with the exception of some of the very worst inner city ones).

Outsiders coming into the area should be warned of the fact that children in this system do not receive the same treatment across the board thanks to this image-consciousness. And that "high parental involvement" is actually more a code for a school that rewards kissing up and playing politics. Parents "in the know" or in the "inner circles" receive preferential treatment in the form of placing their children the coveted classes with the best opportunities.

To me, that's not a level playing field. That's very third world with no place in an American school system meant to be FOR ALL students, equally.

At the very least, I think parents whose students might be left out of the preferential loop should know to either brush up on their political skills and try to get their own slice of the quid pro quo...or go some place more equitable.

[SMG]

Nonsense. Kyrene is an excellent school district.

[Samsara19]

Originally Posted by SMG

Nonsense. Kyrene is an excellent school district.

For the politically savvy and/or for those who don't have any special needs to be met...I'm sure it is.

It's a mediocre system posing as an outstanding system, really. Will your child be knifed or shot there? Are there metal detectors on the entryways or gang fights? No.

Is it highly political and filled with all the worst suburban soccer mom cliches? Yes.

Point being: play the game, accept second-rate treatment, or go elsewhere. The EV has lots of good options that may be less vexing for parents who don't go in for that sort of thing.

[AZgarden]

Does your special needs child have an IEP? Perhaps you need to hire an advocate to make sure he/she gets the services needed in Kyrene SD. Special needs kids often get treated BETTER than otherwise normal kids because of their IEP. Just sayin... I have worked with the teachers there and they seem to put the kids first, always.

[wase4711]

not familiar with this school district at all, but I do know if you have a special needs kid, and they do NOT have an IEP, you wont get anything special or specific for them, so if you don't have that for your child, you need to get that going ASAP..

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Samsara19

For the politically savvy and/or for those who don't have any special needs to be met...I'm sure it is.

It's a mediocre system posing as an outstanding system, really. Will your child be knifed or shot there? Are there metal detectors on the entryways or gang fights? No.

Is it highly political and filled with all the worst suburban soccer mom cliches? Yes.

Point being: play the game, accept second-rate treatment, or go elsewhere. The EV has lots of good options that may be less vexing for parents who don't go in for that sort of thing.

This sounds like an axe to grind, maybe an angry PTA member? I have some family in the system, you can't do a lot better than Kyrene.

I mean suburban soccer mom cliche? Like in the suburbs?

[Samsara19]

Originally Posted by wase4711

not familiar with this school district at all, but I do know if you have a special needs kid, and they do NOT have an IEP, you wont get anything special or specific for them, so if you don't have that for your child, you need to get that going ASAP..

I'm just going from what I've heard. I've made tracks and ditched this school system, but that was my understanding of the situation as it is. Look around on this very same forum and you'll find similar statements about experiences where children who didn't put a feather in the district cap weren't given fair play.

[Samsara19]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

This sounds like an axe to grind, maybe an angry PTA member? I have some family in the system, you can't do a lot better than Kyrene.

I mean suburban soccer mom cliche? Like in the suburbs?

I do have an axe to grind, as the school and system mentioned royally raised my hackles/triggered visceral disgust.

No school should calculate it's treatment of children based off what the school can benefit from the child in question. In other words, a child's projected value to the test scores or unpaid workforce (in other words, sycophant parents politically gaming the system who will gladly cover budget shortfalls with man hours or donations in exchange for a little better ride for their kid) should not impact the education they receive.

It's also dishonest to jimmy with the numbers and delete ratings or comments to silence dissent. I really just want others to be forewarned, know there is a game and make an educated decision to play or not play.

Arizona is a very free wheeling state in terms of educational options. Kyrene, in that respect, is a hold over from an old system. The old system has stiff competition from many newcomers who can do just as good or better.

Whether these other options do so without the playground politicking, I can't say, but this old school deck-stacking is something I will happily call out any day...axe to grind or not.

I'm not a PTA mom, because I generally don't consider that type favorably for all the political/social reasons named above. Middle-class social climbers with the foresight/interests of overgrown middle school girls aren't my cup of tea...but I'm willing to live and let live so long as they leave me/mine alone.

The minute that changes, the gloves come off and I call it as I see it.

Again, I've already abandoned ship. I'm just trying to help any like-minded people make informed decisions before they make any big sacrifices to be in this district.

And again, I think it can work well for anyone who has a high bs tolerance that's willing to play.

I'm not.