The scores are a good indicator of a school's quality, but scores are not everything

When moving to a new area (particularly across state or country borders), one of a buyer’s most significant concerns is the quality and reputation of an area’s school system. This characteristic is not only true of families with children, it’s true of anyone who has an interest in re-sale of their home.

Given that you may be new to an area, you may be at an informational disadvantage. As such, many home buyers rely on the data services to apprise them of a school’s quality. Many of these online school rating services Include: ISAT, School Matters, Chicago Sun Times School Report Cards and Great Schools, just to name a few.

The local publications, like Chicago Magazine, regularly feed our thirst for this type of information. In a recent article, The A+ Team, the elementary schools in the Chicago area are ranked.

Whew.

Just as it’s prudent to begin the process of purchasing a car with some online research of this type, it is of superior importance to test drive the car. The set of characteristics used to derive the school score may or may not be a match for your personal set of criteria.

Moreover, the non-quantitative components of a school cannot be measured. How did the  the curriculum compare to the place you’re leaving? Is there a high turnover of teachers? What is the discipline style of the principal? What is the physical condition of the building and grounds? Is there construction planned which may disrupt the learning atmosphere? Is there an impending tax referendum which will escalate your real estate taxes?

 In the near western suburban market of Chicago (Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, La Grange, Oak Brook and Elmhurst), these schools rank incredibly high on a consistent basis. Don’t unfairly prioritize these school systems based on a scoring system alone.

Instead…Meet the principal. Talk with the teachers. Schedule face time with an administrator. Interview parents at your child’s grade level. Then make some decisions on a school system.

Read more about relocating to Chicago…

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