Ratings of Public Schools

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

This is an article regarding rating schools nationwide. The site referred to in interesting and I think the availability of this could have an impact on values.

http://www.rismedia.com/news.page/24/16668/

 

[David S. Roberson]

Pam,

I just checked out this site, and it confirms what people think about the relative quality of schools in my market. It SHOULD make a difference, but unfortunately I'm afraid people are more concerned about trivial things (proximity to work, golf courses, beer joints).

 

[Les Brant]

Just what we don't need is for us to have to report on the schools that are available for use in the neighborhood. Why not police, fire and emergency services also. Quality of food stores, reliability of medical facilities, automotive repair. And the list could go on. What about the local politicians.

Les in Rainy Coastal (N) Carolina

 

[Dee Dee]

Pamela,

I know it sounds bizarre, but I'm one of those parents who would go out of my way to avoid moving to a neighborhood based solely on the school ranking being high. 8O
Some food for thought to anyone who might choose to do so....

When the Denver area was going through it's biggest growth spurt about four or five years ago the local papers were continuously putting school rankings out there for the public to see. The result was that newcomers flocked to the neighborhoods with high ranking schools and within a year or two those same schools became overcrowded, had to hire a gazillion new teachers, the number of students per classroom hit record highs, there was a shortage of buses and books, and the schools looked like refugee camps because they had so many temp buildings. The kids were herded through like cattle. The politics got thick and many of the best teachers threw in the towell because the new curriculums were so inferior.

It took a couple of years before people realized that if they didn't pass some hefty new mill levies in their districts it wasn't going to get any better for their kids. Only recently are the school systems finally catching up with their infrastructure. A five year cycle doesn't seem like much until you realize that it takes only four years for a kid to go through high school, and the education aquired during that time has a huge impact on their ability to continue into college.

My observation was that housing prices went ballistic in those areas where the school ranking was high, but only temporarily. They cooled off when the schools hit capacity and the rankings of those schools tended to drop as a result.

Not trying to dismiss your post as being invalid, but I can tell you first hand that in the cases of extreme growth the better ranked schools tend to get hammered and the students end up paying the price if there isn't a good expansion plan already in place.

 

[Ruth Langkawel]

I report on the school district in the neighborhood description, because it is of primary concern to families when buying a home. I learned this many years ago when selling real estate; and my Realtor friends say that it has not changed. Schools are an important factor in home values.

The State of Michigan has a web site with the 1999 school district reports. Your link is easier to read, faster loading, and faster to compare to state averages. I'll be using this one from now on.

 

[Austin]

John Locke, English political philosopher-physician-psychologist (1632-1704), gave us our basic American founding principles that we have rights of life, liberty, and happiness and that power derives from the consent of the people. Locke was the greatest physician of his times besides being a great political philosopher. In 1670, friends urged Locke to write a paper on "The Limitations of Human Judgment" and how to develop a great human mind. Locke picked up his pen, thought for a while, laid the pen down and thought about the subject for 20 years. After mulling over the subject for 20 years, Locke picked up his pen and wrote that he had determined that to develop a great mind it was far better to spend one's time developing great moral character than in filling one's mind with information and that learning should be pleasant.
I say all this to make this point: The problem with our schools is not an old boiler, lack of air conditioning, teacher's pay, or any physical defect. The problem is that our educational structure is on the wrong philosophical tract. If moral character is the foundation for the development of a great mind, faith is the basis of building moral character, and both concepts are excluded from the public education system, then how can schools be expected to succeed? The answer is, they cannot. Schools will never develop great minds until politics is taken out of the equation and moral character is put into the equation, but that never can happen in public education. These Conservatives that compromise on the public education system minus the moral character factor as the solution in total disregard of the above principle are putting their social prejudice ahead of their moral duty to their children. There is no place for political correctness in the development of great minds. All people may be born equal, but the development of moral character in some creates the natural pecking order and social structure.

 

[Carnivore]

Pamela,

I believe if you use schools in some quanitative fashion like ranking you will open yourself up to a heap of trouble. Just a suggestion, but you better be correct especially after a slash and burn report. I am not suggesting you ignore this factor. I am only suggesting you dont bring it up in writing.

Peace to you.

 

[Dee Dee]

Austin,
I agree with you completely.
My oldest son went to a school that was considered the crown jewel of Jefferson County, Colorado. Touted for it's top ranking over every other school in the state, all of the latest technology and the envy of the state for it's outstanding academic and athletic programs. It was called Columbine High.

 

[Em Tee]

In our area, there are people who try to forge their residency in our school district just to get their children into our schools! It's very important to some people!!!

 

[Dee Dee]

Hi Mary,
I know what you're saying, but if too many people are allowed to enter the school system at once then change is inevitable. Generally it will get worse due to all of the changes I mentioned in my previous post.
The ironic twist is that the pro-growth people (particularly politicians and developers) are the ones who are waving the green flags, then when the trouble starts and rankings go down they blame the school districts for the problems. It would never occur to them to slow down the influx until the schools are in a position to accomodate the onslaught. Aside from maybe one or two areas around the suburbs of Denver, there were no plans in place to insure the preservation of the great school systems. Smaller neighborhood schools in almost every suburb have been torn down and replaced by massive structures that consolidate thousands of kids into one building. Maybe I'm old-fashioned but I think that being part of a smaller, more personal atmosphere is important for children as they're entering into adulthood. Without it I think they are more likely to miss out on learning to have a sense of community and individualism.