How are the schools? That’s a common question parents and even people with no kids who are thinking about resale value ask us.
One way people evaluate schools is by looking at the website greatschools.com. The website Zillow also includes greatschools.com ratings on each property listing.
Greatschools.com takes information about a school and boils it down into a singular score with 10 being the highest score possible. A problem with evaluating schools this way is the information used may be outdated or inaccurate.
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An example of outdated information being used would be with one of the elementary schools in our neighborhood, Rutledge Elementary. For as long as I can remember Rutledge was ranked as a 9. Then the test scores took a temporary dip in 2014 causing the school to drop to a 7 rating. In 2015 the scores were higher than previous years when the school was rated a 9. Unfortunately as of March 28, 2016 greatschools.com is still using 2014 test scores to rate Rutledge.
When we meet people at open houses in the neighborhood often they have a negative opinion about the school only based on that one score. That means parents are making decisions about their children and where their family will live based on information that is almost 2 years old. In my opinion some homebuyers are passing on homes in a neighborhood where they would have a great life if they understood how school ratings are calculated.
If you have questions about where to find school information or about buying and selling Austin area real estate please contact me at 512-791-7473 or eric@koparealestate.com.
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