| How schools fit into Public school rankings | | | | because they are working one or more jobs to |
| are extremely important to many people. | | | | make ends meet. It's also possible that |
| District and state officials, principals, | | | | parents don't know that they have options in |
| teachers, parents, and students are all | | | | where they send their children to school - |
| concerned, in varying degrees, in how their | | | | and can find better ones by looking at Public |
| schools compare to others. In a society that | | | | school rankings. Families who are simply |
| is increasingly trying to "keep up with the | | | | struggling to survive may not have school as |
| Joneses", all investors in the schools (the | | | | a top priority. They probably don't even know |
| same folks listed above) are constantly | | | | that Public school rankings even exist and |
| monitoring how they stand in public school | | | | are available to them; they are too busy |
| rankings , and trying to be better than other | | | | living day to day to even look into Public |
| schools. | | | | school rankings. Often, parents at this low |
| | | | level of income are themselves undereducated, |
| Lots of factors go into determining where a | | | | and simply do not know that there are better |
| school is placed in Public school rankings. | | | | educational opportunities out there which are |
| While the majority of the consideration is | | | | identified by their placement in Public |
| given to test scores - how well students | | | | school rankings. As a matter of fact, due to |
| scored, as well as how many have taken | | | | the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act, and the |
| advanced assessments such as Advanced | | | | 2007 reauthorization of that Act, parents of |
| Placement tests - consideration is also given | | | | students who are attending low-performing |
| to factors like socioeconomic background. To | | | | schools at the bottom of Public school |
| be more specific, Public school rankings are | | | | rankings have the right to withdraw their |
| influenced by how many kids are receiving | | | | children from said schools and enroll them in |
| free or reduced lunches each school day. | | | | places that are on the top in regards to |
| | | | Public school rankings. |
| Kids who come from a low socioeconomic | | | | |
| background, meaning their families are at or | | | | It is definitely to the benefit of all |
| below poverty level, tend to attend schools | | | | parents, whether they are below poverty level |
| that are not up to snuff - and are in the | | | | or at the more affluent end of the spectrum |
| lower end of Public school rankings. It's not | | | | to consider Public school rankings whenever |
| meant, by any means, that they are choosing | | | | they are making decisions about which schools |
| these schools. Maybe they have no other | | | | their children will attend. It is a decision |
| options; it's easiest for their parent(s) to | | | | that can have long-reaching, indeed |
| send them to the closest school to home | | | | life-changing effects. |