https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:46:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district/page/2#post-1403491 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 12:39:37 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1403491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: He's in post-secondary education, so not within the districts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402839 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 09:47:27 +0000 looch 1402839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyD: ITA, thanks for writing this all out!</p> <p>I am public schooled, and I think I came out fine. I went to college with a lot of privately schooled kids and you know what, they had learning issues too, just as much as some of the kids in my public school.</p> <p>Private doesn't necessarily mean better in my experience. It can also be the place that parents with problem children dump them because the public schools can't or won't handle them any longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402825 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 09:43:11 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1402825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: well I don't know about touring an actual school building, but you should be able to attend board meetings for the district as a whole. You can look at specific schools' websites to see their curriculum (it's usually posted) and do your own research to see how vigorous/relevant those programs are. Hands-on learning can often be more about the individual teacher and there's no practical way to know that until you're in the school. I think you said your husband is a teacher? He should be able to get a feel for the districts/schools pretty well if he is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402464 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 23:38:35 +0000 HLK208 1402464@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So here's the deal for us...the amount we pay in taxes per year in our city with an excellent district, could pay for a good private school if we lived in the city next to us with the difference in lower annual taxes. Our city offers more than great schools so we chose the higher annual taxes but it seems like public and private would even out no matter which we picked if we really crunched numbers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402461 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 23:32:55 +0000 MrsEmm 1402461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we bought our house, school districts were no1 consideration for us. But we didn't need "the best". We researched the top five public high schools and then looked at all those districts. The one I preferred, we would have been able to afford a house, but not a very big house and with probably no backyard to speak of. The second choice school gave us better options in terms of what we could afford in the area so we chose that. It's always a bit of a balance. At the end of the day, the rankings are not the whole picture, and rankings change from year to year anyway. The top two schools where I live are constantly flipping between them for the no1 spot, so I figure those two are pretty equal. The school district we chose is probably more like no4 or maybe even no5 in terms of academic rankings, but it has the best music and arts program in the city (so at least if we have to attend school productions, they'll be pretty decent ;) ). On that note, the school accepts students from out of districts if they audition and get accepted to the specialised music/art program. Many schools have programs like that. There are also selective public schools here, which are not district based, but entrance is based on academic achievements and testing scores. I would research all your options before going broke buying into a certain area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402379 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:27:13 +0000 mrs. wagon 1402379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in an area with amazing school districts. Mediocre for this area would be considered top in other areas of the country. But this is why we live here, and living in a top school district is a huge priority for us. We will sacrifice on the type of house to live in a top school district. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402342 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:08:00 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1402342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: I agree and I am curious about this. Of course I can go off of numbers but I agree they don't tell the whole story. Can I actually do public school tours and attend things in order to decide if that's an area I want to move to? I would much rather have my child attend a school that focuses on hands-on education, with caring educators and relevant curriculum where the district test scores may not be top-notch than a top-notch district where it's drills and rules with no creative learning outlets. But how do you find what schools are really like?</p> <p>@mediagirl: There aren't private schools where we currently live, but we know we don't want to live in this city forever. It's our cheapest and most convenient option ATM. There are some charter schools but they are lottery, so it's not something we could bank on. It's also the exact opposite direction of both DH and my workplaces! gah. But we still have a few years to move/decide.. Ultimately, like you, I don't want to be house poor. But I also want my child to succeed and have a desire to learn because of his education.</p> <p>@Mrs. High Heels: I understand what you mean. I just finished an upper level psych class and sadly, that's what all the studies say too. Children from low-SES families are less likely to graduate or continue education past HS. Children from high-SES families are more likely to have parents who encourage learning and post-secondary education. </p> <p>@NorCalWayfarer: thanks for the perspective! very interesting. and I DEFINITELY agree about parents playing the largest role. With DH as a teacher my child will probably get sick of how involved we want to be ;)</p> <p>Thanks for all the replies. It's a great discussion and something to think about. Thankfully we still have a couple years to decide. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402182 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:01:00 +0000 PurplePumps 1402182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, it was very important. I was not willing to consider towns/cities that had public schools that weren't one of the top 10 or so in the state. One of the things about the "better" districts is that the student to teacher ratio was usually smaller too, so that was important also. We definitely paid a price for it and compromised on a less updated house and increasing the budget by 20%. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402143 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:49:42 +0000 matador84 1402143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it is really important, DH doesn't think as much. In my state, schools basically get a report card each year based on test scores, etc. Plain and simple, I wouldn't send my kids to a school that was a C or lower. I think GOOD schools are important, and there should be a nice balance of good teaching and best practices in education happening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402136 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:47:06 +0000 JoJoGirl 1402136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha I just posted a similar question.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402134 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:45:32 +0000 JennyD 1402134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm very curious to what everyone is considering "stellar".</p> <p>I am fortunate enough to live in a huge city where we could have options, even within the public system, without moving. </p> <p>I think it would depend on the kid, honestly. I excelled in elementary at a public school in one of the worst communities in the city. At the end of the 6th grade, my teacher recommended my parents send me to French immersion to challenge me. It was a public school. I went to a low class HS and was one of 6 students (500 in graduating class) to go to University. I did fine. My brother needed a ton more help, but even in our elementary, the teachers helped to find him resources. My mom was a big part of both of our school lives. She was very involved and we took school very seriously. My brother ended up doing a technical program. </p> <p>I really believe that parents can make all the difference. We didn't have the option of moving, and my mom made the best of the options she had. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1402085 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 20:33:25 +0000 mrsbookworm 1402085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think there can be a balance between the two. You don't have to be in a district with the best schools but you don't want to be somewhere where the schools are terrible, either. When we were looking for a place to move, one of my criteria was that the school district be in the top 20% in the state. I don't think there's a big difference between the #1 school in a state versus #22 but I think there's a huge difference between #22 and #131.<br /> Just for the record, I'm a public school teacher in a highly rated school in a low income area. We consistently outperform other schools with our socioeconomic status. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401839 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:42:31 +0000 mediagirl 1401839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You know our situation. We just can't afford to live in the stellar area. So, we're living in a house we love, in a neighborhood that is OK with cruddy schools. I really like the private and charter options around us, though so we're going to go that route and keep our great home in the not so desirable hood. And by not so desirable I don't mean dangerous or scary or bad. I just mean it's not, to us your word, stellar. :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401828 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:37:35 +0000 AmandaB8 1401828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in an area with unaccredited schools. They are not the best. But IMO I grew up with a terrible elementary school (as in, we had to share books and didn't have ac). I think the high school matters the most - if our high school isn't doing better and accredited by the time our oldest is in 6th grade, we'll be moving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401749 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:59:12 +0000 Boogs 1401749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say live where you are happy. There are usually still great teachers at schools that don't have the highest reputations. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401729 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:49:59 +0000 ShootingStar 1401729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We probably won't ever be able to afford the "best" around here either, as it would mean buying a million dollar+ house, and those towns probably don't even have much in the way of apartments. </p> <p>What's important to me is that there is a variety of offerings and that the culture of the school is that the kids want to learn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401723 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:45:55 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1401723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: I know I'm generalizing and making some assumptions, that's why I wrote "more likely to" and "higher chance". I have no doubt that there are parents that are just as focused and intentional about their children's academic success in schools with lower rankings, and that wonderful, amazing children come out of those schools too... but I just think the likelihood and ratio of studious, academically-focused students might be higher at better schools. I'm sorry if I offended you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401707 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:38:50 +0000 lawbee11 1401707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>School districts were our #1 priority when buying a home. We didn't necessarily need to live in the best district, but we wanted one with good rankings. Growing up we were zoned to really bad public schools so my parents sent us to private school, but private school is just so expensive and they could have put that money towards our college education. Plus the public schools that we are currently zoned to are ranked higher than the private schools I went to. Win-win! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401685 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:29:34 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1401685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: obviously everyone has different priorities for their children &amp; education, but I have to say I was surprised at your reasoning behind choosing a school district. I think you're making some big assumptions about "other" kids/parents that aren't necessarily true. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401682 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:28:06 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 1401682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both DH and I went to below-average schools in rural areas, so it was really the only choice. BUT we both did well in university and beyond because our parents prioritized education and provided us with lots of other learning opportunities. </p> <p>In my case, I was able to participate in a lot of things that I wouldn't have been able to do in a bigger, "better", school because there was less competition and I believe it made me a more well rounded person. It also allowed me to grow up in a community where everyone knew each other and you really were part of the community- something I miss now that we live in the suburbs.</p> <p>Also, as one of my friends recently pointed out, it's much harder to excel or stand out at "better" schools. You might want to be the bigger fish in a smaller pond. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401674 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:25:30 +0000 deactivated_account 1401674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think school districts are extremely important. If you lived in an are with a lesser quality school district, you may feel compelled to send your kids to private school. The costs might balance out themselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401671 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:24:10 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1401671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us, the school ranking is important. It does not have to be the absolute best school in the area, but it still has to be good. Not only for the purpose of academics, but because of the student population of those attending those schools. The children who attend better schools are more likely to come from families that have the time and resources to devote to their children's education.</p> <p>Children grow up copying their peers or wanting to be like their peers. If their peers are doing extracurricular activities and are focused on their studies, there's a higher chance that my children will want to too. It matters to me the types of kids my children are influenced by. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401668 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:22:59 +0000 NorCalWayfarer 1401668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in a generally dismal district, but are within the zone of very good elementary and secondary schools. We couldn't afford to move to the areas with the best school districts, but we were careful to select a house based on what schools the kids would be going to. That being said, I think parental involvement is a HUGE factor and plan on being extremely engaged with our kids' education. I agree with PPs -- I grew up in a great school district and actually had a hard time psychologically coping with the competitiveness (I had a 4.3 GPA and was not in the top 10% of my graduating class and therefore felt like a failure). I definitely think there can be too much pressure put on kids, so finding a healthy balance is also important to us.</p> <p>ETA: And at least in California a lot of the "best" school districts are the ones with the highest socioeconomic status... inequity at its finest, but that's how the system works (although there have been recent funding changes in California aimed at rectifying the disparities). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401656 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:17:56 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1401656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Is is worth it to live on a shoe-string budget for the "best" district? Not likely. Is there a specific reason the other districts aren't good enough or that one district is the best? As a public school teacher, I have to say I don't think those online ratings count for beans. They are based off of test scores and tell the public nearly nothing about a school. </p> <p>I think looking at teacher salary (something reasonable that hasn't been frozen for years) tells you something about the quality of teacher the district attracts/retains. Going to a public board meeting can give you a general feel of the district overall. It's really hard to tell how "great" a school is until you're a part of it. I'm in our town's "best" district (highly rated in the state too) and don't think we're doing anything ground-breakingly better than our neighborhood school in another district. It's really relative to your families wants &amp; needs. </p> <p>I will say I worked in the "worst" district for a year. There was a reason it had that reputation and it had nothing to do with the socio-economic status of the families in that area. The board &amp; superintendent were awful, so I would say it's worth it to avoid those types of districts.</p> <p>One more thing, but, does your area choice? In my town, anyone can enter a choice lottery to go to the district they desire. The districts will bus them in, too. It's all about money: more bodies = more dollars. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401654 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:15:55 +0000 mrs. 64 1401654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends on what the schools are like in the not stellar district. Sometimes school districts don't have the same reputation as nearby districts, but are totally fine. A lot also depends on the school itself. There can be a ton of variation from school to school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401645 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:11:27 +0000 jedeve 1401645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to a truly terrible school. There was no choice - it was a very rural area. My parents still emphasized education, probably more so than they would have otherwise. And they put in a lot of effort to make sure we had other opportunities - music lessons, summer camps, chess club, 4H etc.</p> <p>I was fine not living in the best school district in our town. I knew it was going to be much better than what I had growing up. And really there is so much variation. You can have a terrible teacher in a great school, or vice versa. I plan being the one in charge of my child's education. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401490 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:18:07 +0000 mrsjazz 1401490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I think it's important to be in a stellar/good/or good enough district depending on how it affects the entire family. If you find that you are living in a small space, paying a huge amount of money, and can be happy with that for your son's education, then do it. But if you know you will also be miserable, don't do it.</p> <p>We moved to a safer neighborhood that is also in a better district. We ended up being at the edge of what people say is the best district in our borough. Our zoned public school is rated higher than the other elementary school close to us that has a gifted program. It's not the best school in the city, but I hear so many great things about it on my parenting listserv. They're also building a new school right down the block that will probably end up becoming our zoned school since it's opening in 2015. </p> <p>All of this to say that we did sacrifice by moving to this area. We are in a much smaller and not as nice apartment. We are not fans of it, but the price is right and so is the neighborhood, so we are going to stick it out because it's worth it to us.</p> <p>(I feel like I wrote a novel, sorry!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401487 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:17:15 +0000 twodoghouse 1401487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is extremely important to us. We bought our house 6 years ago and even then (years away from having kids) would not consider something outside the school district that we wanted. However, there is a huge problem in our town in that the school district is really dismal. As an example, I just pulled up GreatSchools.org, and it rated the high schools in our town all 2s and 3s. The high school in the district we moved into (on the north side of the town we live in) is a 10. There are additional issues that have come out in the last few years with fraud and mismanagement of money in the district with the worse schools. While education is extremely important to us, I don't think it would have been so much of a concern if we lived in a town where the schools are all on par with one another. But because of the specifics of the town we live in, we will only live in the area where our kids will go to our preferred school district! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401479 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:14:58 +0000 snowjewelz 1401479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We can't afford, and also don't want to be in a top school district. I grew up in a really good school district and I see the benefits as well as pitfall - too competitive, push students too hard to be grades/school oriented. We currently live in a fairly good school district that has a lot of potential! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-how-important-is-a-stellar-school-district#post-1401469 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:08:49 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1401469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: no, but it would remind you of it. Seriously, Weston is so Disney-like the light posts all are embellished with "W". </p>