anyone care to speak up for seattle schools? (Bellevue, Renton: best neighborhoods, daycare)

[No5]

Hello,

There are quite a few negative comments on this board related to Seattle Public Schools in general. However, when looking at the Seattle Magazine Best Neighborhoods info at:

http://www.seattlemag.com/files/pdf/SEA0809_RevisedChart.pdf (broken link)

Many of the city schools outperform the suburban schools, at least in terms of the percentage of 4th graders passing the WASL.

Has anyone had a positive experience with Seattle city schools?

Thanks for any info you can provide.

[Ira500]

Actually, there are quite a few good elementary schools in Seattle. The problems are more common in middle and high schools. And the school district politics are horrible.
None of this is to say that your child won't get a good education in the Seattle public schools, or that your child will be in danger. It's more like you can't take any of it for granted as parent in the school district, and have to stay involved and active and be willing to fight, because it always seems that they're always putting up some obstacle to overcome.

[sean98125]

There are good schools in Seattle. And there are some really bad schools. And the current politics of the superintendent means that they want to get as many of the good schools mixed with the bad schools as possible to raise test scores. At least that is what it feels like.

You are much better off living in a different school district with good schools across the board instead of a couple of great schools and a bunch of schools that are nothing more than daycare for the nearest Seattle Housing Authority property.

[zulan78]

I grew up in the Seattle School system from kindergarten through 12th grade. From what I can compare to now, with my nephew and niece attending a Bellevue school, they definitely have more school work I ever had. It seems like they seem to learn a lot more and are expected to do hours of homework a night. Book reports, presentations, and etc. are expected of them in elementary school but I don't remember doing that until I reached high school.

From that alone, I would highly suggest going to another school district. I went to Whitworth Elementary School which at that time was a very good elementary school that is now blended with another school and is now occupied by ESL students, I think. My middle school is completely gone and Franklin High is still there where my worst witness was students throwing chicken bones, donuts, white out and etc. at the history teacher in the 9th grade. Otherwise, students were better behaved on a regular basis.

[h8n]

Originally Posted by zulan78

I grew up in the Seattle School system from kindergarten through 12th grade. From what I can compare to now, with my nephew and niece attending a Bellevue school, they definitely have more school work I ever had. It seems like they seem to learn a lot more and are expected to do hours of homework a night. Book reports, presentations, and etc. are expected of them in elementary school but I don't remember doing that until I reached high school.

From that alone, I would highly suggest going to another school district. I went to Whitworth Elementary School which at that time was a very good elementary school that is now blended with another school and is now occupied by ESL students, I think. My middle school is completely gone and Franklin High is still there where my worst witness was students throwing chicken bones, donuts, white out and etc. at the history teacher in the 9th grade. Otherwise, students were better behaved on a regular basis.

I'm not from Seattle, but relocating there in November. I grew up in a good school district in Houston & currently live in Austin. Everything you explain here is the same for me. My kid is in kindergarten & his class is doing far more than I did in 1st grade. They are already doing a journal & learning multiplication / division.

My point: Although I am not saying the schools are good / bad, I feel the generational gap is a larger cause of the difference you explain than the actual location.

What do you think?

[Backstrom]

There are actually a few great schools in Seattle, but the overall fiscal structure and mismanagement of the Schools board has plagued the entire district.

[specificnorthwest]

Originally Posted by sean98125

There are good schools in Seattle. And there are some really bad schools. And the current politics of the superintendent means that they want to get as many of the good schools mixed with the bad schools as possible to raise test scores. At least that is what it feels like.

Do you men busing children to different schools, or removing geographic boundaries for schools?

I'm wondering if choosing a neighborhood to live in based on the local school is a moot point if there is no guarantee that our child would be going there...

[Ira500]

Actually, there is far less busing in the Seattle school district than there was, and the latest policies emphasize neighborhood schools. In the past, there were more all city schools like option schools or alternative schools where you would have as good a chance as anybody else in being admitted, but some of that has changed, and you actually are better off in a neighborhood with good schools, at least until they change policies and direction again.

[Ira500]

Here's an article that addresses this very subject:

Seattle Schools' next hot potato: student assignment plans

[20666]

I live in Renton.
The schools here are all based on what type of neighborhood you live in.
Such as Hazen a rich school that is good.
Renton a poor/middle class school that isn't.
Lindbergh a middle class school that is in between.
Some teachers are bad and some teachers are good.