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School rating websites

4K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  rubybolliger 
#1 · (Edited)
Do school rating websites like Great Schools have accurate ratings? Does anyone know? I know of 2 such websites, Great schools being one of them.

TIA.
 
#3 ·
Although I kinda agree, I know schools that are not accurately represented on Great Schools.

One is a private school that doesn't have to participate in mandated testing and LIED about everything on their great school report, even the number of students.

Another is a charter with high test scores, but that runs kids out if they aren't top students. They present themselves as providing a top education, but truthfully they are highly selective (how they get around state laws is a mystery).

The comments always fascinate me -- some schools actively encourage parents to post positive reviews. People are most likely to post on their own when they are unhappy. I really wonder when I read the comments how well they represent the general feeling people have a school, because I just don't feel like it is a good sample.

So while the scores on state mandated test just are what they are, I do wonder about the other stuff on Great Schools.
 
#4 ·
Although I kinda agree, I know schools that are not accurately represented on Great Schools.

One is a private school that doesn't have to participate in mandated testing and LIED about everything on their great school report, even the number of students.

Another is a charter with high test scores, but that runs kids out if they aren't top students. They present themselves as providing a top education, but truthfully they are highly selective (how they get around state laws is a mystery).

The comments always fascinate me -- some schools actively encourage parents to post positive reviews. People are most likely to post on their own when they are unhappy. I really wonder when I read the comments how well they represent the general feeling people have a school, because I just don't feel like it is a good sample.

So while the scores on state mandated test just are what they are, I do wonder about the other stuff on Great Schools.
Thanks. Actually, I never read the parent's reviews because it really depends on varying perceptions of the same teachers/school/principal. I am suprised though that schools could be giving fake info. I know a charter school that was rated 10 on the site last year and this year it has no rating at all. I wonder why?
 
#5 ·
I love the fact that I can see a school or system's test scores online! Our home school district reports that less than 10% of 10th graders are proficient or at grade level in math. The school that my kids presently attend reports 95% of 10th graders perform at grade level in math. These statistics may or may not give you a full picture of what really goes on, but they are a good starting point! Its great to be able to use statistics in addition to word of mouth, to point your kids in the right direction.
 
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