Comments on: How do you know if a school is good? http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/ Your source to discuss and learn about education in Atlanta, Georgia and the nation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:32:03 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: KimWhit http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-5058 KimWhit Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:48:09 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-5058 Our solution was to get our child into a top K-12 private school in the metro Atlanta area. We don't have to worry about experiencing varying qualities of elementary, middlem, and high school. We all know that you may be zoned for a great elementary school but the other zoned schools leave little to be desired. I am a professional, middle class African American woman. I am a product of public schools, my dad is a retired chemistry teacher and my mother a retired librarian. Our solution was to get our child into a top K-12 private school in the metro Atlanta area. We don’t have to worry about experiencing varying qualities of elementary, middlem, and high school. We all know that you may be zoned for a great elementary school but the other zoned schools leave little to be desired. I am a professional, middle class African American woman. I am a product of public schools, my dad is a retired chemistry teacher and my mother a retired librarian.

]]> By: donnether http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4959 donnether Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:57:57 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4959 The way you know is by the principal and asst. principal. If there is constant problems at a school and the only solution is to do nothing then it is quite clear you are at a terrible place labled a school. If problems persist for years and then dump in the only teachers lap who showed real progress last year in IRR there is a big problem. I guess this is the only way the principal at the place I am {can't call it a school} can get rid of me is by this act to give a reason to get rid of me knowing this flock of students who were allowed to play and never had any real consequences last year know nothing this year but how to curse, bully, and fight. Is there any school in GA with a honest principal, PERIOD? The way you know is by the principal and asst. principal. If there is constant problems at a school and the only solution is to do nothing then it is quite clear you are at a terrible place labled a school. If problems persist for years and then dump in the only teachers lap who showed real progress last year in IRR there is a big problem. I guess this is the only way the principal at the place I am {can’t call it a school} can get rid of me is by this act to give a reason to get rid of me knowing this flock of students who were allowed to play and never had any real consequences last year know nothing this year but how to curse, bully, and fight. Is there any school in GA with a honest principal, PERIOD?

]]> By: LM http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4209 LM Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:54:39 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4209 Lee hit the nail on the head - see what the halls are like during class changes, and try to catch lunchtime in the cafeteria. If either one is zoo-like, the school probably has some issues. Lee hit the nail on the head – see what the halls are like during class changes, and try to catch lunchtime in the cafeteria. If either one is zoo-like, the school probably has some issues.

]]> By: Terry Young http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4195 Terry Young Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:11:57 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4195 How good are your children? Do they follow directions or do they talk back and disrespect both the teacher and themselves? Do they want to learn or do they love to disrupt the classroom? Do they dress appropriately for their age group or do they dress like mini adults or prison inmates? Do they complete their assignments and share what they learned with their parents and family or do they constantly have incomplete assignments and tasks. Do they realize the importance of an education or do they think of school as someplace you have to go to because their parents said they must attend ? If these questions were asked and answered maybe the schools would do a better job. How good are your children? Do they follow directions or do they talk back and disrespect both the teacher and themselves? Do they want to learn or do they love to disrupt the classroom? Do they dress appropriately for their age group or do they dress like mini adults or prison inmates? Do they complete their assignments and share what they learned with their parents and family or do they constantly have incomplete assignments and tasks. Do they realize the importance of an education or do they think of school as someplace you have to go to because their parents said they must attend ? If these questions were asked and answered maybe the schools would do a better job.

]]> By: Channey http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4192 Channey Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:38:58 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4192 I think that criterion referenced tests like the CRCT are a good measure of how a school is performing. However, it is important to look at lag scores, that is last year's 3rd grade performance to this year's 4th grade performance. You would need to consider the school's mobility rate to determine just how accurate the measure is to indicate that learning is occurring. That is an example of hard data to determine if a school is a good school or not. Also, there are soft data elements that should be considered also. Such as, professionalism (office staff, answering telephone, returning calls, etc.), environment (discipline, attitudes-teachers, students, staff), and resources (technology, books, activities, etc). I could go on and on, but these are a few things to consider. I think that criterion referenced tests like the CRCT are a good measure of how a school is performing. However, it is important to look at lag scores, that is last year’s 3rd grade performance to this year’s 4th grade performance. You would need to consider the school’s mobility rate to determine just how accurate the measure is to indicate that learning is occurring. That is an example of hard data to determine if a school is a good school or not. Also, there are soft data elements that should be considered also. Such as, professionalism (office staff, answering telephone, returning calls, etc.), environment (discipline, attitudes-teachers, students, staff), and resources (technology, books, activities, etc). I could go on and on, but these are a few things to consider.

]]> By: Courtney http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4183 Courtney Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:01:09 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4183 School Choice is a FAILED idea. This is a FACT! The sun is orange, the sky is blue and School Choice is a FAILURE everywhere implemented. Next Theory please. The way you tell a good school from a bad one is teacher/turnover ratio. If teachers stay then it is a good sign. If they stay 3 years and then bolt for the door then this is a bad sign. School Choice is a FAILED idea. This is a FACT! The sun is orange, the sky is blue and School Choice is a FAILURE everywhere implemented. Next Theory please.

The way you tell a good school from a bad one is teacher/turnover ratio. If teachers stay then it is a good sign. If they stay 3 years and then bolt for the door then this is a bad sign.

]]> By: jim d http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4178 jim d Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:15:01 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4178 Yo Doc., check your email :) Yo Doc.,

check your email :)

]]> By: jim d http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4177 jim d Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:08:40 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4177 Mr. Lewis, We should all take a break once in awhile to sit around the pool with a cold beverage and listen to some good tunes. :) Mr. Lewis,

We should all take a break once in awhile to sit around the pool with a cold beverage and listen to some good tunes. :)

]]> By: Kim->CommunityRadar.com http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4164 Kim->CommunityRadar.com Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:48:45 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4164 I think some may have jumped into answers before really thinking about the question. "How do you determine if a school is any good?" Good for what? I think most of us assume we're talking about purely academic performance in terms of college prep. That may not be #1 for all of us (Vocational, ESL, and other special situations may be more applicable). If prep is your concern, then go talk to college recruiters at Agnes Scott, GSU, GT, UGA, Emory, Mercer, Morehouse, etc. and ask about the performance of your HS' grads during the past 2-4 years. And, yes, I think demographics. Smart parents are making sure their kids are in schools with diverse student bodies to prepare them to succeed in our increasingly diverse American society. If you're just shopping for "brand," talk to realtors about the schools you are considering - they know the market reputation and perceptions of others. I think some may have jumped into answers before really thinking about the question.

“How do you determine if a school is any good?”

Good for what? I think most of us assume we’re talking about purely academic performance in terms of college prep. That may not be #1 for all of us (Vocational, ESL, and other special situations may be more applicable).

If prep is your concern, then go talk to college recruiters at Agnes Scott, GSU, GT, UGA, Emory, Mercer, Morehouse, etc. and ask about the performance of your HS’ grads during the past 2-4 years.

And, yes, I think demographics. Smart parents are making sure their kids are in schools with diverse student bodies to prepare them to succeed in our increasingly diverse American society.

If you’re just shopping for “brand,” talk to realtors about the schools you are considering – they know the market reputation and perceptions of others.

]]> By: Ron R. C. Lewis http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2009/07/16/how-do-you-know-if-a-school-is-good/comment-page-2/#comment-4160 Ron R. C. Lewis Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:33:51 +0000 http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/?p=821#comment-4160 where os jimmy d today? where os jimmy d today?

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