When the public school rankings are published, do you sneak a peek to see where your (or your children’s) school is listed We are all curious to find out whether our school did well or not. Some people even check out the public school rankings before buying a home in a certain neighborhood.
It’s normal and natural for parents to want the best for their children and a quality education gives young people a great foundation for success. Using the public school rankings as the basis for which neighborhood to live in seems a bit narrow-minded to me, though.
Public School Rankings Can’t Measure Intangibles
All of us can remember one teacher who inspired us to strive to do our best work. If we are really lucky, we can name more than one teacher who had a great influence on us. School rankings, if they are based solely on standardized test results, don’t measure these kinds of factors. It is these intangibles that will determine whether the students will be successful in life, not the test scores alone.
Can rankings of public schools measure a student’s ability to think creatively to find solutions to problems Do they show which students showed drive and determination to master a difficult topic or section in a course No, they can’t. Public school rankings also don’t show which schools have a learning environment that welcomes all students and takes steps to teach tolerance and understanding of our differences.
Consider Public School Rankings, but Keep Them in Perspective
By all means, do think about whether the neighborhood you are considering has good schools. Instead of looking only at the public school rankings for your city or state, first take some time to figure out exactly what constitutes a good school to you and your family. The answer to this question will vary, depending on the interests and needs of the students.
If it’s very important to your family that the school you choose has a good sports program, then the public school rankings won’t help you there. They also won’t tell you which schools have teachers who have mastered the art of teaching to inspire students to do their best, both in and outside of the classroom. Sometimes all it takes to get a struggling student on the right track is to have one person who believes in them. Where does this show up on the public school rankings It doesn’t.
Tags: buying a home, good sports, great foundation, intangibles, learning environment, public school rankings, quality education, sports program, standardized test, test scores