best metro public school system? (Glendale, Scottsdale: neighborhood, school districts, college)

[hts]

I live in Anthem. Both of my sons attend a charter school (BASIS Peoria) which I think is academically unparalleled (not just in the metro, but nationally).

That being said, we've decided that a neighborhood public school is best for both our sons, so we're pulling them out of BASIS after this year.

Where are the very best (academically rigorous) Valley public schools (junior/high schools)? I'm not impressed with either Kyrene or Scottsdale (two districts that I believe are typically highly-regarded), and as much as we love Anthem, I'll happily relocate to be within the borders of the valley's best public (not private, not charter) neighborhood school?

[Pink Jazz]

The Chandler, Gilbert, and Higley districts are all high-performing academically and are rated an "A" by the Arizona Department of Education.

[El_Waiboi]

Originally Posted by hts

That being said, we've decided that a neighborhood public school is best for both our sons, so we're pulling them out of BASIS after this year.

I will be making those same decisions as my kids get older, and I am curious to your reasons for making this decision if you don't mind my asking...

[roundball]

I don't think that you can go by districts here, you have to go by individual schools. I know the high school by me has a lot of AP classes for underclassmen. If they pass those they take classes at the local CC as an upperclassmen. With the CC system that Maricopa Co. has I'm sure this is going on at most highschools.

Example: If your kid is smart he/she takes Freshman math/english/science as a 7th grader. By the time she is a Jr./Sr., there are no more math classes to take so they send her to community collage for half the day. As a bonus, a kid can graduate high school as a collage sophomore.

[hts]

El_Waiboi,

We live in the Anthem County Club and there aren't a whole lot of kids our sons' ages nearby--it's a lot of retirees and snowbirds unfortunately. BASIS is an excellent school. I could not be more impressed with their approach to academic/college prep excellence. That being said, our boys simply aren't developing the meaningful friendships with kids they're going to school with because we live so far away. Even if we moved closer to the school (which we'd do in a heartbeat if we felt like it'd make a difference), because of the nature of charter schools, there aren't likely to be kids living up/down the street from us that would attend the same charter. For that reason alone, we're looking to relo (may be out of state) to some place with an excellent local college prep middle/high public school. I can't recommend BASIS enough.

[asufan]

I live in S. Chandler and I fully intend to have my kids go to Chandler Public Schools, which are very highly rated public schools, and they are open enrollment which helps if you prefer one school over another. If one of my sons should test into a gifted program, there are certain schools that may handle that better than others. Hamilton High is very very highly regarded for a public high school, and I don't think a kid that graduates from there with a high GPA is at a disadvantage to a kid that went to Brophy, for instance. Having said that, Chandler schools aren't rated as highly as Kyrene, which you didn't like, so perhaps your standards are much higher than mine. There's plenty of charter schools around here as well, but I intend to stick with Chandler schools.

[TiredOfyycCold]

Deer Valley school district always rates very highly and it is even geographically close to you.... You may not have to move.
Certainly worth visiting a few of the schools in the district anyway.

[cacto]

Madison District.

Ask anyone who's been in the Valley for decades, Madison is known for being one of the best. My child attends in the district and my wife and I have been impressed. All the teachers we've dealt with there have been intelligent and genuinely caring. When I've talked to parents where we pick up at the end of the day I've learned that many of them don't live in the Madison District but they drive the extra miles so their kids can attend. Parents from as far away as Glendale and Laveen driving twice a day to Central PHX. It's anecdotal info, but I think it says something about the districts notoriety.

[BuckeyeBoyDJ]

If you don't like Kyrene or Scottsdale school districts then none of the public schools in the metro area will please you as those two districts are among the best public education school districts in the entire state. Maybe you should look into the Montesorri charter schools which I hear great things about. There are also a couple of Christian schools in the area that perform pretty high academically. You mentioned your sons attended Basis.......that school caters to handicap children and children with disabilities from what I understand correct? Are you looking for a similar environment?

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by hts

I live in Anthem. Both of my sons attend a charter school (BASIS Peoria) which I think is academically unparalleled (not just in the metro, but nationally).

That being said, we've decided that a neighborhood public school is best for both our sons, so we're pulling them out of BASIS after this year.

Where are the very best (academically rigorous) Valley public schools (junior/high schools)? I'm not impressed with either Kyrene or Scottsdale (two districts that I believe are typically highly-regarded), and as much as we love Anthem, I'll happily relocate to be within the borders of the valley's best public (not private, not charter) neighborhood school?

You think BASIS is academically unparalleled yet you don't want to send your children there?