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Worcester magazine does a comparison of all the local school
systems every year - I think in September. It compares them on things
like expenditure per student, average SAT scores, and teacher/student
ratios. They aren't perfect indicators, but a good start.
When I moved here, my real estate agent handed me several recent
articals comparing the local school districts. They're all very out of
date by now.
I bought a road map book a few years ago with most of the local
towns. I was surprised that in the front they listed the towns and the
local tax rates, and some stats on the schools.
So, if I were you, I'd ask my real estate agent AND go to the
library.
As to what to look for - that depends alot on your child.
I grew up in a large school district (graduating class of 800
kids). To me, the advantages of a big school are obvious - more
facilities, more after school activities and opportunities, more AP
courses (and more remedial courses), and more variety of kids to find
"nice" friends. I thrived in a self-motivating free environment. My
brother floundered, and my folks moved him to a smaller private school
where he got more attention and more discipline - and he did much better
there. I think I would have found that school stifling.
One thing I have noticed, being involved in the Girl Scouts:
Schools where it is easy to find leaders are also schools with better
reputations. The reason, I believe, is that parents MUST be involved
in the schools to maintain the quality (and these same parents are also
involved after school). For instance, one of my girl scout leader
friends volunteers at the school library now that the town has been
forced to cut funding and won't pay for a librarian. Another girl
scout leader friend set up a computer lab and course when she noticed
that her daughters school didn't offer it. Another girl scout leader
friend was helping in her sons classroom, when she she saw a child be
moved from one "track" to a lower "track". The child's ego was
shattered and his performance plummeted. She decided that tracking was
bad and worked to remove it from the elementary schools in her town.
I'm not sure I agree (whether tracking is good or bad is quite a rat
hole that should be handled in another note). But I am sure she was
trying to make the schools better.
I haven't had to face this first hand, since my son is only 2.5.
Good Luck!
Elaine
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| For a discussion of the Massachusetts School Choice program, see note 375.
Briefly speaking, the advantage to a homeowner of a community participating
in the School Choice program is that if you are dissatisfied with your town's
school system, you can place you child in another town's school system, at no
cost to you (other than transportation).
However, if you have your sights set on a specific town's school system, the
only way to ensure that your child will be there is to buy a home in that
town. Some school systems have more applicants than they have open slots, so
they resort to some sort of lottery. Also, the current school choice law
does not provide for transportation; getting your kid there is up to you.
If you have your sights set on a school system, but can't find a home in that
community, you might call them and ask them how many slots for school choice
kids they have, and how many applicants.
Clay
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In Berlin (Ma) we get a town report published once a year. In
this booklet contains all town meeting minutes, fiscal statements,
marriages, births, school info (salaries, plans, etc). There
is A LOT of great info in these on the town. You may want to
check with the town library to see if the town(s) your interested
in publishes these..
/robin
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