https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:51:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482922 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 11:33:59 +0000 808love 2482922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In addition to test scores/parent &amp;child interviews I would look at teacher turnover and I would find out if staff have/let their kids go to that school. That would be very telling if a majority didn't with the convenience of having your child attend the same school. If it is a good school, in their opinion, they will most definitely be putting their kid there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482699 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:46:45 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2482699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: thanks for the link, I will have a chance to review it later today. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482682 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:43:17 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2482682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Try this maybe: <a href="https://gaawards.gosa.ga.gov/analytics/saw.dll?dashboard" rel="nofollow">https://gaawards.gosa.ga.gov/analytics/saw.dll?dashboard</a></p> <p>Let me know if you need help understanding fields on the report. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482670 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:38:59 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2482670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yes in Fl is pretty easy. GA does it too though because I looked it up once for a friend that moved from FL to Ga. I will see if I can find the site again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482657 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:35:21 +0000 Happygal 2482657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've worked in some schools where test scores are really high, but I wouldn't want my child to attend there as a student!</p> <p>I'm interested in teacher retention. High turnover would make me question what's going on. How much money is spent per pupil, and where is that money going? What kind of extra programs and services are offered to students? What is the facility like? The simple question, "What do you like best about your school?" reveals a lot! </p> <p>Getting in to see the school is great. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482578 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:00:00 +0000 honeybear 2482578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I'm not looking for info on schools per se, but I have used and probably always will use the "What are you learning? Why?" questions to talk to children. They're easy conversation starters and they help me find some common ground with everyone from ages 6 to 16. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482567 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:52:21 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2482567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: it's so easy in FL to see if a school is A rated or not. That's really all I looked for when picking neighborhoods here. I haven't found it so easy when I did a search in GA. Where you live, do they also do the quick-glance rating? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482563 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:49:46 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2482563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: that's some really solid advice. I may have to give my dad that task since he lives in GA. He loves "pestering" young people. Lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482555 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:42:26 +0000 honeybear 2482555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know about Georgia, but the states I'm familiar with publish test scores, which are usually on the state department of ed website. In my experience, the best information comes from talking to the students, but you can only talk to them if you know them and/or their parents, and I think you have to ask the right type of questions to get useful answers. I think that teachers are the next best source of info, including recent retirees, but they can be hard to find. I tend to view parent perspectives as highly subjective and the least reliable, because nearly all of the school-aged children I have ever met are/were getting superlative educations at their schools per parental evaluation (with the exception of the children I tutored who were in inner-city schools that were a total disaster). That said, if you do hear a criticism from a parent, pay close attention to it. </p> <p>There is decent advice in the appendix of the book "The Smartest Kids in the World." She recommends visiting a school while classes are in session, but that doesn't work with most public schools, so the next best option is to talk with the students. Her recommended questions are: "What are you doing right now?" and then "Why?" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482519 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:25:46 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2482519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Each state department of Ed should publish something on the schools/districts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482505 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:16:17 +0000 regberadaisy 2482505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: yup, a local FB moms group so you can ask there! And yes, the few people I know that live/d outside/in of Atlanta either aren't happy with their public schools or send to private. So...yeah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482493 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:07:59 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2482493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Right now everyone in DH's office and those that I know in GA put their kids in private schools, but all live in good public school areas. There's some disconnect going on there. You mean a FB Moms group? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482486 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 07:51:55 +0000 regberadaisy 2482486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think if I were moving somewhere new I would probably join a local mom's group and ask co-workers with kids for opinions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/evaluating-schools#post-2482225 Wed, 02 Mar 2016 21:09:24 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2482225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What are some of the tools you use to evaluate schools? Specifically Georgia public schools.</p> <p>I found this site...have you used it? <a href="http://www.schooldigger.com/go/GA/schoolrank.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.schooldigger.com/go/GA/schoolrank.aspx</a></p> <p>Thanks </p>