If you're going to be in the JCPS system, you have to live in Jefferson County. The schools in Lanesville and Floyds Knobs are in a different school district.

Beverly Bartlett writes about parenting issues at:
http://www.louisvillemojo.com/beverly

Sorry. It's a typo. We're having internet issues and with everything going really slowly and taking a long time to post I didn't take the time to re-read what I'd written before I posted. 

originally posted by Beverly3

If you're going to be in the JCPS system, you have to live in Jefferson County. The schools in Lanesville and Floyds Knobs are in a different school district.

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Beverly Bartlett writes about parenting issues at:
http://www.louisvillemojo.com/beverly

originally posted by Beverly3

If you're going to be in the JCPS system, you have to live in Jefferson County. The schools in Lanesville and Floyds Knobs are in a different school district.

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Beverly Bartlett writes about parenting issues at:
http://www.louisvillemojo.com/beverly

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessmillerphotography/

I'm not sure what ratings you are looking at, but all I can advise is to do so with extreme caution.  Most districts do not support such rankings and just about anybody can rate a school.  You need to know who is providing the rankings (are they accreditted and recognized as an educational expert, organization, etc. . .or is it just some random person, or a business trying to puch their product?)  Additionally, you need to know how they determine their ranking system.  You could rank schools by pretty much any characteristic you want and if this isn't a characteristic you desire for your child, it doesn't much matter if the school is #1 or #201.

Furthermore, rankings don't tell you anything about a school.  Most of the time "ranking" lists can easily be switched out for a ranking of average income for schools.  The top ten schools are usually the ten wealthiest schools.  It's bias and doesn't tell you how kids like the school, how parents like it, whether it offers the programs you want for your child or not.

All I can advise is please DO NOT PLACE ANY IMPORTANCE IN RATINGS!!

 It's not a ranking system, it's a rating system. The schools are rated from 1-10, 10 being the best. 

The rating is based on the most recent standardized test scores. I think that's generally a good way to tell how well a school is preforming, after all I do believe that is how the state judges how well a school is preforming. 

 There is also a category for parent rating. It's a score parents give, 1 -5 )5 being the highest) for how pleased they are with the school. 

More information about how they rate their schools is available on greatschools.net. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessmillerphotography/

Test scores are certainly one way to rate a school, but unless all the schools are taking the same test -- and at the same time of year (spring tests are usually better than fall tests) -- then they're not a perfect measure.

Also, if it's showing that those ar the only two parts of the entire Louisville area where the schools don't have "horrible" scores, then I think it must be wrong. There are schools throughout Louisville that score quite well.

Beverly Bartlett writes about parenting issues at:
http://www.louisvillemojo.com/beverly

Are you not going to be in JCPS based on the troubles with the new assignment plan?  There are many excellent schools in the JCPS system and while there is certainly fault in the plan now, you have  a few years before your DD is even in school.  I can understand moving into an area where you don't have to worry about the school system, but there are also other things involved.   There are excellent schools in Southern Indiana and in Oldham County and in Jefferson County...as well as all around the area and there are also some not so great schools in the area too....but could be flipflopped   in 3 years...

And as said above, there is more to schools than test scores and ratings....same with appliances or cars in the Consumer Reports magazine-I had bought the top of the line highest rated model of an appliance and hated it....it came highly rated, but was not right for me....the next appliance (or car or whatever it was) I researched and took into consideration what was rated highly and what others thought of it, but ultimately decided what was right for me-and this is how I do all purchases and major decisions-I have my own opinions and I look beyond the obvious-and remain open minded about the decisions.

 From my understanding, their ratings are based on the standardized tests. So ISTEP for Indiana and CATS for Kentucky.  I understand this isn't a perfect way to measure schools, but for me personally, it's a good enough measure.  I'm just hoping to find some parents who have children in these school districts and get their opinions on the schools and what their children think of the schools. 

 My rational behind not wanting my daughter in JCPS isn't singularly bases on the assignment plan, but I do find it disturbing that they're doing this. In my opinion, they're not putting the students first. I also don't like the low ratings (that reflect the test scores) the schools are receiving. Like you said, this issue may change before I send my child to school, but we're looking to move soon so the current tests scores and rating are what I have to go off of. I have other concerns as well; I don't want my child in city schools.  I know most moms on this site live in the JCPS school system, but I've also seen posts from those that live outside this school district. Whether anyone else agrees with our decision or not, we are mostly basing where we move to on these ratings, and I'd like to find an area where we'll be happy in and feel comfortable with her attending the public schools there so we can avoid moving again before she starts school.   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessmillerphotography/

I didn't mean to discount your opinion, it was the way you said you would not send through JCPS that raised a flag to me.   There are lots of people that like living outside the city and having property and peace and quiet and there are lots of days, I wish for that...I certainly understand wanting the best for your child and doing what you think is the best-

 You are right, there were lots of moms who lived outside the JCPS area-don't know if any are still on....

I recall one mom very happy with her Sellersburg schools and another who had her son in a Montessori program in New Albany....but hadn't seen them on here in a long time...Surely there are some moms that live in the areas you are looking at to help ...

Good luck!

My advice is to visit schools that you may be interested in in areas you may want to live in. Nothing can compare to experiencing how a school operates first hand. The results from the standardized testing are so inconsistant and I think (my opinion only) they are very unreliable. GOod luck !

My advice is to visit schools that you may be interested in in areas you may want to live in. Nothing can compare to experiencing how a school operates first hand. The results from the standardized testing are so inconsistant and I think (my opinion only) they are very unreliable. GOod luck !