Ranking of top school districts in Northeast Ohio

Northeast Ohio School District (Performance Index Score)-Fall 2009

1. Solon Schools (109.5)
2. Hudson Schools (108.6)
3. Brecksville-Broadview Heights Schools (107.5)
4. Aurora Schools (107.3)
5. Beachwood Schools (107.2)
6. Chagrin Falls Schools (107)
7. Jackson Schools (106.7)
8. Avon Lake Schools (106.6)
9. Lake Local Schools (106.4)
10. Westlake Schools (106.3)

A retired school teacher from one of the Northeast Ohio public school districts said, “Send your children to private schools, if you can afford it”.  This teacher’s child studied in a top ranked public school and then in one of the best universities in Ohio and was doing well in the career.  Still she regretted not sending her child to a private school.

A parent who is actively involved in the children’s education, once commented, “My child learned nothing new this year”.  Another resigned parent once commented, “They are not going to teach much anyway”.

I think the teacher and the parents were referring to what Edward Fiske says in A Nation at a Loss,

American students may not know as much as their counterparts around the Pacific Rim, but our society allows them to make better use of what they do know.  The question now is whether this historic advantage will suffice at a time when knowledge of math, science and technology is becoming increasingly critical.  Maybe we need both the enabling environment and more rigor in these areas.

Creativity is the child of enabling environment and innovation its grandchild and this in a nutshell is the engine of our nation.   The deficiency in the horsepower is the academic rigor.  Tax payer funded education and academic rigor appear to be analogous to like poles of a magnet, particularly, at lower school education levels.  Systemic and cultural changes are hard.  Childhood is too short.  Therefore, a by pass surgery like implant to private school system is one viable option.  If you agree with Edward Fiske and think that both an enabling environment and academic rigor are essential, here’s a familar list of private schools in Northeast Ohio, for your consideration.

Private schools in Cleveland area

1. University School, Shaker Heights
2. Hathaway Brown, Shaker Heights
3. Hudson Montessori School, Hudson
4. The Goddard School

Unfortunately and usually, private school eduation like many things in life, comes at a modest to heavy price.  One might even find that the volume of education in some private schools is excessive and a bit detrimental.  If the goal is an Ivy League school education and an Ivy League school education is one way of distinction, an enabling environment at home is mandatory, irrespective of the choice between a public or a private school system.

Supplementary Education Programs in Northeast Ohio

1. Math Monkey
2. Kumon

To be continued…….