New Great Schools Ratings Released for FCPS/APS High Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys realize this is based on scores from 2016 right? The scores have been posted since the fall. It's not like this little algorithm/number actually gives you any new info on your school, right? More applicable to real estate values than anything else.

It's not true that the updated GS ratings have been posted since the fall. Perhaps you are referring to the underlying SOL scores.

Yes I meant the SOLS. That's all great schools is based on.

Everyone knows that, but this boils all the data down to a neat little number they can post on Redfin. It's naive to not see the relevance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are all HSs pushed down 1 rating because they need to make TJ a 10 and need to differentiate between TJ and everything else? It's more like a state ranking/tiers right, instead of true rating. Which is why you can't compare across states.

The great schools rankings are based on a state-wide comparison. It is not a ranking within a district. So, there could be many 10's in one district or just one 10 or none at all.

And you are right -- you can't really compare across state lines b/c the tests are generally different (unless you are comparing two common core schools -- you still couldn't compare the GS rating, but you could compare the actual pass rates).

Here's what GS says:

In states with only data on test scores
In states where only student achievement is used to calculate ratings, the overall GreatSchools Rating is an average of how well students at a given school do on each grade and subject test. For each test, ratings are assigned based on how well students perform relative to all other students in the state, and these ratings are averaged into an overall rating of 1 to 10. The distribution of the GreatSchools Rating in a given state looks like a bell curve, with higher numbers of schools getting ratings in the “average” category, and fewer schools getting ratings in the “above average” or “below average” categories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys realize this is based on scores from 2016 right? The scores have been posted since the fall. It's not like this little algorithm/number actually gives you any new info on your school, right? More applicable to real estate values than anything else.

It's not true that the updated GS ratings have been posted since the fall. Perhaps you are referring to the underlying SOL scores.

Yes I meant the SOLS. That's all great schools is based on.

Everyone knows that, but this boils all the data down to a neat little number they can post on Redfin. It's naive to not see the relevance.

That's why I said it has more relevance to real estate value than anything else (like actually understanding the quality of a school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys realize this is based on scores from 2016 right? The scores have been posted since the fall. It's not like this little algorithm/number actually gives you any new info on your school, right? More applicable to real estate values than anything else.

It's not true that the updated GS ratings have been posted since the fall. Perhaps you are referring to the underlying SOL scores.

Yes I meant the SOLS. That's all great schools is based on.

Everyone knows that, but this boils all the data down to a neat little number they can post on Redfin. It's naive to not see the relevance.

That's why I said it has more relevance to real estate value than anything else (like actually understanding the quality of a school).

Correct and you will also understand the intelligence of your neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys realize this is based on scores from 2016 right? The scores have been posted since the fall. It's not like this little algorithm/number actually gives you any new info on your school, right? More applicable to real estate values than anything else.

It's not true that the updated GS ratings have been posted since the fall. Perhaps you are referring to the underlying SOL scores.

Yes I meant the SOLS. That's all great schools is based on.

Everyone knows that, but this boils all the data down to a neat little number they can post on Redfin. It's naive to not see the relevance.

That's why I said it has more relevance to real estate value than anything else (like actually understanding the quality of a school).

Correct and you will also understand the intelligence of your neighborhood

Hardly. People in my neighborhood don't send their children to the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all HSs pushed down 1 rating because they need to make TJ a 10 and need to differentiate between TJ and everything else? It's more like a state ranking/tiers right, instead of true rating. Which is why you can't compare across states.

The great schools rankings are based on a state-wide comparison. It is not a ranking within a district. So, there could be many 10's in one district or just one 10 or none at all.

And you are right -- you can't really compare across state lines b/c the tests are generally different (unless you are comparing two common core schools -- you still couldn't compare the GS rating, but you could compare the actual pass rates).

Here's what GS says:

In states with only data on test scores
In states where only student achievement is used to calculate ratings, the overall GreatSchools Rating is an average of how well students at a given school do on each grade and subject test. For each test, ratings are assigned based on how well students perform relative to all other students in the state, and these ratings are averaged into an overall rating of 1 to 10. The distribution of the GreatSchools Rating in a given state looks like a bell curve, with higher numbers of schools getting ratings in the “average” category, and fewer schools getting ratings in the “above average” or “below average” categories.

If Langley, McLean, etc are 9s, is there a HS that's a 10 in VA, besides TJ? Maggie Walker is not ranked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys realize this is based on scores from 2016 right? The scores have been posted since the fall. It's not like this little algorithm/number actually gives you any new info on your school, right? More applicable to real estate values than anything else.

It's not true that the updated GS ratings have been posted since the fall. Perhaps you are referring to the underlying SOL scores.

Yes I meant the SOLS. That's all great schools is based on.

Everyone knows that, but this boils all the data down to a neat little number they can post on Redfin. It's naive to not see the relevance.

That's why I said it has more relevance to real estate value than anything else (like actually understanding the quality of a school).

Correct and you will also understand the intelligence of your neighborhood

More like their socioeconomic status you pretentious lemmings.

[Anonymous]

If your neighbors are smart you will have a high gs rating. We lived in a 7 zone and many of the neighbors cleaned houses, mowed lawns and were blue collar. Now in my gs 9 neighborhood it's all white collars. Always ackward trying to drum up small talk with the guy who worked on your house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your neighbors are smart you will have a high gs rating. We lived in a 7 zone and many of the neighbors cleaned houses, mowed lawns and were blue collar. Now in my gs 9 neighborhood it's all white collars. Always ackward trying to drum up small talk with the guy who worked on your house.

You can't be serious.
Signed,
Blue collar household

[Anonymous]

Yeah like it never occurs to the white collar people maybe they are socially awkward or shock not as smart as they think they are!!!

[Anonymous]

Adding the limited English number to the F/R Lunch number provides the following (by the sum of those two numbers - highest to lowest). It might provide a better picture of the burden some schools have relative to others. For example, Stuart has an ESL number of 32.29 percent and a F/R lunch number of 64.47 percent, for a total of 96.76. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Jefferson has an ESL number of 0 percent and a F/R lunch number of 2.11 percent, for a total of 2.11. The numbers come from the FCPS website. The Great School rating is in parentheses:

Stuart - 96.76 (3)
Falls Church - 82.34 (4)
Annandale - 81.28 (4)
Lee - 81.16 (3)
Mt. Vernon - 73.27 (2)
Herndon - 61.29 (4)
West Potomac - 58.46 (4)
Edison - 52.59 (5)
South Lakes - 40.33 (6)
Hayfield - 38.15 (5)
Westfield - 36.71 (6)
Fairfax - 36.18 (6)
Centreville - 35.57 (6)
Marshall - 26.36 (9)
Chantilly - 23.85 (8)
South County - 21.93 (6)
Lake Braddock - 21.83 (8)
Oakton - 18.79 (8)
Madison - 17.01 (8)
Woodson - 16.33 (8)
McLean - 15.25 (9)
West Springfield - 13.89 (9)
Robinson - 13.23 (8)
Langley - 3.48 (9)
Thomas Jefferson - 2.11 (10)


Some schools appear to have fallen outside expectations: Mt. Vernon, Hayfield, and South County should probably do a bit better; Marshall does a bit better than one would expect (and maybe Annandale and Falls Church as well).

Things of note: 8 schools have broken away from the rest with high ESL numbers and F/R lunch numbers (>50 combined, starting at Edison and running up through Stuart). FCPS has a serious problem in this regard because education focused families with money moving to the area will see these numbers and run to the other schools, making the problem worse for the low rated schools.

Some schools (Marshall, Lake Braddock ) benefit from inbound transfers of education focused students. Others, like Mt. Vernon, Falls Church, and Lee suffer the opposite problem - they lose education focused students via transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adding the limited English number to the F/R Lunch number provides the following (by the sum of those two numbers - highest to lowest). It might provide a better picture of the burden some schools have relative to others. For example, Stuart has an ESL number of 32.29 percent and a F/R lunch number of 64.47 percent, for a total of 96.76. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Jefferson has an ESL number of 0 percent and a F/R lunch number of 2.11 percent, for a total of 2.11. The numbers come from the FCPS website. The Great School rating is in parentheses:

Stuart - 96.76 (3)
Falls Church - 82.34 (4)
Annandale - 81.28 (4)
Lee - 81.16 (3)
Mt. Vernon - 73.27 (2)
Herndon - 61.29 (4)
West Potomac - 58.46 (4)
Edison - 52.59 (5)
South Lakes - 40.33 (6)
Hayfield - 38.15 (5)
Westfield - 36.71 (6)
Fairfax - 36.18 (6)
Centreville - 35.57 (6)
Marshall - 26.36 (9)
Chantilly - 23.85 (8)
South County - 21.93 (6)
Lake Braddock - 21.83 (8)
Oakton - 18.79 (8)
Madison - 17.01 (8)
Woodson - 16.33 (8)
McLean - 15.25 (9)
West Springfield - 13.89 (9)
Robinson - 13.23 (8)
Langley - 3.48 (9)
Thomas Jefferson - 2.11 (10)


Some schools appear to have fallen outside expectations: Mt. Vernon, Hayfield, and South County should probably do a bit better; Marshall does a bit better than one would expect (and maybe Annandale and Falls Church as well).

Things of note: 8 schools have broken away from the rest with high ESL numbers and F/R lunch numbers (>50 combined, starting at Edison and running up through Stuart). FCPS has a serious problem in this regard because education focused families with money moving to the area will see these numbers and run to the other schools, making the problem worse for the low rated schools.

Some schools (Marshall, Lake Braddock ) benefit from inbound transfers of education focused students. Others, like Mt. Vernon, Falls Church, and Lee suffer the opposite problem - they lose education focused students via transfer.

Great information--thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adding the limited English number to the F/R Lunch number provides the following (by the sum of those two numbers - highest to lowest). It might provide a better picture of the burden some schools have relative to others. For example, Stuart has an ESL number of 32.29 percent and a F/R lunch number of 64.47 percent, for a total of 96.76. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Jefferson has an ESL number of 0 percent and a F/R lunch number of 2.11 percent, for a total of 2.11. The numbers come from the FCPS website. The Great School rating is in parentheses:

Stuart - 96.76 (3)
Falls Church - 82.34 (4)
Annandale - 81.28 (4)
Lee - 81.16 (3)
Mt. Vernon - 73.27 (2)
Herndon - 61.29 (4)
West Potomac - 58.46 (4)
Edison - 52.59 (5)
South Lakes - 40.33 (6)
Hayfield - 38.15 (5)
Westfield - 36.71 (6)
Fairfax - 36.18 (6)
Centreville - 35.57 (6)
Marshall - 26.36 (9)
Chantilly - 23.85 (8)
South County - 21.93 (6)
Lake Braddock - 21.83 (8)
Oakton - 18.79 (8)
Madison - 17.01 (8)
Woodson - 16.33 (8)
McLean - 15.25 (9)
West Springfield - 13.89 (9)
Robinson - 13.23 (8)
Langley - 3.48 (9)
Thomas Jefferson - 2.11 (10)


Some schools appear to have fallen outside expectations: Mt. Vernon, Hayfield, and South County should probably do a bit better; Marshall does a bit better than one would expect (and maybe Annandale and Falls Church as well).

Things of note: 8 schools have broken away from the rest with high ESL numbers and F/R lunch numbers (>50 combined, starting at Edison and running up through Stuart). FCPS has a serious problem in this regard because education focused families with money moving to the area will see these numbers and run to the other schools, making the problem worse for the low rated schools.

Some schools (Marshall, Lake Braddock ) benefit from inbound transfers of education focused students. Others, like Mt. Vernon, Falls Church, and Lee suffer the opposite problem - they lose education focused students via transfer.

You don't get accurate data by adding ESOL and FARMS numbers. That will overstate the numbers. There is significant overlap between ESOL and FARMS, so you're double counting. 64 percent at Stuart is still extremely high and a burden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adding the limited English number to the F/R Lunch number provides the following (by the sum of those two numbers - highest to lowest). It might provide a better picture of the burden some schools have relative to others. For example, Stuart has an ESL number of 32.29 percent and a F/R lunch number of 64.47 percent, for a total of 96.76. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Jefferson has an ESL number of 0 percent and a F/R lunch number of 2.11 percent, for a total of 2.11. The numbers come from the FCPS website. The Great School rating is in parentheses:

Stuart - 96.76 (3)
Falls Church - 82.34 (4)
Annandale - 81.28 (4)
Lee - 81.16 (3)
Mt. Vernon - 73.27 (2)
Herndon - 61.29 (4)
West Potomac - 58.46 (4)
Edison - 52.59 (5)
South Lakes - 40.33 (6)
Hayfield - 38.15 (5)
Westfield - 36.71 (6)
Fairfax - 36.18 (6)
Centreville - 35.57 (6)
Marshall - 26.36 (9)
Chantilly - 23.85 (8)
South County - 21.93 (6)
Lake Braddock - 21.83 (8)
Oakton - 18.79 (8)
Madison - 17.01 (8)
Woodson - 16.33 (8)
McLean - 15.25 (9)
West Springfield - 13.89 (9)
Robinson - 13.23 (8)
Langley - 3.48 (9)
Thomas Jefferson - 2.11 (10)


Some schools appear to have fallen outside expectations: Mt. Vernon, Hayfield, and South County should probably do a bit better; Marshall does a bit better than one would expect (and maybe Annandale and Falls Church as well).

Things of note: 8 schools have broken away from the rest with high ESL numbers and F/R lunch numbers (>50 combined, starting at Edison and running up through Stuart). FCPS has a serious problem in this regard because education focused families with money moving to the area will see these numbers and run to the other schools, making the problem worse for the low rated schools.

Some schools (Marshall, Lake Braddock ) benefit from inbound transfers of education focused students. Others, like Mt. Vernon, Falls Church, and Lee suffer the opposite problem - they lose education focused students via transfer.

You don't get accurate data by adding ESOL and FARMS numbers. That will overstate the numbers. There is significant overlap between ESOL and FARMS, so you're double counting. 64 percent at Stuart is still extremely high and a burden.

I was just about to write that. That's counting the same students twice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your neighbors are smart you will have a high gs rating. We lived in a 7 zone and many of the neighbors cleaned houses, mowed lawns and were blue collar. Now in my gs 9 neighborhood it's all white collars. Always ackward trying to drum up small talk with the guy who worked on your house.

I have no trouble talking to my handyman, plumber/hvac guy or my mechanic even though I have an adv. degree. I guess I just like normal people who know lots of useful stuff.