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Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 9th 03, 01:49 AM
lizzard woman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..

"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8 private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned. I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.


You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you live in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?


I have a small amount of experience with private school in Puerto Rico but
that is a different world is oh so many ways. That school published the
college acceptances but I have never seen them publish results form
standardized test scores. I would imagine that a provate school should be
very willing to show you the average, median, etc. test scores from their
students on standardzed tests which you can then compare to published scores
for your public school district, city, state, and country.

Is there any place I can get this information for private schools?

Thanks a bunch - this is SO important!


Good luck.

--
sharon, momma to savannah and willow (11/11/94)


  #2  
Old September 9th 03, 02:20 AM
Mary E
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..

I live in Ohio and I ruled out about 10 other schools just within my city
alone

I thought I *could* get data from them, but I would then wonder about the
absolute truthfulness and objectivity of the information and of course it
would be much simpler to find the info in one location...

Thanks for your help!


"lizzard woman" wrote in message
news:js97b.447$oa1.78@pd7tw2no...
"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned.

I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.


You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you live

in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?


I have a small amount of experience with private school in Puerto Rico but
that is a different world is oh so many ways. That school published the
college acceptances but I have never seen them publish results form
standardized test scores. I would imagine that a provate school should be
very willing to show you the average, median, etc. test scores from their
students on standardzed tests which you can then compare to published

scores
for your public school district, city, state, and country.

Is there any place I can get this information for private schools?

Thanks a bunch - this is SO important!


Good luck.

--
sharon, momma to savannah and willow (11/11/94)




  #3  
Old September 9th 03, 02:27 AM
Joni Rathbun
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..


On Tue, 9 Sep 2003, lizzard woman wrote:

"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8 private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned. I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.


You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you live in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?


I have a small amount of experience with private school in Puerto Rico but
that is a different world is oh so many ways. That school published the
college acceptances but I have never seen them publish results form
standardized test scores. I would imagine that a provate school should be
very willing to show you the average, median, etc. test scores from their
students on standardzed tests which you can then compare to published scores
for your public school district, city, state, and country.



Some private schools, which are normally exempt from these requirements,
do not do the tests or do not do the same tests the local public schools
do. Indeed, some private schools are pretty closed-mouthed about
these things altogether -- oddly enough.

Many do, however, belong to an accrediting organization which might
be able to provide some assistance (in addition to asking each of
the schools). I'd also request demographic info about the students
so as to be able to compare apples to apples instead of oranges.



  #4  
Old September 9th 03, 03:30 AM
P. Tierney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..


"lizzard woman" wrote in message
news:js97b.447$oa1.78@pd7tw2no...
"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned.

I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.


You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you live

in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?


I probably have at least that many near me in Louisville.
Most of the private schools here are Catholic.


P.
Tierney


  #5  
Old September 9th 03, 03:45 AM
lizzard woman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..


"P. Tierney" wrote in message
. ..

"lizzard woman" wrote in message
news:js97b.447$oa1.78@pd7tw2no...
"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is

concerned.
I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.


You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you live

in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?


I probably have at least that many near me in Louisville.
Most of the private schools here are Catholic.


Please define "near".

Afterward, I may add all states south of the Mason-Dixon.

--
sharon, momma to savannah and willow (11/11/94)


  #6  
Old September 9th 03, 04:44 AM
toto
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..

On Tue, 09 Sep 2003 02:45:02 GMT, "lizzard woman"
wrote:

I probably have at least that many near me in Louisville.
Most of the private schools here are Catholic.


Please define "near".

Afterward, I may add all states south of the Mason-Dixon.

Well, I don't live in the south, but...

There were 3 within walking distance of my home when my
children were growing up - one affiliated with a teacher's college,
another affiliated with a liberal arts college, and a catholic school.

Going a little further away within easy driving distance or longer
walking distance, there was a Montessori school, a Waldorf
school, another two Catholic schools, a school for autistic children,
and a very small school for special education students.

Going out into the nearest suburbs and the north side of Chicago,
there were more - again within easy driving distance and some
where the children could have taken public transportation to get
to them. There were 8 private schools in the suburb immediately
to the northwest, another 5 in the suburb immediately to the
north and several on the north side of the city.

--
sharon, momma to savannah and willow (11/11/94)




--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..
Outer Limits
  #7  
Old September 9th 03, 05:49 AM
P. Tierney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..


"lizzard woman" wrote in message
news:O8b7b.627$oa1.557@pd7tw2no...

"P. Tierney" wrote in message
. ..

"lizzard woman" wrote in message
news:js97b.447$oa1.78@pd7tw2no...
"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that

would
work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is

concerned.
I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.

You have *8* private grade schools near you??? Let me guess... you

live
in
either Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana, si?


I probably have at least that many near me in Louisville.
Most of the private schools here are Catholic.


Please define "near".


Um, I dunno. 15 minute drive or less? I'd guess I could get to
between 8-10 grade schools within that time, and 6 high schools.
There's a large Catholic population here, most of whom utilize
those schools. Other religions aren't as represented in their own
private schools, for whatever reason.


P.
Tierney


  #8  
Old September 9th 03, 12:52 PM
Mary E. Hill
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..

Sometimes they may be alright, but not in Toledo, Ohio where we are


"Jeff" wrote in message
...
You could ask the schools. And search the web for the schools (e.g., try
google with the name of the school and the town in which you live).

Also, talk to family and friends about the schools. Have you considered
sending your son to public schools? Sometimes they are better than private
schools.

Jeff

"Mary E" wrote in message
...
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned.

I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?

Is there any place I can get this information for private schools?

Thanks a bunch - this is SO important!

Mary






  #9  
Old September 9th 03, 03:00 PM
Bruce and Jeanne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..

Mary E. Hill wrote:


"Clisby" wrote in message
...


Mary E wrote:
Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8

private
grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would

work
for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned.

I
also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?

Is there any place I can get this information for private schools?

Thanks a bunch - this is SO important!

Mary



I'm not sure what you mean by how the teaching stacks up; no test score
is going to tell you that.

However, if you're looking for a single source of
test scores, Ohio probably has an Independent Schools Association (not
necessarily that exact name) that might have information. As someone
else said, you might check with any accrediting bodies; but, for
example, I'm not sure how concerned the Montessori accrediting agencies
are with how students do on the ITBS. Also, not all private schools do
standardized testing (my daughter attends one that doesn't) and those
that do might use different tests.


FWIW, when I was deciding where to send my daughter to kindergarten, I
didn't approach it by researching test scores. I did a lot of thinking
about what kind of educational experience I wanted her to have, and what
educational setting I thought would be best for her. I talked to
friends and neighbors about their experiences, and I visited the schools
I was considering. So if I had decided a Montessori or Waldorf school
would be best for her, that would have eliminated a lot of other
choices, regardless of test scores. If sending her to a Catholic
school had been important to me, that would have eliminated a bunch of
schools, also.

Have you spent time in the schools you're considering, to get a feel for
what they're like?

Clisby


I'm actually familiar with quite a few on my list, so I do have a feel for
them. We are Catholic, but the eight on my list are all Catholic I want
to know if the students leaving these schools are well-prepared for high
school performance. I left a Catholic grade school and was not at all
prepared for high school. Needless to say, that one is not on my list!

Thanks!


Can you ask for a list of high schools their students attend after
leaving? That's how DD's Montessori school advertises (?) the quality
of their education/students. Almost all the students go onto pretty
selective high schools.

Jeanne

  #10  
Old September 9th 03, 03:09 PM
Clisby
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Prob been asked, but about choosing schools..



Mary E. Hill wrote:
"Clisby" wrote in message
...


Mary E wrote:

Where do I go for statistics about schools in my area? I've got 8


private

grade schools (son will be starting kindergarten next year) that would


work

for me as far as location and reputation (that I know of) is concerned.


I

also know student to teacher ratio and enrollment figures.

What I need to know is how the students perform. How does the teaching
stack up against other schools locally and nationally?

Is there any place I can get this information for private schools?

Thanks a bunch - this is SO important!

Mary



I'm not sure what you mean by how the teaching stacks up; no test score
is going to tell you that.

However, if you're looking for a single source of
test scores, Ohio probably has an Independent Schools Association (not
necessarily that exact name) that might have information. As someone
else said, you might check with any accrediting bodies; but, for
example, I'm not sure how concerned the Montessori accrediting agencies
are with how students do on the ITBS. Also, not all private schools do
standardized testing (my daughter attends one that doesn't) and those
that do might use different tests.


FWIW, when I was deciding where to send my daughter to kindergarten, I
didn't approach it by researching test scores. I did a lot of thinking
about what kind of educational experience I wanted her to have, and what
educational setting I thought would be best for her. I talked to
friends and neighbors about their experiences, and I visited the schools
I was considering. So if I had decided a Montessori or Waldorf school
would be best for her, that would have eliminated a lot of other
choices, regardless of test scores. If sending her to a Catholic
school had been important to me, that would have eliminated a bunch of
schools, also.

Have you spent time in the schools you're considering, to get a feel for
what they're like?

Clisby



I'm actually familiar with quite a few on my list, so I do have a feel for
them. We are Catholic, but the eight on my list are all Catholic I want
to know if the students leaving these schools are well-prepared for high
school performance. I left a Catholic grade school and was not at all
prepared for high school. Needless to say, that one is not on my list!

Thanks!



Does the diocese (assuming these are diocesan schools) keep information
on school test scores? Here in Atlanta two of the elementary schools
closed a couple of years ago, partly for financial reasons - but
according to what I read in the newspaper, the diocesan education
officials were dissatisfied with test scores as well. I inferred that
the diocesan Catholic schools here did administer standardized tests;
whether that information is made publicly available is a whole different
story - I don't know.

Clisby

 




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