Choosing HS based on coach?

[Easton33]

Look at MS 244 previous post....where do you think that school ranks? 70k in scholarships but under 70% graduation rate. Is this a good school?

 

[CoogansBluff]

You look at the percentages of college-bound seniors, the average ACT/SAT/state assessment scores... (DD's is #5 in our state

While I agree that those stats have some correlation with good instruction, what would happen if the #5 school in the state traded student bodies with the #200 school in the state? Would your #5 faculty be able to keep that school in the top 10 in terms of graduating seniors and SAT scores?

 

[fastpitch]

No, not saying that at all. I am asking the question how are people determining if the schools are better. The report cards can be manipulated and if you aren't using that then how are you determining it is better academically?

A full article of rankings is here:

How U.S. News Calculated the 2014 Best High Schools Rankings - US News

They basically start with math and reading scores on state standardized tests. Then look at performance of the least advantaged students. Then college readiness exams.

Grades and report cards do not appear to be factored in as much as you suggest. Unless they are cheating on state standardized tests.

 

[fastpitch]

While I agree that those stats have some correlation with good instruction, what would happen if the #5 school in the state traded student bodies with the #200 school in the state? Would your #5 faculty be able to keep that school in the top 10 in terms of graduating seniors and SAT scores?

It takes a few years to develop a student body to that level. If you switched student bodies from the #200 and #5 school, I would expect that number to move up. Not from #200 to #10, but up.

I believe there is a different mentality one gets when a student is surrounded by academic-focused, college bound classmates, as opposed to a mentality of those who are surrounded by those who are not as academically inclined or college bound. People tend to become more like the people they surround themselves with. Not that some can't be successful in less than advantageous conditions and visa versa, its just that a better academic school would promote more kids to improve academically than one that is not as good academically.

Additionally and unfortunately, "better" school districts typically have higher taxes (and presumably higher income families) than those in "lesser" school districts (and presumably lower income families) which skews the numbers between the less advantaged and the more advantaged.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

When Common Core takes effect, all HS's may become equally bad. :/

 

[Southpaw729]

This happens in So Cal a little, but really...many, many college coaches have told me they never watch a high school game, so why does a kid's high school coach really matter? I understand that, in many cases, the high school (the non-travel) coach doesn't always get his girls better and doesn't always know what he or she is doing. However, I always tell my travel girls to enjoy their high school season; to chill a bit and enjoy representing their school and playing with classmates.

"Team hopping" as I call it is bad enough in travel. To change high schools is a little much!

--John Michael Kelly